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[center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7L_QN8SPLI]”Approaching Scales”[/url][/center]

A terrible cacophony of noise was fast approaching the towering Qiangshan Mountain range. After what had seemed like forever flying over the great Sandravii Desert, Sartr’s dragon forces were finally closing in on their destination. Their malevolent leader - the gigantic hydra Slaevatein - led the charge as their songs of mayhem stemmed ever closer to their prey. 

The only thing standing in their way? A massive wooden ship that belonged to none other then the owner of their residence - the River god Shengshi. The hydra was aware of his divine presence on board, their noses having quickly sensed the intoxicating smell of stream water and mead stemming off the god’s ride. Yet they also sensed another god onboard - a sweet-smelling goddess with a radiant persona that could only belong to Asceal.

It would definitely be an intimidating first run for any army to sink their teeth into, but the massive Slaevatein feared nothing. All it could feel was rage and a ravenous hunger to satiate. With their prey straight ahead, the Hydra ripped loose a melody of ear-splitting screeches as they proceeded to engage the ship. The smaller dragons began to split off, some having already formed large squadrons, as they proceeded to attack different portions of the ship. If they could overwhelm them by surrounding it, then surely they would be victorious. The hydra meanwhile was flanked by the larger dragons, before they finally opened fire on the vessel. All seven heads unleashed a volley of powerful beams of fire, each blasting upon various portions of the wooden deck - some hitting the hull, or the deck, with some even hitting the on-board masts holding up the ship’s massive sails. 

The battle had just begun. All around the deck, screaming servants ran for cover behind the sacred gates. Some made it; others were boiled to nothingness before the fury of the dragonfire. Some brave martyrs of the Strong cast themselves over the jaws of huffing dragons aiming for their brothers and sisters, selflessly offering their lives just to buy their family some time. The barricades around the main gates, mortal as they were without having been blessed by the sacred oils of Jiangzhou, soon found themselves to be little more than ash. 

While the ship was impervious to the dragon’s every attack, Jiangzhou was unfortunately faulty in one aspect: Every room in the palace had open windows. So even as the servants sprinted to close every set of wooden blinds and cover every window with blessed boards, the cunning beasts merely turned the rooms into ovens. That which was inside the rooms, deemed too mundane to be blessed, was reduced to cinders. Now, trapped within the depths of the hull, the servants hunkered together as the fires raged above.

“The nerve…” came a vicious rumble from the top floor of the central tower. The snake slithered out onto his veranda, his paper door-walled chambres aflame. The fire licked menacingly, yet harmlessly against the crimson scales of Shengshi, and his beastly, reptilian eyes mirrored those of his assailants. “A grave insult to attack my home, you mindless beasts - and a fatal mistake to burn my house.” He slowly extended his arms forward. “I will fashion your bones into cutlery to replace that which your fire has melted…” One long, elastic strand of water for each hand whipped up from the lake below and slapped against his open palms. “... I will sew your hides to replace all the textiles you have incinerated…” He flexed his left arm and did a practice whip with his right, its crack akin to a momentary thundering flood. “... I will turn your skulls into chambre pots for all my guests to use for eternity…” He began to spin the whips around into murderous buzz saws of water and fury. “... In short…” Two dragons saw their openings from the hind flank and dove.

“... I will slaughter you all.”

In what felt like a flash, the two dragons became a mist of crimson and unevenly cut meat strands. The other dragons unfortunate enough to be in the immediate vicinity of the middle tower suffered similar fates - the lucky ones suffered minor cuts and climbed for safety or major lacerations and dove for cover. Not even the holy wood of the sacred tower was safe from the meat grinder that was Shengshi’s whips, the water’s blades cutting deep into some planks and walls, and sometimes cleaving them entirely. The immediate space around the palace became a zone of death, forcing the dragons to momentarily retreat.

That brief reprieve bought Asceal time to gather what few Servants remained alive on the deck.  None were uninjured, in fact few were even whole, but that was no obstacle for the Goddess.  With a mere touch the missing limbs of felled servants were returned to them.  Asceal zipped between the doorway she’d emerged from and the injured, retrieving and healing the few lucky servants who’d escaped the battle on the deck in the span of a moment.

