PlatinumSkink

Fire Emblem: A Blinding Light

@Apollosarcher Nicely posted.

@Pirouette@Eisenhorn I will shortly just go ahead. I'm not going to give a time, but shortly. Raise your voice if you're intending to post before shortly. Otherwise, I'll just make your characters take what I reason to be the most logical cause of action and not say a word while taking that action.

[@All] So, by the way, here's the side-mission I had with the other two. I allowed some things that wasn't strictly as I intended to play this game, but anyways. Here's the full thing. I have not actually proof-read, I am just going to assume this is as it should. Here you go.

Fire Emblem: A Blinding Light

Meanwhile.

Chapter 0 - What We Feared

Kara Part

@PlatinumSkinkKara was drifting into Grado, entirely by coincidence due to that it was the home of the Fire Emblem, an object always on the fleeting consciousness of the Manaketes capable of sensing demonic energy. All seemed to be relatively usual, with the exception of the constant presence of demonic energy to keep her company, when suddenly…

A large spike of demonic energy shot off in the distance, its power like a beacon to Kara’s senses. It flared with an intensity that clearly announced that something was going on, foul play was afoot. It’s not as strong as when the Demon King was present in his full glory, but it’s far beyond the level where it’s alarming. It had a direction. It lay in Jehanna…

… And there fired another one. The one from Jehanna had simply been closer, and as such reached her senses first. There was a second one, in the direction of Rausten. Depending on how her bad her sense of direction is, she might suspect it could be from Darkling Woods, though if she’s good at directions she’ll note it’s a bit too far to the right for that, but that’s not many degrees difference.

And that’s a third. It came from the mountains between Renais and Grado, to her west or north-west. This one, unlike the other two, faded out of existence after she felt it, like it had been an explosion of demonic energy that then dissipated. And then… a fourth surge. One significantly less powerful… but it was seemingly coming from the mountains between Rausten and Carcino. That is to say, if she knew what it was, Caer Pelyn.

Four surges of demonic energy.

After these emerged, she became aware that an invasion of Grado was taking place, having started first after the surges started. The Fire Emblem was in danger. Unfortunately, there was too great a distance to reach Grado Keep before the Jehannan army. Regardless, with the GM’s assumption that she still intended to go to the Fire Emblem after that, Kara flew on in that direction.

… Suddenly, midst her journey through Grado, she felt another surge. This one was by far less powerful than the others… but perhaps far more alarming, for it was centered on her. Sensing it on much closer range, the sensation was that something was gathering demonic energy on her location, as if they had a spell which called demonic energy into the area. She could not sense the source. However, what she could sense, were evil beings gathering in the area. It appeared she was under attack.

Map

This had never happened before. It felt like someone had organized an attack specifically on her. Monsters usually roamed with little in the ways of tactics targeting gatherings of people, and Manaketes can usually sense them on a distance due to their demonic energy, but these had somehow sneaked up on her and surrounded her. That, was unprecedented.

They stopped on a distance, not moving. They were looking at her, as if anticipating her to make the first move, and react in turn. That was also un-monster-like behaviour. … And there were Archer Bonewalkers among them, as well as flying Mogalls probably intent on stopping her if she flew.

… So, what would Kara do here?

Grado is down, but as long as she gets out of here she can probably take the long way round.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Chapter 0 - What We Feared

The wind rushed through her. If flowed over her. It bore her aloft and swirled round her, bother her support and her parter in a dance across the sky. It was times like these Kara was glad she was born a manakete. No human, save those who tamed the stubborn and willful pegasus, or the savage and fearsome wyvern, would know the joy and freedom of flight. And even those merely were passengers, on lookers, who tasted only a small portion of the greatness of flight.

And they had to sleep with sore bottoms for their trouble.

The dragoness huffed in amusement. But in a way, she was envious of them. Though lmited, they had a convenience that she did not. They could take to the sky as long as their mounds would bear them. She, however, had to limit her time spend as a dragon. Even now, she was bound to her clunky, graceless human body. She was saving her dragonstone, secured safely to her so that it would not be lost when she flew, for when she really needed it. Her instincts told her she was flying into danger.

Kara always listened to her instincts.

So when she felt fluxtuations of the demonic energy she had been tracking, she pulled up short.

Four. Four different pulses from four different locations. What could they mean...?

However, more immediate events demand her attention. From across the plains, in the direction she was heading, her sharp ears picked out the ringing of metal on metal, accompanied by shouts and cries, born on the very wind that bore her.

Has the invasion started then? Kara wondered, narrowing her eyes. While a recluse by nature, she was well aware of the currently perilous political climate. Grado was falling. She was sure of it. She would be witness to it’s final hours.

She strted moving again, lips curled in disgust. A greater threat faces them and still all the humes can think about is making war on themselves. Typical.

So engrossed in her thoughts, she nearly missed the fifth, weaker surge of energy immediately centered on her. Instantly on alert. She felt unwelcome presences around her. Monsters. But where had they come from? She should have sensed them long before they got this close.

The how and why could wait, she decided. What mattered was they were here. Hovering unsteady, she turned in place, picking out the monsters with her sight.

1, 2, 3– Oh hell. Archers. Her breath caught as she saw skeletal bow-wielding figures. She hated archers. Their arrows would put holes in her hide, even when transformed, and they could pick her out of the sky from long range. Upon seeing them, she dropped to the ground, seeking cover before they could get a bead on her.

She was able to get a rough count of their numbers. Twelve in total, all around her, with three archers in a rough triangle. A few too many to comfortably take on herself without back up. If not for the archers, she would consider it, but her best chance for now would be to escape. Unfortunately, she was surrounded, making that difficult.

A savage smile tugged at her lips. A fight was just what she needed to blow off steam, outnumbered or not. In fact, that made it all the more fun. Her tail lashed as her dragonic savagry rose. She pulled out her dragonstone, nonchalantly bouncing it in her palm.

The monsters seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move. This was definitely unusual. She kept that in mind as she briefly considered her options. There was, she remembered, an archer in the forest above the cliff to her right. He was isolated from the others and would make a great first victim.

Taking wing again, she moved in for the kill. Quietly, she flew up the cliff and over the forrest, until she was just above the lone archer. Then she took a deep breath, and dove toward it, letting out a earth-skaking roar that grew in magnitude as she tranformed mid-dive. She was going to smash these weak fragile creatures that dare to challenge a dragoness and then grind their bones into dust beneath her!

The skeleton brought it’s bow to bear, but it was far too slow. Kara turned the dive into a low swoop, extending a tree-like limb. She smashed into the archer with bone-shattering force, sending it hurtling through the air to collide with a tree with a crunch. What was left fell to the ground in a heap and then dissolved into smoke.

Kara roared her victory, but she had little time to celebrate. One of the giant eyeball Mogalls was closing in fast. She swung to face it as it’s eyeball began to glow. Kara knew what was coming next. She felt the magic gather and at the last possible moment, she threw herself to the side. She grunted in pain as burst of magic grazed her, but the brunt of it missed.

The pain only severed to stoke her battle rage. She felt the other monster close in, but her focus was on the irritation in front of her. She growled deep and low at it. It bobbed and weaved in place, just out of her reach, seemingly taunting her.

She chuckled her amusment. Did the thing really think it was safe?

Rearing back, Kara sucked in a deep breath, her scales lit up across her chest, glowing with a flickering inner light. Firelight shown from her maw. “TO ASHES!“ She roared, falling forward, a column of red fire pouring from her throat.

The eyeball vanished in the torrent of flame, never to reappear.

The heat from her breath blackened the trees, their leaves currling up and smoldering, the ends of their scorched branches shone cherry red.

@PlatinumSkink
The Bonewalker drew an arrow on its bow, looking up into the sky for the optimum moment to fire as Kara flew up into the air… but it apparently screwed up the timing because Kara fell down in dragon form and smashed a limb into the skeleton, sending bones sprawling upon contact with the tree.

After her roar and suddenly sensing that the Mogall was coming in close, she decided to dodge the circly rings that would appear on her location when the Mogall had charged its magic…!

Except, instead of that happening, something suddenly flew in at an impressive speed and a cry from of a beast. Kara probably would have noticed it when it got closer, but just now, it also dove down to attack. The Mogall looking at her was suddenly pierced by the full power of a halberd stabbed straight into its side, causing the eye-beast to split and pop as the rider flew past.

The rider was a young adult clad in a brown cloak and red-rusty scarf, it was not hard to place him as someone who had lived in Jehanna for some time. What he rode on was a wyvern, one of an ancient, feathery kind, one of a specific kind Kara might remember was more numerous in the past but today was very rare indeed due to the actions of greedy hunters…

The Wyvern Rider seemingly completely ignored her, despite her being dragon and everything, and instead flew to meet the Bonewalkers rushing their position from the north-west, focusing on the monsters before anything else. Indeed, the monsters had all sprung to action, Bonewalkers dashing at their new location as quickly as their bony legs could carry them and the two other Mogalls flying through the air in their immediate direction.

