Location: Southern Giants Rest Bandit camp, early morning. [@Pyromania99][@FrogRFlowR][@VitaVitaAR] [hr] “You don’t look like any witch I’ve ever seen.” The fomorian scoffed, not seeming bother by being bound tigher, the threat to her life mostly over as she’d simply give Fio a toothy, confident grin. “Most have far more appeal than you do. Can’t say the same for muscleheads like that fool down there though, heh…” She wasn’t behaving much like a prisoner, but she was right. The battle in the camp had taken a slight turn. Whatever Annagan has used to seemingly become a fomorian himself, was also leeching into the surrounding area. If this place hadn’t already been a wasteland, surely it would have been after this. However, the beastly man, was completely focused on the two enemies in front of him. Fio, had a clear, very easy shot. She was feeling fatigued already from the constant spell use and the complex binding spell, but this far away, without needing to protect herself now? The same time Fio released, hurtling through the air towards the man, Luna charged forth. The crack of steel resounded through the area as Annagan’s hammer met Luna’s shield. The sheer force of the impact nearly caused her arm to buckle, there was no doubt she’d be suffering a broken bone from that, but for the moment? It held. It held as the fell, malice filled energy slammed into her shield, the very curse seeping into her shield, staining it with its spiteful energy. But still, it would hold, even if it was all she could do against the creature in front of her now. “Weak-!” There was no doubt, that she could not block a second strike. Annagan would raise the hammer high for a second strike. But, neither of them were alone. Niall had weathered the brutal mans attacks, and though he was beaten and body exhausted, one last ditch effort was made. So focused on Luna was Annagan, he didn’t see the owl knight barreling towards him. Talons from a fearsome bird of prey pierced one of his eyes. Dark red, cursed in fused blood spilled from the beastly mans face as his second strike was rendered ineffective as he was forced backwards from the blow, his bestial feet sliding back into the soft earth. “You-filthy…meddler…stay out of this!” A feral roar, Niall would find himself being grabbed again by the beastly mans claws before he had a chance to retaliate or evade. He was raised high, but what he could see that Annagan could not…an Ethereal blade hurtling towards him at speed, and within seconds the blade severed skin and bone, impaling the mans spine and right through his now cursed heart. “G-gah…” His grip on Niall loosened, his entire body slumping and going limp. “Gah…ahah…” The third, grotesque eye on his forehead began to petrify, quickly turning to stone and rolling right out of his head as his monstrous body hit the ground with a dull, lifeless thud. “...haha…I guess…I was the…weak one…after all, wasn’t i?” A quiet silence followed. Location: Harzel Border Village [@Guy0fV4lor] [hr] Reinhardt bared his teeth in fury as the Dragon’s razorlike teeth dug into his sides, a short cry of pain carried on his breath as he was thrown to the ground tumbling. The Knight’s sword sank into the scorched and crack earth, catching himself quickly as he stood confidently before the scaled beast. Though the fury that had clouded his thoughts in the previous battle still lingered in the back of Reinhardt’s mind– his expression; stoic as a mountain, betrayed it not. A gleaming spark roared to life within his breast as his eyes locked with that of his hated foe. [color=darkorange][b]”Child of Varakel… Ye loathed Tyrant–”[/b][/color] Elias boomed as the Wyvern released a torrent of flame from it’s maw, [color=darkorange][b]”Ye who scorches our fields and homes. Ye who’s flame consumes the innocent Men and Women and Children of Albion–”[/b][/color] the knight continued to roar as he moved to evade the flames; hurling his sword into the beast’s gaping maw, [color=darkorange][b]”This day we have had ENOUGH!”[/b][/color] Rather than attempting to block the oncoming attack, Reinhardt ran toward the incoming blow; leaping and rolling across the top of the wing as he would grasp his halberd with both hands as his chant’s tone would fill with ever-growing fury. [color=darkorange][b]”LET THY BREAKING BONES BE OUR DRUMS OF WAR, AND THY DYING SCREAMS THE SONG OF OUR VICTORY!”