When she’d rescued the last of the water-people she made her way the hallway where her children were waiting, all three of them. Makab had been roused by the din of battle and his siblings had been quick to shepard their disoriented brother into one of the safe corridors.  It was he who asked the question on all the their minds, “How do we fight them Mother?  Just one nearly-”

The winged man paused abruptly as he raised his pristine arm.  Asceal smiled weakly at his surprise, but didn’t wait for him to come to his own conclusions, “The same way I healed you, Makab.  I’m going to give all of you some of my power.  You’ll be able to recover from any wound the beasts can inflict on you.”  She hesitated and frowned before going on, “As long as it doesn’t kill you outright.  You’ll still have to be careful, all of you.”

With that said the Goddess closed her eyes and the hallway began to glow.  Her children felt a tingle, and that was that. Makab nodded, but Eline had more to say, “As helpful as that is Mother, the spears you gave us weren’t able to pierce the hide of the one that we fought before.  We need weapons.”

Asceal pursed her lips, “You do.  I should have given you proper weaponry to begin with.”

The Goddess took Eline’s hand and squeezed.  As soon as Asceal let go the winged woman was holding a shimmering spear as tall as she was.  Eline looked shocked, but said nothing.  There was no time to waste.  She hugged her mother and took off down the hallway.

“And now you two,” Asceal grasped the hands of her sons, and soon Makab was hefting a glowing sword while Akam held an elegant shimmering bow. 

Makab gritted his teeth and took after Eline.  Akam looked unsure, even uncomfortable with the weapons in his hands, but there was nothing for it.  Asceal pulled her son into a hug and whispered into his ear, “Be safe, and keep them safe too.”

The last of the Goddess’s children nodded and outstretched his wings.  With a powerful motion he took off down the hallway, flying to catch up with the others.  Asceal, now alone in the passageway, scowled and cursed the air, “If any of them come to harm, Sartravius, I won’t stop with this army.”

She furrowed her brows and began walking in the direction her children had gone.

Meanwhile, the dragons continued their ruthless assault upon the sturdy hull of the ship. Even as each dragon fell, two would take their place and continue to what their fallen brethren started. Within seconds, they were back in the fray. Several of these ferocious beasts were able to out-maneuver the water god’s powerful jet-streams and land directly on the wooden deck of his vessel. 

There they began to wreck havoc upon the holy deck of the ship, while also inspecting the broken windows that lead directly into the ship’s interior. The dragons would then peer into the broken windows - their amber eyes searching the interior for any tasty morsels. Any servants they found near them would be swiftly devoured. Otherwise they began to unleash their breath of death towards the visible windows, roasting any remaining alive, while others began to utilize their massive claws to manually get into the lower levels. 

Meanwhile, Slaevatein noted the challenging words that ominously emanated from Shengshi’s mouth. The heads growled challengingly yet they weren’t intimidated by his bluff. Their skin began to release hot steam from little openings within their skin, as their body began to grow more and more crimson as they did. Even as a stream of water came directly at them, the intense heat was able to mitigate most of the damage received - boiling most of the water and power before they could even touch him.

How the cruel Slaevatein laughed at the water god’s attempts, their heads all cackling in uncontrollable giddiness, before they proceeded to fire all seven fire beams directly towards their opponent’s face. Yet as they did, they began to fly directly towards him. Those beams were to provide a distraction, hopefully long enough, for the terrible hydra to get close and rip their talons into the god’s hide, with swift and ruthless brutality. 

While Shengshi’s scales were impervious to the flame, he growled in agony when the blasts seared the parts of his humanoid skin that he could not protect. He shielded what he could of his face and chest with the back of his arms, but left his abdomen open for the dragon’s talons. Few beasts could pierce sacred skin, but as the claws connected, Shengshi felt for the first time his ichor spill. The sensation was dreadful, wretchedly painful - yet above all, foreign, so much so that, for a moment after the strike, the snake lowered his guard in bewilderment and let his eyes fall to the wound as if it was some oddity. Shengshi stroked his palm against the three crimson slits on his belly and lifted it to his face, blinking.