It seems someone had decided to help her. What would Kara do now?

Map

Servus Part

@PlatinumSkink
Servus was just flying. The reasons are his own.

Recently, the Jehannan army had started their invasion of Grado, and staying had become considerably unsafe. Now, absolutely everything about how he reacted to said invasion and what he’s doing right now is up to Servus, but…

Huh. There’s a gathering of monsters just up ahead! That’s probably no good. Wait, isn’t that… a young girl travelling all by herself in the center of them!? How’d she get there!?

Now, then, presented with this scenario of a young girl _{with significant dragonic features visible only when he got closer} surrounded by monsters, some of them armed with bows and Mogalls flying about, what does Servus do?

@PlatinumSkink
<update, because Crimson Raven posted>

While Servus is free to make his initial decision from the information in the top post, coming closer something else became apparent. The girl was hovering, inspecting the skeletons around her, on two wings she was absently flapping on. Then, she made a decision of her own. She turned her back towards Servus _{which is totally why she didn't notice him} and took off towards the lone archer in the forest past the cliff in the north-east. And then...

With the assumption that Servus hadn't done anything to stop her, she transformed into a dragon in mid-air as she dove down to smash the bow-wielding skeleton to bits. Servus would see that the archer was trying to aim an arrow up at her, and the nearby sword-wielding Bonewalkers in the north and south-east started dashing at her position to attack with their weapons. Perhaps a bit more immediately, that Mogall to the east floated into position and charged magic into its Evil Eye to assault her...

That is, if Servus hadn't done anything to interfere with it all already.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Far from the rising tension of battle between the two kingdoms, a young wyvern and her master sore above the distant plains of Grado. The wyvern's dark brown and beige wings flapped gracefully though the wind current as she zips through the air in a carefree bliss, while the master's face was calm and neutral to whats around him as his brown cloak flutters in the breeze. At first glance, one might consider the two to having less than a care to the world regarding the recent unfolding of events, or perhaps they didn't know about the invasion and are mindlessly oblivious. For someone like Servus, it really wouldn't matter either way. All he really cares about is his wyvern, Ambolli, a unique specimen that he's quite lucky to have stumbled upon all those years ago. Perhaps it's best that they didn't know about the invasion...

Yet Servus knows all too well about the invasion.

And if his clothing has to say anything about his occupation, many will point to Jehanna as the land of his birth. And they would be 100% correct at that. So why is he committing treason by running away - or flying away in this case - from his advancing army? Did he have a change of heart? Did he fear that the battle will not be in their favor Did he give up on life as a whole? Yet while Servus did work for them once, that was many years ago. While the glorious Sky Guild, lead by the tenacious Aderyn, gave him a newfound purpose from living on the streets, as well as a means to use his wyvern partner properly and publicly instead of keeping her in the shadows, Servus found that it would be best to leave the toxic life he had there and search for a new home. His travels eventually lead him to Grado, where he made a new life within its boarders. He thought that would be that.

But never did Servus contemplate that the same past he tried to detach himself from would come back to remind him of his worthless days.

He could've stayed and fight, but here he is simply running from it. As soon as he caught word that Jehanna was approaching, he had no desire to partake in it. However, part of the reason was to keep his wyvern safe from brutal harm. He may have left his old home years ago, but his steed is nearly unmistakable... or so he believes anyways. He believes to gained enough fame to be considered a treasonous target and that it would complicate matters even more. And if they're captured, no doubt would they torture and execute Servus for treason... and maybe worse for Ambolli herself. But even if he was forgotten, even if they wouldn't care or remember who he was, he'd still rather not meet them. Not yet anyways. So for now, he takes his leave, secretly hoping that the noble knights of Grado would be able to defeat the nomads of the desert, or at the very least keep them at bay.

Suddenly, Amboli began to stir as she issues a warning shriek, as if she smelled something ominous up ahead. The jolt of the wyvern's body forced Servus to tightly grip on the reins as he tries to calm her down.

"Ey! Ey! Easy girl!" the man grunts as he attempts to rub the wyvern's neck, "You smell something up ahead?"

Ambolli responded by dipping down to the ground and barely glides over the forest. As soon as they were stable, the wyvern lands at the edge of the forest and emerge from the foliage and out to a vast field. Servus eyes the land in front of him as he is quick to notice several figures in the distance. He recognizes most of the figures to be part the local monster population, as skeletal Revenants and archers aided by the grotesque eyesballs of the creepy Mogalls. They surrounded what appears to be a young woman in the center of all of it... and miraculously she just so happens to be floating in mid-air thanks to two wings strapped onto her back. The hooded man's eyes widened in disbelief, while his jaw slightly gapped open. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ambolli was already acting a little weird as she gave out several friendly guttural groans, as if she was speaking to her own kind.

"Well I be damned..." he breathed as he watches the spectacle in front of him.

The wyvern chirps at this statement, flaying her neck up and down.

"Of course I know who she is!" he replies confidently before hesitating, "Or more accurately, what it is."

He'd heard many great legends about these unique folk as a child, yet he has never seen one with his own eyes. His mother used to tell him great stories about the great manaketes, Dragons that have stored their incredible draconic power within Dragonstones and thereafter assumed a human form, from which they operate alongside or hidden amongst the humans. He can clearly remember one particular manakete his mother told him in a story, a little girl fighting side by side with a noble royal knight of blue to restore peace to his country. He can't remember what the girl's name was but he remembers how she has green hair and wore cute dainty dress, who turns into a mighty white dragon coated with feathers. It was his favorite story...

But before he can remember further, he sees the manakete dive down to the north-east, presumably to engage one of the monsters. Then, in mid-air, the woman suddenly transforms into a blood-red dragon as she proceeds to smash down against an archer. Servus was awestruck at having the privilege to see a manakete's transformation with his own eyes! While the dragon is slightly smaller than he imagined, it still dwarfed his wyvern considerably. Now the monsters are riled up and are beginning to attack the dragon, with the skeletal warriors engaging behind her from the south-east, along with the presence of a Mogall coming from the east. Ambolli began to become restless, screeching furiously as her wings swung in the air.

"Oi oi!" the master called out desperately as he attempts to keep her under control, "What are you trying to do?"

Ambolli replies with a loud screech towards him.

"Eh?" he asks questioningly as his eyebrow raises up slightly, "You... want me to help her? W-what are you crazy?! That thing can turn into a live unpredictable dragon and you know it! I don't want you to get~"

The wyvern snaps her jaws at Servus to keep him quiet. He abruptly stopped to listen to her partner, who was issuing a guttural moan, slowly posting into a whine. It's become clear to Servus that they had to help the manakete engage the monsters. While he still believes that she could defeat them all on her own, judging by his own act in flying away from the battle in Grado, he might as well help her in defeating these monsters. The master could only sigh at this realization.

"I suppose we're doing this then." he mutters under his breath as he readies for battle, "Onwards Ambolli! Hiyah!"

The young man slaps the reins as Ambolli takes to the air and quickly engages the Mogall who was about to release its evil magic. The wyvern gets close to the floating eyeball as Servus leans in to pierce it with his hallberd, which exploded shortly after being pierced. With that creature out of the way, the flying duo then pay attention to the other monsters closing in on the manakete's location, as they swoops down to engage them.

@PlatinumSkink
The movement is successful. The floating eye was distracted charging magic at the dragon, and as such Servus attack with the axe bit deep into undefended ball, cutting it to pieces and popping it in his flyby. As the trio of Bonewalkers to the west were now the ones closest, dashing at them with swords high intending on engaging him. It should be noted they’d have the Weapon Triangle advantage, but it’s quite likely Servus would still be the effective one in this engagement. He could still swoop down at them, or perhaps he preferred a lonelier target? Regardless, engagement assumed.

In other directions, all remaining Bonewalkers started dashing at their location, the Mogalls flying to eventually engage...

Battle

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Chapter 0 - What We Feared

Before she could release her deadly breath, a human riding a wyvern flew in and poached her kill. She clamped down on the fire, letting it dissipate. How dare he?! She rounded on the intruder. "That was my prey!" She roared at him. But her display was all bark and no bite. She had more important things to do, like cleaning up this riff-raff. Already the other monsters were closing in. Much as she detested the thought of having a human at her back, his help would not be unwelcome. Arguing the point now would be stupid, and merely put both of their lives in danger. She would, however, have words for him after the battle.