[/b][/color] The sword flew, sailing through the air, aimed for the beasts maw. Fire met steel, and steel began to melt under intense heat, but not before the weapon struck true - lodging itself right in the beasts throat. The gout of fire immediately ceased as the creature began choking and sputtering, the momentum of its charge slamming into the ground as Reinhardt evaded the blow. The dragon slayers skin scraped against the beast's scales, landing near the back of the wyvern. Coughing, sputtering, unable to breathe its hellish fire the draconic creature flapped its remaining good wing. Three of the holes on its underside roared to life, searing fire blasting from the holes and sending waves of fire from them as though fire from the creature had been blocked, firing from the holes like a blocked river or stream, overflowing. The creature leaped lightly into the air, unable to truly fly, but having enough lift to at least launch its massive body upwards…and then aim to bring itself back down on Reinhardt, waves of fire searing his skin, burning his flesh as it came crashing back down. The Knight’s teeth ground together furiously as he launched himself into a combat roll in an effort to avoid taking the waves of flame head-on; tumbling over the edge of the crater and landing into a three point stance as he would catch himself in a tight pivot to face toward the beast once more. Reinhardt scowled as he reassessed the situation. As far as he could tell, the beast was unlikely going to be capable of flight for the near future, but still had more than enough strength to continue putting up a fight… While the Dragon remained fully capable of fighting with its jaws, talons, and remaining good wing– Elias was confident that he could best the creature handedly with the assistance of Lonan and his men in a purely physical battle, the beast's greatest asset; it's ability to breathe fire, remained a glaring issue. Unlike the Dragon's physical attacks, the spouts of flame that spilled forth from it's maw sacrificed little in terms of positioning, and offered even less in terms of openings for riposte or counterattack. Perhaps worse was the fact it seemed as if the creature could continuously spew it's flame without the slightest of fatigue… However– Reinhardt had noticed a flaw. Wherever the Dragon was generating it's flame within it's body; despite the fact it could do so at will, it seemed as of the beast needed a moment to [i]prepare[/i] it's flames before release. Not entirely dissimilar to stream in boiling pot of tea; the creature was clearly gathering the flame inside itself, before releasing the concentrated pressure out a singular frontal vent. But unlike the teapot; with but a single vent with which to loose it's steam– the Dragon had five, all of which seemed to connect to the same place based on the result of what happened when it's primary vent encountered a blockage. Were he a gambler, Elias would wager that such vents were regulated by some kind of muscular valve or flap located inside each recess… [Color=darkorange]"MACE!”[/color] Reinhardt bellowed as he planted the head of his halberd in the dirt beside him, [Color=darkorange]"SEIGE WEAPONS– VOLLEY!”[/color] The dragon crashed into the ground, earth and fire searing the ground and billowing into the air as it landed. Though Reinhardt was quick on his feet avoiding the crushing might of the Wyvern, the Wyvern did not simply stop there. As it slammed into the ground, it bulldozed its way through the lip of the crater, throwing up more rock and earth as it lunged towards Reinhardt, maw agape, one wing reaching forwards towards the dragonslayer. “-FIRE!” Just as Reinhardt would give his command, Lonan shouted too. There was the twang of string, the creaking of wood as the few siege weapons they had launched their payloads towards the beast. “Grrrooooohhhhh!” Just as Reinhardt was about to become dragon feed, a boulder crashed into the side of the dragons neck, sending it veering off course, momentarily dazing the creature as a second soon followed, slamming into its injured wing while three ballista bolts would careen towards it as it recovered. A breath of fire as it turned its attention towards the siege weapons, burning them to ash and knocking their trajectory off with a wave of fire. “Useleeeeeesssss….!” It roared. “Everything…shall burn…for our kiiiing!” “Reinhardt, catch!” Lonan rode by, tossing the dragon slayer a mace. It didn’t look like the siege weapons had done much aside from annoy the beast, but its attention was now off Reinhardt and on the weapons as it prepared its breath - An orb of roiling magma appearing in its maw! Elias swiped the mace from the air, tucking the weapon into his chain wrappings as he adjusted his strategy once more, and taking the halberd back into his hands. A pulse of molten light surged visibly through the Knight's veins as the aura from his chest flared with intensity. With both hands he drew the halberd behind him as he rushed toward the Dragon– driving forth with a devastating upswing! Steel met dragon scale. Metal