“You… Wounded me,” he snarled quietly. He raised his other hand quickly. The dragon was close now - perhaps a little too close. Suddenly, two blades of water from the lake below bolted up towards the necks furthest to left and right. The left head was able to dodge the blade by several feet, swerving its long neck in an S-shape, however it couldn’t be said for the one on the right.

[b][color=9e0b0f]*CHOP*[/color][/b]

It was just a second too slow as its head was completely sliced off from its host. The hydra roared violently as a fountain of fiery ichor found itself spilling all over the deck, slowly burning the divine hull and dripping into the lower levels. In a fit of rage, the monstrous abomination was swift in shifting their entire body and utilized their massive tail to issue a powerful swipe towards their wounded god before firing their beams both on him and upon the ship itself. 

While the ship remained all the same, Shengshi was knocked off the top of the tower and sent flying, crashing into the Giant’s Bath with a deafening splash and waves that nearly reached to the deck of his ship. The surface of the water grew clouded with sacred blood and the snake was nowhere to be found.

With Shengshi now seemingly out of the picture, Slaevatein snarled before they rose on their hind legs and screeched into the heavens. Their victory screech could be heard for miles, echoing in an eerie symphony of harmonic chaos, before they proceeded to maul the vessel themselves. However, even as their claws became superheated, they would find that they weren’t able to pierce through the hull on their own? The other dragons seemed to have the same problem, with the exception of the broken windows. 

Yet they wouldn’t even bother having to do it by themselves. The damage left by the god himself had produced several large holes, with some large enough to fit a small dragon in. The hydra would cackle again as they called for reinforcements. Several more of their forces came to their aid and proceeded to enter, however their giant brethren would quickly stop their descent. 

They had a better idea.

The hydra ordered the dragons to gather around the exposed holes, but only that. Small groups, no larger than three or four, crowded behind every nook and cranny they could find. Each head would proceed to overlook any nearby hole, overseeing the operation as their throats began to glow a fiery orange. Then, they plunged their mouths into the wounds and ignited their liquid fire into the vessel. They were essentially cooking the vessel from the inside out, broiling everyone that were unfortunate enough to be on the upper decks. If they are to keep this up, the entire vessel would become a giant furnace and eliminate everyone from within. 

Immediately, those who had sought safety in the palace were boiled to nothingness. Men, women and children who had hunkered behind the doors to the guest rooms or in the previously impervious hallways were reduced to the mere cinders of their clothes. Down in the belly of the ship, where most had sought refuge, they quivered and cried at the gurgles and screams from the floors above. Occasionally, servants who had reached the staircase tossed themselves out of the way of pursuing columns of fire avoided the flames, but not the heat, falling to the floor below in messes of hot sand and mud. 

As if the deaths of their kin was not enough, the ship was heating up from all the steam, and many of the servants grew paranoid and panicky as their breathed in the literal fumes of their dead brethren.

Within the vessel Asceal was bathed in flames.  She’d been unable to escape the ship before the Dragon’s clever attack, and now the very corridor around her was saturated with furious orange fire.  For anything mortal it would have been a death sentence. Thankfully, Asceal was not a mortal. Nor was she a stranger to pain.

The Goddess walked through the corridors unperturbed, her expression not one of horror but rather one of cold fury.  Eventually she reached one of the holes Shengshi had torn in his ship and cast her gaze on the beast breathing fire in her very face. She flapped her wings once and collided with the beast's maw.

The dragon lurched back in surprise, and that sealed its fate.  Before it could close its powerful jaws the Goddess in its mouth punched up and shattered the dragon’s palate. The blast of bone shredded the creatures brain and it fell dead suddenly.  Its fellows looked at their fallen comrade in confusion only to see a glowing beacon of illumination climb out of the dead dragon’s mouth.

As she got to her feet Asceal grew brighter and brighter still, until her own light was enough to make even glancing at her deeply unpleasant for the lizards on the ships deck. Those who ignored the pain and held the Goddess in their gaze would soon find themselves without sight at all. Asceal didn’t scream in fury, nor did she utter any threat or challenge, she merely advanced on the stunned beasts.