"Watch yourself, there are archers nearby." She rumbled. She felt compelled to warn the stranger, not out of care for him, but because her little cousin who chose to bear him, didn't deserve to be shot out of the sky because of their human's ignorance. Taking wing, she rose into the air. There were two more archers and two more Mogalls. One of the archers was within easy reach. She flew straight for the nearest archer, ignoring the puny sword-touting wights. Seeing her coming, the bony archer sighted and released a shot, but Kara moved erratically, dipping and rising, and swerving side to side to foil his aim. The arrow whistled harmlessly past her. With another roar, she descended upon it, electing to smash into it at full speed, scattering bones that quickly dissolved into smoke. Angling upward, she soared back into the air, out of the reach of the remaining monsters. Her dragonstone's power was the anthesis of these unholy creatures, few could stand up to more than one mighty blow in her dragon state. However, it's power also had limits. She wasn't near them yet, but if this battle dragged on too long she might have to worry.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

As Servus swiped at the Mogull creature, they finally had Kara's attention, who roared angrily that they stole her kill. The raider thought they were going to get obliterated at this point, and didn't dare to say anything back and risk getting her more rilled up, but alas it all thankfully wasn't the case. After all, it would be pointless and unwise to try and kill someone else who was trying to help you, whether you need it or not. Still, he and his mount must still be wary of friendly fire coming from the dragon. If they hit them accidentally with her breath attack, or virtually any form of attack movement, they'd be in big trouble.

And speaking of trouble, the rider sees archers to their right. If one of them hits his precious mount, they'll be virtually sitting ducks.

"Archer's to our right Ambolli." Servus warned as he pats Ambolli's side, "If we can quickly eliminate them before they~"

Yet before he could finish, they suddenly see a flash of crimson fly by them to that same location. The rush caused the wyvern to twitch, screeching in surprise as she quickly regains her balance. The rider grunts as he holds on, making sure he doesn't fall from his mount as well and to his doom. Servus looks to see the manakette rush towards the archers, breathing a quick sigh of relief.

"Right... nevermind the archers." he corrects himself sputteringly as he looks in front of him, "Ok, new target. Let's eliminate that other eyeball in front of us. It's the least we can do for now."

The wyvern grunts in agreement as they make a beeline towards the Mogall. It may fire a shot at the duo, but the Wyvern's incredible speed allows her to avoid the strike altogether as Servus points his hallberd and proceeds to strike the monster down.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

The remaining bonewalkers, along with the last mogall charged the closest of the duo. Raising their swords high, three bonewalkers charged Kara. They didn't have long. With claw and with tail, she felled them in turn, their blades alternately missing their mark or bouncing off her scales, leaving little more then bruises. But, the fourth bonewalker did not charge in. It hung back and watched it's brethren be mowed down with impassionate, empty eye sockets. Slowly, a bony arm reached for a rotten arrowshaft. It's gaze focused on the dragon, it hefted it's bow and knocked the arrow. It drew the arrow back, the decayed wood staves of the bow creaking with the motion. It sighed and released.

Kara, occupied with the three bonewalkers, did not notice until it was almost too late. Thwack! Went the arrow, followed by a roar that shook the trees.

The arrow had pierced her flank. It was a glancing blow, for she had begun to move, and her scales had absorbed most of the impact. It still hurt like hell. And now she was pissed. Kara whipped her serpentine head to face the enemy that had done her harm. She let loose another roar and charged, her thunderous footsteps shook the ground, her claws gouged out great chucks of earth in her wake. Calmly and soullessly, the archer drew another arrow and brought it to it's bow. But Kara closed the distance too quickly for it to shoot again. With a great, cat-like leap, she pounced on the bonewalker. It disappeared under a ton of angry dragon. The force of the impact set her sliding several dozen feet, ploughing a furrow through the hard ground. When they stopped, Kara darted her head down, seized the archer's skull in her jaws, and plucked it off, easy a plucking a grape. Bone crunched as she bit down, smashing and grinding it's skull between her fearsome teeth. It tasted terrible, as monsters usually did. She grimaced and spat the dissolving shards of bone out of her mouth. The rest of the monster's remains quickly vanished too. Her side throbbed, but she barely felt the pain. The arrow would stop the bleeding for not, better to leave it in and tend to it after the battle. With a growl of triumph, she turned to see what enemies were left and if the human had managed to get himself killed or not.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Servus pierces the incoming Mogall as it too dies in one strike, bursting into a puff of dark smoke. The raider then proceeds to lift into the sky for a short minute before proceeding with the next opponent. He takes another chance to scout out the surrounding battlefield and glances at the manakete fighting three bonewalkers, in which she takes them out in one shot. He then sees a rogue arrow pierce her side, throwing her into an intense rage as she begins to proceed in vanquishing the attacker soon after.

"Good thing I'm not fighting against her." thought Servus relievingly as he pats Ambolli assuringly, "Would hate to be on the receiving end of her bite... or worse."

Thinking that she'll be fine, the raider sets his sights on the last Mogall in the distance. He might as well finish the job after having killed the last two and it was already closing in on Kara's location. And if it happens to strike Servus or his mount, they'd definitely won't have a good time with it at all. Quickly whipping the reins, Servus instructs Ambolli to dive down from the heavens to strike against the eyeballed monster from above. As they close in on the unexpecting target, it begins to fire up its eyebeam, a twisted whirl of bright purple energy, readying itself to fire on the manakete. But it happens to be just a tad bit slow, for Servus' swing was just a second faster as it pierces the top of its head.

Servus, the Mogall Slayer, has slain his third eyeball of the day... and it won't certainly be his last.

@PlatinumSkink
Kara went off and engaged the Bonewalkers in the south, destroying them but taking an arrow in the side. Meanwhile, Servus started out engaging the Bonewalkers in the north stopping them from charging into Kara’s back, but then flew off and dispatched one of the remaining Mogalls. The other Mogall tried to shoot him down, but he flew off into the sky, admiring Kara’s handiwork before turning and taking out the remaining Mogall as well, flying eyeballs hardly as fast as a full-fledged Wyvern. That left the three sword-wielding Bonewalkers in the north.

Kara felt a little strain on her Dragonstone. If she continued any further, the total time she could remain transformed would be decreased if she had to fight again in not too long. There were hardly any enemies left, but the warning was there, and did she feel confident enough to leave the remaining three sword-wielding Bonewalkers to the axe-wielding Wyvern Rider? The three Bonewalkers, their teeth cackling a little, held their swords at the ready as they-

The head of the Bonewalker in the back flew. It suddenly left the bony body lobbed into the air, volting numerous times in the air before it hit the ground in front of the other two Bonewalkers. Both of them turned their heads to look at the head with empty eye sockets before the body behind them collapsed as well and they turned to look for the cause. There was no sign of anyone. … That is, to the Bonewalkers. Servus and Kara had probably seen the small shape which had snuck up behind the Bonewalker, swiped with his sword, and then sneakily legged it to behind some trees.

Two Bonewalkers remained. What would the they do now?

_{‘There. I did something. I’m totally helping. When I saw a young girl surrounded by monsters, I was going to help the whole time, I didn’t get terrified by their numbers and hid. I was just… distracted by the fact she turned into a GIANT TERRIFYING DRAGON, and then she got help by a guy a million times cooler and a million times braver than I am astride a mighty epic steed I could never even dream to obtain, so I really didn’t find a good moment to attempt a rescue. Not that she seemingly needed rescuing, but, uh, hey! I beat a Bonewalker! Yeah. I totally helped. Ha, ha, ha…’}

The young thief wasn’t succeeding at convincing himself.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

With the combined strengths of the vigilant wyvern rider and the fearsome manakete, the two were able to eliminate most of the competition within the field. The only enemies left were three bonewalkers to the north, their mangled corpses ready to strike against their foes. No longer did the duo have to deal with the pesky archers and their arrows or the creepy mogalls and their potent magic. Servus eyes the three from a distance, inspecting them carefully as he plans his next actions. The remaining bonewalkers wield swords, which immediately places the axe user at a disadvantage. His halberd is most powerful against lance users (and cavalry units), with its curved blade being capable of countering a piercing jab and can even yank it out of the opponent's hands if its grip weakens for a moment. The axe is a weapon designed almost exclusively for chopping and slashing. Meanwhile, a sword unit can do that as well as pierce enemy defenses with its straight blade, making the wielder capable in using a variety of techniques which usually outclasses most axe units. The sword only looses to lance units due to its lack of range and capabilities in countering the spear.

Servus could probably manage against one sword unit, but three makes it very risky. However, as soon as he considers a motive to stand his ground and leave them to succumb to the dragon, he spots a figure approaching from the forest to his right. Suddenly, in one swift motion, a head from one of the bonewalkers is lobbed off and sent flying into the sky, leaving the body to collapse onto the floor into a pile of rotting bones. The whole action went quickly enough to have the unknown figure sneak back into the bush and for the wyvern rider to loose track of the attacker. Ambolli's nose was able to smell the hidden person and was ready to track it down, but Servus would stop her.