cracked as the haft of the weapon strained under the force of Reinhardts swing and the hardness of its target. Hot, boiling blood spilled from the dragons head as the head of the axe firmly lodged itself inside the creature's neck! The roiling magma continued to grow in the beasts maw, the pillar of bright magma escaped the beasts maw, sweeping to the side as its head was rocked missing the majority but not all as one of the ballista was blown to cinders. The Wyevern roared, wrenching its neck out of Reinhardts hands, twisting the halberd painfully and with a disappointing snap the weapon broke in his hands, leaving the blade lodged in the creatures neck as it would turn its attention back to Reinhardt. As the wooden shaft splintered and snapped in Elias’ hands; the Dragon turning to face him, the knight yanked free his mace with a swift motion of his right hand. The halberd he’d wielded thus far had performed well above it’s station; and for that Reinhadt was grateful– but he still had use for what was left of it. Raising the splintered end of the shaft still in hand toward the Dragon’s eye; he slammed the mace on it’s butt! The beast roared, magma dripping from its mouth as it’d slam its head forward with enough force to shatter bone in normal men. Its eye closed, as the mace hit dragon scale, but Reinhardt could tell at least, the blow connected as he’d find his body giving way beneath the dragon’s own strength, the beast threatening to knock him off his feet from the headbutt. [Color=darkorange][b]"ACK!"[/b][/color] The cracking of ribs cut short Elias' shout of pain as the Dragon’s head slammed into the Knight's chest. Even as the creature’s blow struck it's mark, Reinhardt endured. Foot and toe clawed the ground for purchase, blood and saliva bubbled violently through bared teeth, the mace fell aside as soot covered fingers dug into Onyx scale, and a pulse of heat rose within Elias' chest as he attempted to force the Dragon's head aside! Flesh met scale, Elias’ body barely standing firm against the scaled draconic creature's body. The gargantuan drakes body would have completely crushed lesser men, but for Elias? What was a broken bone or two? Fingers burned to the bone grasped the scaled beasts neck, wrenching it off course and redirecting it just barely sending the beast charging some distance away. “Sir Reinhardt!” The galloping of spectral hooves broke the momentary lull, Reinhardt would be finding two well made halberds being tossed towards him. “A word. We have an outpost not too terribly far from here, with functioning siege weapons. I’ll follow your lead whatever the case, but you aren’t looking too good friend, and whatever cursed luck let you avoid death once may not be as fortuitous a second!” Elias snatched the pair of weapons from the air as they were tossed toward him, taking quick assessment of the situation and his own physical condition before offering Lonan a small nod, [Color=darkorange]”A break would be preferable, and sturdier siege equipment as backup would be ideal… I’ll trust in your judgment Lonan.''[/color] “I doubt that beast will give us much of a respite!” Lonan grabbed Reinhardt by the wrist, pulling him quickly up onto the spectral fey steed. Indeed, the dragon was already righting itself, flames spewing from its maw as it laid its eyes upon the dragon slayer and the harzel knight. A frenzied, feral roar as lava blood dripped from its wounds. “Flee, yes fleeeee. You shall burn all the same.” “If I could ask you to make sure it doesn’t blast us with that fireball, that’d be very welcome!” Lonan kicked Steblas’ sides, setting the steed into motion with a yip, the dragon soon giving chase not far behind. Location: Harzel Border Fort [@Crimson Paladin] [hr] “I’m not that clumsy! Just give me a good shot!” She’d retort with a shout, scrambling to get the weapon loaded and working as the shouts from below continued, the men doing their best to hold the beast at bay. To say Ethelred joining the fray was a blessing, was an understatement. The blood red blade shimmered as he swung, feeding off whatever magical energy the frozen knight possessed. In front of the oblivious wyvern, space warped slightly…and it was difficult to see as it happened so fast, but Ethelred could almost swear he saw the blade appear at the point of impact…or what seemed to be an extremely larger version of the sword within the twisting space that impacted the wyvern. The beast screeched, a long slash upon its chest, whatever the hows of the blade, the results were clear and the same even if the cut was otherwise shallow. The beast immediately zeroed in on Ethelred, taking to the skies only to come down on top of the knight, intent on crushing him with its claws.