It was then that the three angels attacked.  All had dived into the water and taken the time to shift into their true forms.  Now three titans stood up in the giants bath.  The water, deep was it was, was only up to their chests. Makab pumped his wings first, the distinctive brown mottled look of his feathers distinguishing him from his siblings.  He took off, his jump propelling him onto the deck of Shengshi’s enormous vessel.  Eline and Akam followed suit, and suddenly there wasn’t much space left on the ships deck.

Glowing weaponry flicked to life in their hands and they entered the fray.  Unlike the dragons, they were immune to their mothers blinding appearance and had no problem fighting under her light.

Dragons swarmed the three, but many things had changed since their first battle. Eline used her enormous spear to pierce the first dragon that charged her, and as it writhed on the shaft of her ethereal weapon a swing of Makab’s sword took off its head.  The three fought with their mother, each one falling back into her light after sustaining an injury only to emerged unhurt after a few moments.

The dragons were, suddenly, presented with one enemy that it was dangerous to see and three that were seemingly impossible to kill.  Several held their distance, but many cared little for strategy and simply did their damndest to maul each feathered titan as they emerged from the light.

Slaevatein’s heads each lurched up from their hidey holes as they inspected the new opponents that dared to engage them. The blinding light from the goddess was enough for them to avert their eyes, yet they still refused to abandon ship. The angelic trio were also now out and about - their giant white bodies being near featureless save for their wings and giant glowing yellow eyes - slaying every scaly monster they came across. The hydra was now in for a real fight. 

Several of the hydra’s heads locked onto their respective angel - precisely Eline and Makab - as they blast their hellish blaze towards them with haste. However, the third angel - Akam - seemed not be in sight. That was, until he popped out from the creature’s left flank with a holy bow and arrow in his grasp. Taking opportunity of the distracted Slaevatein, he proceeded to aim his arrow straight towards the beast. He carefully prepared his shot as his firing hand shook upon the pressure… And he never fired.

His target was right there. It would be impossible for the angel to miss at the range he was at. Yet he refused to fire. His gaze shifted nervously, almost as if he was in utter awe of the beast that was in front of him. Alone that might have been enough to make Akam hesitate, but it was something else that stayed his hand. 

Whatever it was, the winged titan didn't have long to ponder it. For that was when one of the hydra’s heads noticed the angel and its amber-colored eyes pierced the archer’s soul. Akam couldn’t move. No matter what he did, he just couldn’t release his arrow. And with one of Slaevatein’s heads now glaring upon him, all he did was look up at his impending doom, as the beast’s throat glowed brightly before a blinding red gaze filled his sight completely.

Eline and Makab had managed to dodge the hydra’s fire, even if barely, but Akam was not so fortunate.  The feathered titan took the scorching blast to the chest, and despite its size, was flung off the ship.  Akam landed in the giants bath, his front a charred ruin and his eyes dim.  Almost at once his siblings abandoned their assault and retreated to their fallen brother, pulling his sinking form through the giant's bath and away from the battle.  The faint glow of magic could be seen among Akam’s injuries, his scorched flesh slowly being restored, but the damage was great.

It was at that moment the blinding light of the Goddess simply… Ceased.  The dragons looked around in bewilderment, trying to locate Asceal, but none managed.  At least, until she streaked out from behind the tower. 

The Goddess didn’t shout or scream or shout, she merely flew at one of Slaevatein’s heads faster than any arrow.  

And upon impacting one of the hydra’s own heads, the head would simply explode upon impact with the goddess. Another head had been blasted clean from their body, as Slaevatein issued another surprising shriek towards the sudden turn of events. Only five heads now remained, with the bleeding stumps spilling their burning essence upon the holy wood of the vessel. 

Now the enraged beast was not about to continue fooling around. It's heads began to search for the light goddess, firing upon anything that moved or squirmed around below them. If they could take down a water god, then surely they could take down a merely insignificant goddess with only some effort.

The waters around the massive Dragon's feet began to bubble faintly, light prickles tickling at its skin. Then, suddenly, several liquid arms and appendages whipped out of the lake and wrapped themselves around whatever part of Slaevatein they could grab, pulling it down to the surface. 