"Easy girl." the rider says assuringly while patting her neck, "Don't worry about it. Whoever it was, it's not a threat. Our focus is on the three... er, two bonies in front of us."

Indeed, for now only two lackies remain on the battlefield. It's a more evenly matched fight now, as the wyvern rider can combat against one unit while the manakete can take on the other. But even then... it's still a risky endeavor on being at the losing end of the weapon advantage.

"On second thought..." he pauses hesitatingly, "Let's fall back and let our 'partner' do the rest."

Not willing to get his wyvern hurt, Servus chose to stay back as he moves west to stay out of range from the sword units. He'll let them deal with the manakete instead, as a unit that's more than capable in eliminating them.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

The battle was almost over and just in time too. Kara felt the stain on her dragonstone. She was running out of time in her dragon form. She inwardly cursed her lack of practice. These many years of little to no action had left her out of practice, she used to be able to stay in her dragon form for much longer than this. Something told her she was going to get in a great deal of practice soon.

Her adrenaline rush was fading now, and the arrow wound began to throb with renewed vengeance. But she ignored the pain and focused on finishing the task at hand. There would be time to lick her wounds later. A flash of movement and the sudden, swift demise of one of the bonewalkers caught her eye. She stiffened, alert. Was this newcomer friend or foe? She sniffed the air. She though she could smell another human in the area. But maybe it was the wyvern rider. Whoever they were, they seemed to be antagonistic toward the monsters. But that didn't make them a friend. The enemy of one's enemy was often just that. Especially if they are human. She would keep her guard up. But for now, she had to help out the Wyvern Rider who was, via his weapon of choice, at a disadvantage against the sword-wielding walkers.

Kara took wing once more and charged the bonewalkers. She didn't bother with a direct attack. Instead she readied her Breath and popped it with a fireball as she flew over. The blast threw up chucks of earth and left a small crater in it's wake. Nothing of the bonewalker was left, just a black scorch mark where it stood. With a satisfied growl of victory, she wheeled around to destroy the final Bonewalker, although one of the other two would most likely beat her to it.

@PlatinumSkink
Kara flew and blasted a Bonewalker with her fiery breath while Servus went to the west. With a dragon so close, the thief in the woods was just a little too scared of accidentally becoming a dragon-snack to actually run out and help. As such, it currently was just Kara wheeling to the last Bonewalker, who ran in to jump at her over the cliff on the east, using its relatively light weight to attempt to jump-stab its sword into her side when she blasted its companion, the skeleton caring naught for the fact it was now the last of its kind on the battlefield.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

The Bonewalker's jump stab landed, although most of the force was deflected by her scales, it pierced deep enough to draw a little blood and a loud roar of pain from dragon-Kara. "Why you little--!" She snapped. "Enough of you!" She whipped her body hard to the left, flinging the skeleton into the cliff face. It hit with an almost certainly fatal crunch, but Kara was satisfied yet. She turned back and attacked the cliff face, sending a small rockside clattering down to bury the annoying pest. Then she finished it off with another burst of scorching breath, melting the rock.

Laboring heavily, she glided down to the ground. Once back on terra firma, she released her dragon form. "Damn...nuisance." Human-Kara panted. the wounds she had received were of comparable size to her new form, so they were mere pinpricks, but the damage had been done. She swayed on her feet, exhaustion hitting like a hammerblow. But she regained balance and stayed upright. She quickly composed herself and looked to the wyvern and it's human with an aura of expectancy.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Servus watches curiously as manakete eliminates the last two bonewalkers with relative ease. While he patiently waits for the battle to finish, his mount wanted to help her "cousin-species" in the fight and she nearly succeeded several times. However, her rider was able to keep her from getting too far, knowing their disadvantage in this state. He can't afford to risk unnecessary damage to both him and his mount... especially towards the latter.

"Eaaaaasy girl." he whispers to the wyvern while patting her assuringly, "She'll be fine on her own. Trust me."

As soon as she's finished, the manakete transforms back into her battered, yet hardly dead, human form. The minor cuts she sustained as a dragon translate into smallish pricks amongst her smooth white skin. While these wounds aren't anything severe, the absolute strain in keeping up with her dragon form, has made her utterly exhausted and it clearly shows. Servus snaps the reins on his mount as they approached the dazed woman. As they landed, the rider hops off and pulls down his dark-brown shawl to reveal his mouth, a sign of non-aggression according to Jehenna customs.

"Never thought I'd find myself within the presence of a manakete today." he says with a wondrous expression, "Maybe a few bonewalkers here or there, but that's really all what I expected."

His face quickly changes in a sudden realization as he fumbles through his traveling bag. After several seconds of searching, he takes out a small vulnerary pouch and tosses it at the manakete.

"Funny what life can throw at you, eh?" he finishes with a slight smirk, followed by a brief exhale.

Meanwhile, Ambolli began to sniff the manakete from a distance, trying to get a good read on who she is.

Thereafter

@PlatinumSkink
With a bit more damage done to her and a whole lot of Bonewalkers broken, Kara felt she had shaken off a bit of the rust she had accumulated over the years.

Level Up!
Kara: Level+1, HP+1, STR+1, RES+1

_{no, with the exception of level these numbers mean nothing, i just felt like making up growth rates and then rolling
you rolled horribly on basically all but resistance, hah}

The Bonewalkers and Mogalls eliminated, Kara felt the energy in the area dissipating, it seemed that was it for now. The origin of that energy was impossible to tell, it had seemingly just gathered in her immediate area and caused monsters to converge.

It was only them, now.

@Crimson Raven

Level Up!
Kara: Level+1, HP+1, STR+1, RES+1
"All that did was make me hungrier..."

Kara

It didn't take long for the wyvern and rider pair touched down nearby. Kara caught the thrown vulnerary with a swift snatch but then reversed the motion, throwing it back. "I've got my own." She said shortly.

As if to prove it, she pulled out one from a pocket and uncorked it. Tossing it back, she drained the whole bottle in a big gulp, wrinkling her nose at the bitter taste. She recorked the now empty bottle and tucked it away. She then turned her attention fully to the man and wyvern in front of her. She regarded them in silence for a long moment, her expression guarded and unreadable. Finally, she spoke. "Well. You could have done better."

She wasn't looking him, rather, she seemed to be addressing his wyvern. "Your name?"

"Amboli, I see. And this one?" She pointed at Servus with her scaled hand.

"Servus? He doesn't look like much." She glared at Servus, crossing her arms. Her tail lashed behind her, indicative of her anger. "Human you have wasted your time and risked dear Amboli's life for nothing. Your help was neither needed nor is it appreciated. In fact, you nearly got the pair of you roasted after that stunt you pulled. If I had been a second faster, or you a second slower, the both of you would be have been on the receiving end of dragonfire. You wouldn't have been a great loss, but Amboli is of a rare specices and would be sorely missed." Regardless of his apparent kindness, Kara wasn't going to trust this human yet. Although the fact that a wyvern consented to be his partner and put up with him did speak in his favor.

In her option, wyverns and pegusi were very good judges of character.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Servus nearly drops the very vulnerary, for he didn't expect to have the kind gesture denied and thrown back at him so suddenly. He's taken back by this gesture, although he understood she simply will drink her own that she happens to have on her. His blank eyes stare bluntly in Kara's direction for a moment before he shakes out of the trance and puts back his bottle. As soon as he did, he looks at the silent manakete and makes an effort to please her. Perhaps this can warm her cold temperament a bit.

"I, uh..." the rider sighs briefly glancing down at the ground before looking back at her, "I must say, you've done a good job taking care of those monsters. Clearly, I've had no doubt that we - uh, I mean, you - would've come out on top."

"Well. You could have done better."

Servus lightly winced at this response as he gave a more sullen frown. Then again, he's talking to a manakete, a person who can literally turn into a bloody dragon. He may ride a wyvern, a cousin species to the dragons, but even then that pales compared to the figure he stands before. However he notices that she isn't talking to him, but rather Ambolli, who responds with a flare of her nostrils while slowly shaking her head side to side. She didn't take too kindly to her initial response.

"Your name?"

The wyvern gave a few chatters of her mouth as she exhales, her teeth glistening in the sunlight above.

"Amboli, I see. And this one?"

The manakete refers to Ambolli's rider, whom he himself announces before his mount can.

"Servus." he bluntly replies before attempting to ask another question, "And yo~"

"Servus? He doesn't look like much." the manakete replies while still looking at the wyvern.

Servus paused as he looks at the woman with a hint of displeasure. He takes some offense to that statement. "I beg your pardon?" he asks impulsively but dares not to ask anything more.

She then proceeds to lecture him about the dangers that he placed her wyvern in during the battle, especially regarding the first mogall they eliminated. If they had messed up upon that initial attack, or had been a second too later or a second too early, they would've been blasted by the dragon lady's fireball. According to her, Servus wouldn't be missed, but his unique mount would be mourned. This entire lecture continues to sour Servus' mood even further, his face contorting into a frown of utter discontent. He's virtually boiling at this point, his temper already hotter than the sandy deserts of Jehenna itself. It wasn't even his idea in the first place! As he's about to let loose his temper however, Ambolli interrupts by hissing at the dragon lady. She states that it was her idea in the first place and that she chose to do it on her own, without any influence of her rider, all for the sake of saving her "cousin". She even seemed to mention that Servus didn't even want her to go at first, but she did so anyways for knew what she was doing.

Servus paused respectfully to listen to Ambolli's entire explantation, slowly feeling the pressure melt from his chest as his mount rubs her nose on his head. When she finished, he looks back at the manakete with a more relaxed look. "See? I always try to protect my precious Amboli from unnecessary harm." he says to the dragon lady in a more calm voice, "It's just that she often wants to throw herself towards the enemy I don't want her to face. I think it's utter suicide to~!"

Amboli clamps her mouth close to Servus' face with a light hiss, a gesture for him to be silent. In the matters regarding dragons and dragonfolk, human opinion always comes second.

"Can I... just get your name at least?" the rider says hesitantly to the manakete before he ceases any further interruption.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Well at least he had the good sense to do as his Wyvern says.

Her irritation died down, Ambroboli’s explaination satisfying her. She might as well humour the human and quit being difficult. ”All right. I am Kara,” She said, drawing herself up and spreading her impressive wings. “A manakete and traveler of lands far and wide.” She was going to say something else but she stopped. She thought she heard something. She held up a hand to forstall more conversation. The memory of the suddenly defeated bonewalker sprung to mind.

She narrowed her eyes and scanned the bushes. Was that a flash of color? A rustle of leaves against the wind? ”You there! In the trees!” She barked. “Come out beneath the sun and the sky!”

She was feeling completely drained from having used her dragonstone so much, but nevertheless she put on a tough face and readied the slightly-larger-then-a-fist-sized stone in her hand, just in case this mysterious figure turned out to be another enemy.

@PlatinumSkink
‘Wah!’

There was a noise of alarm as the person behind the trees was called out to, and a young man in a traveller’s clothes, too lightly armored and muscles too slim to be intended to be in the thick of combat, but he clearly had a knack for moving silently and relatively unseen, except the red of his current outfit had given him away. He currently held his hands in the air in gesture of meaning no harm, though there were numerous knives and the sword he used earlier tied to his clothes. Different parts of his attire come from Grado, Jehanna and Renais. There were numerous butterflies sitting on him here and there, for some reason.

Appearance

‘I’m sorry! D-don’t eat me! I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be very tasty, a-and I’m pretty sure I’m way too unworthy for your mighty fiery breath or powerful crushing claws or jaws or…’

He paused his panicked ranting, looking over Kara a bit before changing tactics.

‘Er, don’t mind me! I’m Hevel, just a recently homeless wanderer passing by, intending to help! Now, turned out it wasn’t really needed, _{what with you turning into an epic dragon and gallant knight on mighty steed coming to assist and all,} but I had the best of intentions at heart! So, uh, we’re cool, right?’ he instead asked, an unsure smile on his lips and hands still raised.

There he stood, looking somewhat scared of the two.

_{‘Yeah, that should do. It isn’t as if I had any malice in my intentions this time, it should be perfectly forgivable. I’m kinda confident. That said, I don’t know how dragons think. I probably should be ready to bolt, just in case.’}

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Kara wasn't the only one to have taken notice of the traveler in the bushes, as Ambolli had already picked up its scent way earlier during the battle. She begins growling at the direction, baring her teeth as she prepares to maul whoever is in the bushes. Servus has to struggle a bit just to calm her down, shushing the wyvern and rubbing her neck.

"Ceaaaaaaase." soothed the rider as he too looks on to see the figure emerge out of the foliage.

The figure was a thin scrawny young boy, with white hair, amber eyes, and wears simple clothes. His cowardly-nature looked rather pathetic to Servus, but began to realize that he might've been the person who killed that one skeleton during the fight. After all, he too saw the entire event as well. But there's something else that catches the rider's eye. Numerous butterflies, all in different styles and colors, rly around or sit situated on the boy. Even Ambolli seems curious, as she snaps to catch one of the butterflies that are flying too close to her. He eyes the boy cautiously with a stern glare before speaking.

"Ya took out one of those bonies earlier, yeah?" Servus asks for confirmation, "Saw ya lob one into pieces from behind a bush. That takes greeeeeeeat balls kid, well done."

He's being rather sarcastic there, but he couldn't calm him a full-blown coward. I mean, he pretty much is, but he wasn't actually useless. Slight props to him. Then Servus asks the obvious question.

"And uh..." he hesitates slightly before finishing, "That's 'lotta butterflies ya got there. Tryna' catch them all or are you secretly some kinda flower?"

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Kara relaxed. Not an enemy, just another human. She shook her head and put away her dragonstone. Now that the monsters were gone, she needed to keep moving. These three here were no concern of hers, she had no interest in talking with them with more pressing matters at hand. Her gazed drifted in the direction of Grado, where that eerie, almost familiar, energy was emanating from. She thought she could just see the tops of the city's towers in the distance.

But all the smoke made it hard to tell.

"And uh... That's 'lotta butterflies ya got there. Tryna' catch them all or are you secretly some kinda flower?"

Kara made a small noise of disgust at the sheer vapid stupidity of what Servus just said. "I'd love to stay and chat," She interrupted dryly, "But I don't have time for this. Be on you way." The last part was noticeably more politely spoken yet carried an unmistakable tone of command. She turned and began walking in the direction of Grado, her wings folded on her back and her tail swaying in time with her footsteps.

Privatly, she cursed the monsters. Thanks to them, she was too worn out to fly the rest of the way, not to menton her dragonstone was drained. She would have to walk, and take her time doing it. There was still the matter of the possiblility that those monsters had sent after her specifically, implying that someone wanted her dead. She frowned at that. Could it be because of her journey or because she was a manakete? If the former, there was no reason to be worried. If it was the latter, then her fellow manaketes in the forest could be in danger too and not all of them were the fighter she was. Still more questions needled her. Who could command and summon monsters like that? Was it even related to her journey? It was possible that she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But those archers... She shivered and touched her healing wound. Were the appearance of no less than three archers coincidence?

Too many questions and no answers. She gave up trying to ponder them out. Idle speculation would get her nowhere; she would have to find them for herself.

@PlatinumSkink
Hevel looked towards Servus as he spoke to him, looking a bit wide-eyed as the mention of the destruction of the one Bonewalker. At Servus completion of the line… Hevel broke into a little awkward smile. ‘Haha, yeah, that was me.’

_{‘Heh, right. The guy who looks like he could take on two Draco Zombies before breakfast calls me brave. Sure, I’ll take it.’}

Then Servus asked about the butterflies. Hevel blinked twice looking like he didn’t understand, then he looked around him and seemed to notice the butterflies for the absolutely first time.

‘Ah.’ He waved his right arm to ward off butterflies on his right side. ‘Um.’ Still looking awkward, he made a similar wave on the left side. ‘Please, don’t mind those,’ he requested, running a hand through his hair to make the one on his head fly. He then resumed the position of holding hands up in a non-threatening gesture, and the butterflies resettled on him without further ado.

Kara then said her part and turned to leave. Hevel turned to look at her in slight surprise, but stood still for now. He’s unlikely to interrupt with anything if Servus engaged in conversation or what not unless addressed.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Servus looked at the boy weirdly as he attempted to wave his arms in order to get the butterflies off him, only for them to land on him once he rests. At the same time he can also hear the manakete grunt in disgust, but didn't pay too much attention to it.

"This is some weird kid..." the rider thought to himself.

But before he can ask another question, Kara suddenly began to take her leave. Just like that? No thank you or any form of appreciation that he helped her? I mean, Servus did get that lecture, but it's only polite for someone to acknowledge someone's help, even if it was a little unwanted. He turns to call towards the manakete.

"Oi! Hold up!" he called to her, "If ya're not going to give a thank you or whatever, can ya at least tell me where ya going or what ya doing around these parts at least?"

He'd pause before quickly realizing the possible implications of what she can interpret his statement as.