The hydra began screeching profusely as they found themselves struggling against the wet embrace that enwrapped them. Their necks and legs were the first to become compromised as they attempted to use all the heat in their body to evaporate the offending arms, however they didn’t appear to work as efficiently. Slaevatein would then attempt to fly as they were able to gain several meters off the ground, yet the watery chains seemed to have kept them bound to the water below. The aquatic arms dragged the flailing beast to the eastern edge of the bath with a force that sent tall waves washing over the ship, the angels and Asceal. At the eastern edge, the arms snaked themselves around the entirety of the beast like bands around a mummy, trapping it in a liquid cocoon. The heads thrashed and frequently broke through the barrier, but no matter how the body struggled, the overall integrity of its cage seemed too solid.

At the centre of the pool rose Shengshi out of the water, propelled by a constant water jet. He clutched his still-bleeding side and hissed, clenching his free hand into a shaking fist. 

“I will admit, I underestimated the potency of dragonfire. My carelessness has cost me much of my home and my loyal crew.” A snake of water rose out of the lake in front of the Slaevatein, nearly twice the size of the beast itself. It veered its head from side to side, occasionally popping out a dripping, forked tongue.

“Now, I seem to recall saying something about drowning,” the snake said with a cruel smirk and unclenched his fist. The water snake jabbed its head at the Slaevatein with such force that the now-five headed beast broke through the stone wall of the bath; however, its agony was far from over. The water snake surged forward with unrelenting fury, grinding the writhing beast through a cracking, shifting mess of sand, stone and water. It continued as it reached the deserts, turning southwards until it was far, far away from the battle. After a moment, not even divine eyes could see where the horror had taken the beast - only that it had left a long, smooth-bottomed river in its wake. 

The dragon folley rose their heads to find their seven-headed master, but he was alas nowhere to be seen. They began to screech in confusion, wondering where Slaevatein went off too, before one dragon began to panic amidst Shengshi’s reappearance. And once it panicked, soon the others began to feel the same energy and most began to flee the scene. They rose from the ship like a mass of fiery locusts, their calls echoing across the area as they began their hasty retreat. Many went in the direction of where their Master had been forced to, calling to them as they followed the newly created river towards the desert.

Others however, whether out of confusion or of fear, went in different directions altogether. A handful found themselves heading to the very mountains they sought to conquer, however their intentions were hardly harmful at this point. They would each take residence in any cave they could find, eventually making them their new home and abandoning Sartr’s plans. 

The same was said to several more, some exiling themselves into the farthest regions of Sandravii, the Charnel Steppes, and even the forests of Xishan. Eventually, others would settle across the world of Galbar, living out their days a simply humble beasts and nothing more.

Only one would find itself flying back to Mt. Eldahverr, where it would be the messenger to the battle at hand.

[hr]

As the dust settled and the last of the dragons fled, Asceal found herself standing over Akam.  Eline and Makab had brought their brother onto the battle scarred deck once it was clear the danger had passed, but the felled angel had not stirred since his injury.  His silence wasn’t a result of any injury, for his body had long since healed.  Nor was it a consequence of sleep, for Akam’s eyes were wide open.

It seemed to the world that he was fine, but he did not stir.  His siblings didn’t understand, and in their ignorance they grew more and more concerned, worried their brother had sustained an injury no magic could heal.  That was, in a roundabout way, the truth.  Not the whole truth, though. Asceal knelt next to her son and held his hand.

After all, had the Goddess not been where Akam was now?  There were some things that could not be explained, and Asceal didn’t seem inclined to waste her breath trying.  She reassured Akam’s siblings, and then sent them to check on Liana and Shengshi. 

The two found Shengshi standing at the top of the new waterfall, his hand still clutching his side. He gazed outwards at the large flow that seemed to snake its merry way through the desert in the distant. As the two angels approached, he gave them both a nod each.

“Have the dragons scattered?” he asked.

“Looks like,” Makab answered, “Once you beat up the big one they got out of here fast as they could.”

“Mm-hm,” the snake said sourly. “Is your mother still around? I would rather not walk around with my flesh exposed like this. It would be uncouth.” Not really waiting for an answer, he slithered into the water and swam for the ship.