"O-Of course, I'm not gonna follow ya or anything - hell if I do, ya might as well flame me alive or somethin'." he adds quickly to his response.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Kara kept walking but turned and regarded Servus with a mildly amused expression. He was afraid of her wrath. Good. “If you must know, I’m headed to Grado.” She glanced at the rising smoke in the distance. “Or what will be left of it. However, why I am going there is my business.”

And would probably sound mad if I even tried to explain it. She silently added. That insistant pull, that powerful energy, equal parts attaction and revulsion, familar and mysterious, drove her steps. She had to go. She couldn’t expain why.

The idea that this wyvern rider, and to a lesser extent, the thief would be good protection while her dragonstone was recharging did occur to her. But she had long since done well on her own, why would she need help now?

Then again, there was that mysterious force. If it summoned more monsters than before, or if it could send more in rapid waves before she could rest, even she might struggle. Even if she encountered roving monsters or bandits now she would be nearly defenseless. Just walking was taking determination and willpower. She planned to rest for awhile once she got some distance between her and the ambush site.

But a human for company? Two humans even? The wyvern wouldn’t be so bad at least.

All that was assuming they were even going in the same direction.

She stopped walking suddenly. “I think the same could be asked of you. What are you doing in these lands?” She asked of the wyvern rider. Simultaneously, she lazily lifted an arm and beckoned the thief to join them. Perhaps she had been a bit hasty. She would decide what to do with them after hearing more of their story.

If she tired of them she could always eat them she jokingly suggested to herself.

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Servus pauses when Kara mentioned the chilling words regarding Grado.

"W-Waddya do ya mean, what's left of~?" he mutters confusingly before looking in her direction.

"Oh... oh no."

And there he sees it. The smoke bellowing from the direction of that very kingdom. He knows all too well of what this means. Jehenna's forces had already begun their invasion, which has begun much earlier then he realized. He believed he had at least an hour or so before he had to flee the kingdom, yet after an hour out on the field there they are now. But why is Kara going there in the hour of strife? She couldn't be simply wanting to help Grado out for its own good, right? No, there's something more to it, but he both doesn't know or is told by the dragon lady herself.

But regarding Jehenna, Servus had no reason to stay and fight them - his own race as a matter of fact - for he and his wyvern would be mercilessly hunted down by them as a traitor if he was seen. That was a past he wanted to bury... and now it has come back to haunt him. He wants to flee, or at the very least, quickly get to his hut and collect his stuff. Yet Kara also asks for what he was doing out here.

"I... uh..." he blubbers slightly, as if he's still shocked by the events unfolding.

His attire, of course, looks much like he's one of Jehenna's own and can fool anyone who hasn't seen him. But to state his true intentions in the presence of an ancient manakete will be unwise. To be called a coward by a dragon will be utterly humiliating to say the least. Hell, it even looks as if she expects him and the thief to come with her too. It looks like he's going to have to do the one thing he resented in doing...

"Well I was just... findin' monsters to practice my combat skills with." he blurts the first excuse that comes to mind, "However, now that there's an invasion force coming to raid Grado, I'ma also be heading back to hold em' back."

Servus reaches out to grab Hevel's arm as he attempts to plant him on Amboli.

"Oi, you." he orders bluntly, "Ya're coming with us, whether ya like it or not."

The wyvern screeches loudly while stretching her wings as the rider grabs ahold of the reins.

"Kara, hop on." he calls to the manakete, "Unless yer wings can still fly yaself there."

Amboli immediately clatters her teeth at his rider for offering Kara a ride despite her being her cousin. This wasn't going to be fun carrying three people back to Grado.

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Kara balked at his gung-ho attitude. “Woah, I never said we were— nrgh.” She broke off and looked toward Grado, thinking quickly.

Flying would be faster, and this way she could rest at the same time. She was too tired to fly, much less keep up on her own

But flying on someone wasn’t the same as flying yourself. Could Ambroli handle three people?

She asked the wyvern as much, who responded confidently affirmative. Like wyvern, like master she supposed. Still, she hesitated. She chewed her bottom lip, her tail flicked and she shifted her wings on her back. Kara, usually so self confident and assured, was nervous about the idea of flying on the back of another creature of the sky. “Fine, it will be faster this way.” She slowly approached Ambroli, not sure how to climb up. She finally stepped around the wyvern’s wings to her tail, and using a strap she unsteadily scaled Ambroli’s back. Oh, winds, this is mad. A dragon riding another dragon?

She sat as modestly as she could in a skirt. Such attire was comfortable and convenient when one had a tail, but it definitely wasn’t the best idea for flying. Oh dear. Amboli’s back wasn’t as hard as she feared, but it still wasn’t comfortable under her bum. “Wha-what do I hold on to?” She asked, feeling like she could fall any second and looking wildly around.

Oh. Right. She hesitantly wrapped her mismatched arms around Hevel in front of her, who stiffed and blushed as he felt an unexpected, but pleasant, softness press into his back. Inexplicably, he still had several butterflies all over him, one of which lifted off and settled on Kara’s nose. She looked at it cross-eyed and tried not to sneeze. Kara carefully pressed her wings as hard as she could to her back and she wrapped her tail up into her lap. She was a secure as she could be. “If I fall, no one will find your bodies.” She muttered darkly. It wasn’t the flying that made her nervous, she did that all the time. It was the insecure feeling, the feeling of being reliant on another that she didn’t like.

@PlatinumSkink
Hevel looked more than satisfied simply listening to the conversation, standing there only the slightest wide-eyed looking over the two. When Kara waved to him to come over, he looked a bit surprised but scuffled over, the butterflies following along. If the question about what they were doing here was directed to both Servus and him, he failed to understand it. He didn’t react in any particular way at the smoke from the distant settlement… but he most certainly reacted when Servus decided the thief was to be taken along whether he liked it or not.

‘Waitwhat- I am? Whoa!’ Hevel’s eyes widened as he was grabbed and placed on-board Amboli, grabbing onto Servus from behind in sheer panic, the butterflies hanging on as well. While he did not speak up loudly, this time he was so close to Servus that he might overhear Hevel’s silent ramble.

_{‘You’re bringing me along, just like that!? Because I helped you once, I am now helping you against the whole might of Jehanna, or what!? What kind of logic is that!? You have no idea who I am or where I came from! How can you assume I will be willing to face armies and monsters beside you just because I-!’}

He quieted when Kara came close, eyes widening as he partly realized what would have to come next. She got on behind him, and asked where to hold on.

_{‘I, uh, suppose you could-’} Hevel began in a silent tone, but Kara came to her own conclusion and wrapped her arms around him. Hevel’s eyes widened, body tensed up, face a bit red. He did not move a muscle, as if afraid to disturb the entity pressed onto his back.

‘…’

‘…’

_{‘I’m okay with this.’}

Hevel has joined the party!

“If I fall, no one will find your bodies.”

_{‘I’m only partially okay with this.’}

With that, the three were in place on Amboli’s back, and while travelling with three people on the back of a Wyvern was not recommended, at least two of the passengers were lighter than the average and was feasible for a not-too-long journey. South of them awaited Grado, smoking from Jehanna’s invasion, people deciding between retreating from the army or holing up in their homes. There would potentially be a danger of being located, as the army had scouts heading about.

Kara still felt two of the four earlier flares of demonic energy that remained, their origin unfamiliar to her. One of them was in Jehanna, the other far across the continent in Rausten. The two other flares she had felt, the weaker two, had faded. This much alike to how the one which had called the attack directly at her had faded. The meaning of these flares were up to her to guess the meaning of. But straight ahead, in Grado, the Fire Emblem remained, just as it had for so long, despite the invasion. … Or was it moving, just the slightest? It was hard to tell from this distance, but it kind of felt like it had moved a bit since the time she felt the flares emerge…

@Lmpkio

SERVUS

Even though he just met both the manakete and the thief, Servus couldn't help but to add them for the support of Grado's defenses. In such desperate times, he might as well pull them along for the ride. They seemed harmless enough. At least Kara seems to agree it will be faster, since she's so tired. As she began to hop onto Amboli, she stepped on her tail causing the wyvern to screech loudly, almost dismounting both riders. Servus continued to sooth the wyvern up to the point the manakete got comfortable. She asked simply what to hold on to in a rather nervous tone. Servus simply chuckled.

"Try tha' guy in front of ya." he said with a humorous undertone.

Once she took ahold of the bashful thief, they were ready to go, but not without Kara giving an ominous warning if she were to fall off. Servus chuckles again at the response, both jokingly with a healthy dose of nervousness.

"Than hang on tight!" the rider announced as he slaps the reins on Amboli, signaling her to become airborne with an abrupting jolt.

With that, the trio began to fly to their next destination. What awaits them has yet to be seen...