Makab opened his mouth to answer, but a jab in the ribs from Eline discouraged him.  The two elected to follow the God of Rivers at a distance.  Shengshi climbed aboard the ship and looked around. The damage it had suffered was immense - heartbreaking. It brought mist and tears to the snake’s eyes to see burned heaps of clothing and sand and glass splattered across the deck. “An unforgivable massacre,” he whispered and wiped away a tear. 

Asceal squeezed Akam’s hand and stood up from her son’s side.  She made her way to Shengshi, the same tears in her eyes as her sibling’s, “I’m sorry.”  Her voice was weak, almost choked, “Do- Do you know how many survived?”

The snake shook his head somberly. He snapped his fingers and, very slowly, the survivors came walking, limping or on stretchers out of the palace, presenting themselves before the gods on their knees. The snake let his eyes scan their numbers and he sniffed. “Of my ten thousand servants, fewer than two thousand remain,” he said in a shaking voice. The crew themselves looked at one another in horror, most of them starting to weep and cry. The snake clutched his face with a shivering hand and collapsed to the floor. “This is my fault… I underestimated the beasts…”

As the Servants presented themselves Asceal’s expression fell even further.  She managed a sigh of relief when she saw Liana alive and well, but even that was short lived.  The Goddess closed her eyes and rested a hand on Shengshi’s shoulder, “No, Shengshi, it’s not.  Sartravius made these beasts, and Sartravius sent them out into the world.  You, and me, neither of us understood the depth of our peers malice, that’s all.  I knew Sartravius was cruel, and even then I never could have imagined this.”

The Goddess breathed in, and her next words were as resolved as they were icy, “It’s not a mistake we’ll make again.  We made a toast to victory Shengshi, I think it’s time to see that promise through.”

The snake was silent for a long time. Then, eventually, he pursed his lips and nodded. He poked the final tear out of his eye and growled. “So we shall… First, though, I must repair my ship. Before that, though… Could you do me a little favour, dearest sister?” The snake pointed to his wound. “As I said to your children, I would rather this was closed.” 

Asceal looked down at Shengshi and nodded.  She knelt down and pressed a hand against the cuts on Shengshi’s side, eliciting a slight wince from the snake.  There was a faint glow, and in the span of a second it was done.  The Goddess cast her gaze on the servants and wiped a few tears from her eyes, “I’m going to go tend to your people now, Shengshi, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Please do.” The snake slithered over to the dragon’s head at the ship’s bow and leaned on it with a sigh. “They made a mockery of us, did they not, old friend?” As usual, the dragon’s head was silent on these matters. The snake frowned and gazed down into the waters below. He pressed his palm against the wood of the railing and, slowly, a pulse of light snailed and snaked its way through the wood fibres. It traveled like running water across the ship, turning broken planks and crisped furniture back to their undamaged forms. The cuts in the palace melted together in an uncanny fashion, considering they were wooden, and windows were replaced and redressed in paper. Shengshi’s personal chambres once again displayed the opulent perfection that he himself advocated. Yet, as his ship returned to normal, the snake shot another glance back at the grieving servants. He slithered back and breathed in deeply.

“Servants,” he called. They all quickened to, even the ones too damaged to truly quicken. The snake’s heavy eyes blinked a few times. He gave them a two-fingered rub and cleared his throat. “On account of this crime committed against the sacred people of the rivers, I, Shengshi, give you all my most genuine blessings to be fruitful and multiply.” Many of the servants looked at one another, sudden beams of glee contrasting their wartorn expressions. “Due to the grave losses, I set no boundaries on the number of children you may produce - however, the caste division test will strive to distribute the children as equally as their results will allow. I…” He took another deep breath. “... I know your new families will not be able to replace the old, but they will hopefully be able to mitigate some of the grief. You may start as soon as you feel like it. Nanhe, Beihe and the Giant’s Bath are all open to you.” The servants all smiled at one another, and as Asceal walked by to heal them, they cast themselves to their hands and knees and thanked her in every way that they could. Shengshi looked at the new river to the east and scratched his chin. “... Yes, that is right… I need a name for this one…” He eyed its dissecting nature as it cut the continent into the eastern desert and the western grasslands and jungle. “... A natural border, perhaps… A great one at that… Very well,” he said and beat his fist into his palm. “It shall be known as Taipang, the great border.”