@Crimson Raven

Kara

Curiously, all her trepidation vanished after the initial terror of take off. Kara clenched tight against Hevel as Amboli launched herself into the air, the motion disturbingly familiar yet different from when Kara herself took flight. But, all her nervousness faded when they were in the air, as if her body and mind recognized this as familiar. This...isn't so bad. She thought.

However, in the absence of panic, crushing exaustion piled up on her. It has been quite the eventful day and she had spent most of her energy flying and then fighting those monsters. She was beat. To tired to think, her eyes began to droop as she leaned forward into Hevel. The sonorous beat of Amboli's wings worked like a lullaby to the dragoness. Her grip relaxed as she rested her head on Hevel's back. Within seconds, she was sound asleep, her warm breath ticking the back of Hevel's neck.

Lunacy of Love: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Mariette

and Eli

Mariette simply stood watch as the room was emptied into the handbag portal. When the armour awoke, she employed some basic portal tactics to give her girls the edge against the entity, and it was quickly defeated. Then the other girls returned, delivering tomes and the news Beacon was going to destroy the castle. Puh, really, Beacon? Though, with the assumption Justine was a powerhouse they couldn’t defeat with the available troops, which was a rather logical assumption when she considered it, this was a reasonable tactical manoeuver. It might hamper her ritual. Good. Mariette could get behind this.

This did mean Mariette would have been dead if it wasn’t for Nancy. Fancy that. With a sudden time-limit, she went ahead with her plans. A portal opened in the dark mirror, Mariette sensing the power within. My, where had Justine found this one? In any case. On the other side…

Oh? They had defeated Justine? Mariette was impressed. Without killing her? She was quite curious how this had occurred. At the same time, she was alarmed. If Justine turned a new leaf and was present when the time came, it would be very troubling. This circumstances had to be inspected, and it was important to find out what they planned to do with their enemy now. Mariette planned to step through, connect to the survivors… Hm. Sue and Scout looked different. Some were missing. In any case. They would surely need a ride home, and Mariette could share that Beacon was destroying the mansion but assure that she had saved the prisoners. This would give her a positive reputation boost, and being part of negotiations she could seek an opportunity to eliminate Justine. Excellent. The plan was in motion. She was about to step out, to stand on a portal in the air above the group, looking forward to seeing Justine’s expression upon seeing her and perhaps have a conclusive bit of banter, when…

‘Wah!’ Eli, who had walked close to the mirror to look through at the scene with her Third Eye to make sure her mistress wasn’t just looking at a piece of art made by the Illusion-specialization or something similar had inadvertently taken Asengav’s mirror close. Tendrils sprouted, Mariette had to stumble a few steps back with wide eyes as the two mirrors joined. And there, for just the slightest moment;

BLACK

All semblance of plans blew out of Mariette’s mind where she stood, wide-eyed. She knew what she had seen. This had never happened before. And the mansion now before her, besides perfectly matching her taste, was seeping with Asengav’s presence. In horror, Mariette’s mind immediately went for nightmare scenarios. Had she displeased her patron? Was she in for a harsh lesson? Was she being reassigned to somewhere bad?

It didn’t matter. She would follow his commands. She quietly steeled herself, and prepared to face whatever was through this portal-

“There! That’s our escape!”

Mariette blinked and she looked over towards Nancy, who had said that, and the other girls that seemed like they were agreeing. Wait, hold on. There were bad things through this portal. They should get away. She’d been intending for them to get away. If they left now, Asengav couldn’t get his tendrils on them, and they could live on in peace. Mariette opened her mouth to warn them-

A severe pain coursed through her mind, making Mariette bend over and grunt as she placed her hands on her forehead. When the pain finally cleared, Mariette shook somewhat as she got back upright, looking forward towards the beckoning mansion.

What was that thought for? Warning them? That’s stupid. They’re pawns, and currently they were resources for Asengav to make use of. Surely, the Horror would be pleased with such an assortment of feeble-minded powerhouses. Asengav called for her. She would answer.

‘We’ll get out through here! Let’s go!’ Mariette called to the other girls, before jumping through the portal, into Asengav’s grasp once again.

Pokémon: Start

Alright. Thank you for telling us.

Fire Emblem: A Blinding Light

@Eklispe Nicely posted. I'm happy that you're reliable.

@Eisenhorn@Pirouette@Apollosarcher How's it going? When do you think you can post?

Lunacy of Love: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Mariette

and Eli

So. Arriving at a treasury. All things completely without value to Mariette. She looked around, and… hm, signs of Overcity Shift over there? It didn’t seem like she could progress further, Justine had locked her out very effectively. She’d have to assume that was the point. Now, Mariette was completely inclined to leave all these riches behind, but then Amber flashed through her mind, her request about taking something that belonged to Mariette. … Hm.

‘… Anything in here could be something that Justine treasures for a plan of hers, or a trap. For safety, I want you all to deposit everything in this room into this portal for safekeeping. At the very least, we’re keeping it out of Justine’s hands,’ Mariette said dismissively, opening a portal in the floor. Said portal led directly into her Hammerspace Handbag. … Before letting them throw any gold into it, though, she retrieved her bunny from it, hugging around bunny whom she had deposited in the Hammerspace Handbag at the time when it stopped being mentioned in posts. No way Mariette would let her bunny share space with something that Justine could probably detonate at any moment.

Then there was the matter of Milli. She contacted her sister, before her eyes widened at Mariette, who didn’t react in the slightest, before the twin turned and ran screaming. Mariette simply smirked a little. Well, that was a very enlightening experiment. Good job winning, Alicia, Penny, others. Nancy asked if they should follow.

‘No, she made her choice. Our allies, the Beacon representatives, have won the front door. However, I should inform you that Beacon desires my demise and will take steps to turn you against me, even if we’re in agreement that Justine needs to be defeated. The twins were successfully turned, it would seem,’ Mariette simply said.

While the rest of the girls were taking everything else, Eli had sought out the mirror that stood there, ensuring the rest didn’t try to throw it into the handbag. Mariette saw her inspecting it, and could but wonder what might be special about it for it to be located in the treasury.

Regardless, they had nowhere to go. Looked like they needed two mirrors, regardless. After they had gathered sufficient goods, Mariette made them stop.

‘It is possible the battle is taking place in the real world, this being the Overcity. I will see if I can follow the Overcity Shift that took place nearby, and I will use this mirror to open a portal. When it’s open, I will scan through it myself with portals, and in case the battle is ongoing or I see a chance of victory I will command you all to charge, be ready for battle. However, in case Justine is alone and at full might, we will draw back as we do not stand a chance. If Justine is already defeated, we will also be leaving, as this place holds nothing more for us. Either case, our time here draws close. Thank you, for your acceptance of me. Let’s try this,’

So Mariette declared, before trying to open a portal following the Overcity Shift using the mirror found in the treasury. Asengav’s Mirror was left unused, it was still the emergency exit. It was also a test to see if this mirror had any special properties. If it opened, Mariette would open eye-portals to look around, then make her decision, all while standing there clutching her bunny.

Lunacy of Love: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Mariette

and Eli

If Nancy’s power was as advertised, then Mariette was not letting her get away. She struck before Nancy could change her mind. With that, she spent some time with their lips pressed together, while Eli watched closely with a slight dark blush on her slime-face. It took a number of seconds, however…

Mariette’s eyes widened, a surprise and liveliness not often seen in them encompassing her as the effects of the spell ran through her, the bubbles and flowers litting up around them as Mariette and Nancy were still interlocked in the kiss. When she finally released, Mariette blinked as she explored what she was feeling.

With all honesty, Mariette had forgotten how it felt to feel fresh. Always, with no real exception, she felt a deep exhaustion within her soul which dragged onto her every movement, even as she dutifully accomplished her goals in the name of Asengav. Yet, all of that… The burden of Asengav, the constant pressure… All of it had cleared away, and Mariette could look around herself at the surrounding girls with alert eyes that weren’t marred by the sole purpose of detecting threats to herself. It was as if she was seeing colour for the first time, or just realizing colour was indeed a thing. Everything looked and felt so… so… alive…

Mariette turned to look at Nancy, who was breathing heavily. Mariette looked a bit confused, the experience not what she expected and she may have been blushing a bit, looking more alive than ever. Then… she breathed out the breath she had been holding, giving a little smile at Nancy that looked more gentle than Eli had ever seen it.

‘You… you should practice that magic more often… Thank you…’ So she said, feeling lighter than ever. With that, she came to a joyful, happy and natural decision in the heat of the moment.

This girl will not be coming home tonight

… But that was for later! Now, they had to go and defeat Justine! More energetic than ever, Mariette turned to make her commands in a happier and more hopeful tone than she had ever used before, and the effect seemed to spread among the girls under her command. They were all getting more hopeful!