[hr]

[i]Meanwhile, near the Cauldron[/i]

A vast winged shadow swept overhead, and a dragon fell, its back cloven in a single swipe. Another banked sideways, shaking its head and growling, as something grey fell onto its neck and began to crawl upwards. The roars turned to shrieks of pain as the grey spot reached its head and claws dug into its eyes. Around it, more tumbled and fell as apelike shapes continued to drop from above and swiftly put their talons and teeth to work.

[color=saddlebrown]”Lucky break today!”[/color] Vrog laughed, a sound not unlike the gurgling of a swamp, as he balanced over a reptilian spine, [color=saddlebrown]”First an easy job, then we run into these [i]apesk[/i] like an elbow in the gut! Get the wing first, spithead!”[/color] he barked to a ghoul wrestling its way across another beast above him.

With a curse and an empty husk spat out, the brute clambered up the crimson-scaled ridge, effortlessly digging his metallic fingers into the armoured hide. The dragon, snarling with each blow, writhed and turned at abrupt angles, trying to shake off the presence on its back. Every twist succeeded only in making the cold stings sink deeper, and they still came closer to its head. In desperation, it twisted its wing, lowering one flank until it flew sideways, and then beyond - its eyes narrowed in focus as it spun around the axis of its spine in a sweeping, graceful motion.

When it opened them again, a row of grimy yellow fangs was grinning straight at its pupil. Vrog tossed a seed into his mouth, chewed, swallowed and spat a sharp bolt through the dragon’s head.

The fall was quick, loud and ended in a crash, just the way he liked. Disentangling himself from the mangled corpse was a light price to pay for it. His tongue darted up, hoping there was still time to do it once again, but, much to his disappointment, the remaining dragons were already far. The Omen’s large shadow still slid in pursuit behind them, but it wouldn’t go far.

Vrog plucked another seed from the gap in his armour, raised it to his mouth and paused. The dragon’s smell itched on his tongue with an unfamiliar, fiery sense. He tore away a handful of scaly skin, opened his jaw wider than it ought to have done and bit down.

Sharp, but good.

Around him, the surviving ghouls were busying themselves in a similar way with the rest of the bodies. A good few of them had been crushed under the carcasses in the fall, and others dragged broken limbs, for the little that it slowed them in their triumphal feast. No matter, that. Ghouls were replaceable, and fixing themselves was what they were supposed to do. On the whole, he could count this as a clean victory.

The Devourer snapped his flask open, bit into the dragon again, and chased the mouthful down with a sip of fiery distilled fluid. It could use some improvement, maybe smoking, but it was fine.

This was a great day to be alive.

[hider=Might Use]
Shengshi before 5MP/6FP
Used 2MP to make Taipang, the Great Border, a river that stretches from GB to the southern desert peninsula.
Used 1MP to repair the damaged Jiangzhou as a 1MP godly action.
Shengshi after: 2MP/6FP

Asceal before 0MP/6FP
Used 2FP to confer portfolio boosted natural healing abilities upon Angelic beings. 
Used 2FP to confer the ability to summon spectral weaponry upon Angelic beings. (Angels may summon weaponry that can cut the material and immaterial. Beyond changing to fit their wielder these weapons are just normal weapons, save for their ability to har. the incorporeal. Each angel is able to summon one kind of weapon.)
[/hider]
[hider=Summary]
Dragons attack.
Servants get crisped and ate.
Asceal gives her kids some badass powers.
Sheng busts out some whips and goes full Indiana.
Slae beats up Sheng but loses a head.
Asceal beats up a dragon and blinds some others.
The angels start kicking ass and… That’s it, mostly.
Akam hesitates and gets roasted.
Angels retreat.
Asceal loses her shit and punches another of Slae’s heads off.
Slae is mad as hell.
Shengshi returns and YEETS Slae 4000km away by literally blasting the dude with the entire volume of a new river, the Taipang.
Asceal comforts Akam, who is in shock.
The angels fetch Shengshi.
Asceal and Sheng grieve the servants and swear to make Travis pay.
Asceal patches up Sheng and his crew.
Sheng declares reproduction season open.
Vrog gets a lucky break.[/hider]