… Of course, then numerous moments later as they were heading off Mariette was reminded she was still, in fact, the pawn of a Horror when the Bane she had received from him reared its ugly head.

Geh. What a dampener on her mood. They also figured out that it was the mirrors that were causing it. That… was unacceptable, but due to knowing at least one of the girls was a Light specializing girl, she couldn’t lie. Geesh.

‘No! That’s… that’s not what I want,’ Mariette breathed to Nancy’s claim that removing the mirrors would help her, despite her pain being alleviated as she threw it away. It was not a lie, in that she didn’t want them to remove the mirrors for her, because that’d be them being aware of the bane she most definitely didn’t want them to know about. Okay. Other options. Well, as luck would have it, Mariette was not constrained to corridors.

‘We’re taking an alternative path!’ Mariette said, using the magic she had regained to open a portal from beside them to… whatever path she could that did not cross a cracked mirror. The fact Nancy had just removed the closest such mirror gave her that opening. ‘Through my portals! I will navigate us to our enemy!’

It was more difficult. She had no vision of other places in the building so she had to guess where she could open portals, but she did have a sense of where the cracked mirrors were. Using that, Mariette attempted using portals to take her to whatever rooms that did not have cracked mirrors in them, through paths that didn’t have cracked mirrors directly in-between herself and that room, because that caused problems too. She had to open small portals for her eyes first, to scan the new room for danger. If the eye-portals didn’t open, it meant she was trying to open them in space occupied by a physical object and she had to move a bit before she could see what was safe to open a portal for the rest of her troops. It’d likely be as navigating a maze, but Mariette was sharper and more determined than ever, she’d make it through this! She had a goal in mind, and damn it if she’d be stopped by a stupid bane!

‘I’d like an update on what’s going on out the front whenever possible!’ she also informed the sister of the two twins that had stayed with her. It was fairly simple there. If she was informed that the sister had died or that her allies were dead, then the front door was lost. If she was informed her allies were alive or if the sister was quiet, then they had won the front door. Because, if she was quiet it meant Alicia had managed to talk sense into her about Mariette’s true nature. Mariette smirked thinking about it. Anyways, to the battle!

Eli was still hanging on, holding Asengav’s mirror and keeping a watch on her mistress.

Capes of Denver: A Worm RP

Creep

Sheila Hopkins

Villain’s Meeting
Visible

---

The one who had cut their hand, Healer, left for the bathroom. Sheila privately wondered what this did to her reputation, cutting herself and needing to leave like that before the rest of the villain community. Best not to dwell on it.

The claims were made for the rest of the vials. Sabotage wanted one? Sheila could understand the teams, but the burglar wanted backup, perhaps? If the power was random, it was rather likely the power produced would not result in anything that’d help in a stealthy or fast situation. Though, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, she supposed and could understand.

One went unspoken for, but Sheila didn’t have time to properly process it before things happened. The flickering lights caused Sheila considerable worry, frowning under her blindfold. Then, the unknown voice. With the sound of a power being used, Creep immediately dove under the table in assumption gunfire would immediately follow, her hands diving into her clothes to retrieve her darts. As a risk she took, she didn’t turn invisible in case the situation was easily handled, but the moment a brawl started she intended to try, power-nullifier or not. But, that wasn’t to be.

Xolotl, enforcer of the Community. Creep took a deep breath under the table, preparing to scuffle. She’d have to act as if everyone here was her ally. Sheila was already making up escape-plans and attack-routes in her head… when Xolotl promptly collapsed. Oh. Suppose that nullifier was activated. Not a clever place to attack, huh. What Sheila immediately thought of was that, perhaps, Patriarch had sent him to be caught? But, no, with his mind-manipulation that shouldn’t be necessary. Hm.

The situation apparently under control, Creep left the darts inside her coat and got back up from under the table to sit down. She had to assume they were taking steps to prevent more incidents? Sheila kept watching all around her for suspicious activity. There was the matter of knocking out Xolotl. While Sheila was capable of doing so with her darts, it’d alert everyone that she had those darts and so on. Better leave it to the Jack’s guy.

Back to the previous point. There was another vial up for grabs. Sheila knew it would likely be her only chance to obtain such an item. That said…

Did the Rockers even have 20,000 dollars?

‘… The Rockers would be interested in the remaining vial, same situation as the first,’ Creep said, despite that unsurety. Worst case scenario, she’d have to do something unsavory to get the money in time, perhaps. Still, it was up to the Broker if he wanted to confide in someone more financially secure, but Sheila at least wanted to put the hands of the Rockers into the mix.

Fire Emblem: A Blinding Light

@Rune_Alchemist Nicely posted. I appreciate the speed. And yupp, reasonable actions all around. That hesitation speaks of reasonable character, heh. Yupp. Nice.

@mattmanganon I'm afraid the roleplay is currently full. We have eight players signed up, and that's already more than I intended to begin with. But, if people drop out, I can give you a message and see if you're still up for it.

That said, I did want to comment. Monster-units are not playable, but a Manakete is not a monster in Fire Emblem. They're just kinda their elves, in extremely simple terms. Elves that can transform into dragons, hah. Anyways. Having a sentient zombie pirate is honestly not outside the realm of possibility in the Fire Emblem world, a Fire Emblem villain I'm thinking of did something similar, but it does severely stretch the suspension of disbelief. XD

Eh, we'll discuss it if we get there. Thank you for your interest.

Lunacy of Love: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Mariette

and Eli

Mariette was honestly surprised when someone spoke up. Someone in this tired drove of Magical Girls had a power which could restore a person’s health completely? Did that include Mana? Sounded unnecessary to ask, honestly. That the girl was healthy enough to blush was a good indicator of what she was potentially capable of. And what she needed for it was… a kiss? A deep, ten-second long kiss, lips on lips. Mariette stared the embarrassed girl down.

Eli’s gasp and widened eyes joined that of the other girls, looking intently at Mariette to see how her mistress would react.

‘…’ Only because Eli was among those who looked upon her so intently, did Mariette feel just the slightest bit awkward. However, the only consideration which Mariette actually gave the dilemma was if the girl was potentially a trap luring her in for a magical kiss of death. She gave Eli a quick examining gaze to see if Eli was warning her away after a brief Third Eye examination, and not seeing anything like that…

Mariette jumped off her throne of hands towards the girl, facing her with her usual expression.

‘What’s your name?’ Mariette asked, because this one could be important to keep in mind later, if this worked. Assuming she got a reply, she’d then continue. ‘We may have need of my powers. As such, we will put your ability to the test.’ She then proceeded to wrap a single arm around the girl to pull her in as Mariette leaned in to plant her lips on the girl’s own. With the assumption that the girl was going to get to work and not waste time, she’d keep her eyes closed and hold her lips against the pink Magical Girl’s, not exactly passionately but not dismissively either, choosing to ignore any and all reactions from surrounding girls.

Mariette would hold on until she felt something take effect. If it took too long, Mariette’d open her eyes and glare at the Magical Girl from close range without actually releasing. If Eli saw magic that was anything other than what was advertised she’d come crashing in to separate them. Mariette’s reaction after that would depend a whole lot on how she was feeling and how the one kissed and surrounding girls reacted to the event.

Regardless, assuming engaging in that kiss didn't mean an immediate demise or a change of plans, afterwards the groups were ordered. Mariette noted Eli’s creeping exhaustion and commanded her to save her strength, this could be done well without it. Soon enough, they had a group for seeking Justine’s mansion, two valuable twins for ranged communication and a greater unit for taking on threats. While they were all drained, it was time to go ahead.

… However, as they carried Mariette along, it became evident Justine knew of Mariette’s other, perhaps more alarming bane. Mariette had a sort-of “portal-sense”, which sensed where surrounding portals were located and where mirrors she was aware of were located for boosting the power of her portals. When a cracked mirror entered the range, it did so feeling like needles piercing her through her portal-sense, getting deeper the closer to the crack she got, causing grievous pain and disturbing any portals close to them. Right now that didn’t matter, as no portals were ongoing, but…

Mariette seethed as the metaphorical needles stabbed her through the extra sense that she couldn’t turn off. She just had to weather it… Could she do it? Good thing she didn’t have to walk, others carried her, but… Mariette closer her eyes, grimaced and tried to keep silent as each cracked mirror entered her range, stabbing her through the unseen sense, and left her shivering somewhat as they left it behind. She internally cursed Justine, who had no doubt set this up for this exact purpose. Mariette could not call attention to it, for she didn’t want that bane to be known. She just had to endure.

Eli, having no such portal sense and was as such unaffected by the cracked mirrors, had to keep watch of Mariette and be ready to jump in if anything unexpected happened. No candles meant Eli had no problems right now, and as such she had to keep watch over her mistress, who was fighting to keep the pain from showing to her newfound worshippers as they headed on.