Pleasure Kingdoms: Second Attempt

[NyghtRayne]

Logan ran hard at the Wizard, he saw the second man step from behind him and heard Ritsuko's cry for him to stop. He was moving too fast to do so safely, his momentum carried him forward into path of the new arrival.

He lowered his horn and continued his charge, through shadowy nothingness. He felt the blow against Ritsuko's own blade and the whisper of steel so close to his ear. As he felt Ritsuko leave his back, he reared and spun coming down between her and the wizard.

He was about to step towards her and the other she faced when he heard the wizard behind him move. He turned his head and lowered his horn, pointing it directly at the wizard's heart. "Move and I shall be forced to protect my friend, this seems to be between the two of them and they do not need your interferrence."

He had kept his attention focused on the wizard, whom he did not trust..he did not notice the black dust, but was knocked a little off balance by the gale wind that followed the sound of breaking glass. He took a step or two to brace himself, his amber gaze only leaving the wizard a moment, turn look to Ritsuko...

 

[Sky Jade]

The dragon stood where she was, a look of confusing on her face. She looked rather comical like that. She wanted to fight, but the others had told her not to touch the golem. Then Logan and Ritsuko had rode off to battle with who seemed to be acquaintences of Ritsuko's.

She shook her head for a moment, noticing that that golem had been lumbering towards her and Lavastine the whole time. She looked over at the strange squiarrl-like who was suggesting water. She shook her head at the suggestion and then did a grin as she saw the large chunks of stone which had broken from the ancient tower.

She moved to one fairly large chunk and picked it up, testing it's wieght. It seemed pretty good and then she flew high into the sky, disappearing among the clouds. A few moments later she came swooping down from the sky, her wings flat against her back. She waited till just a few seconds before the ground open her wings and dive at the golem. She released the stone at the golem, picking up the next chunk. She repeated the process of stone-bombing the golem, hoping it would do the trick.

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl of the Macrai-Itoche (Green)

He cursed as he ran. Cursed the pain that ran threw him, and cursed the two for not having the common decency to hear him. He didn't run towards them, instead he ran towards the Void Golem.

He only hoped he could make it before they killed the wizard. It was a painful way to heal, but it was better than the healing the Fae used. It burned to his very core, using magic of the Goddess on the Destroyer's child.

He glanced up, and saw Evee diving at the Golem with great rocks. He came to a stop, stumbling as he remember, too late, that his wings were gone. He waved his arms over his head, yelling excitedly. "Hfir! Hfir! Hfir!"

 

[roleplaylifer]

"Move and I shall be forced to protect my friend, this seems to be between the two of them and they do not need your interference."

Despite the obvious pain he was in, Varkahn met Logan's threat with a stare of malicious hatred.....and something else. The corners of the Void Mage's mouth turned upward ever so slightly, as if to mock the death that now hovered so close to him.

"Oh, but this game is far from over. There's so much fun yet for you to stick around for. It would seem that Hidoshi was a little upset that you and your group dispatched his men so easily."

The Void Mage snickered derisively at his own thoughts of just how useless he considered the vain Shadowmaster to be. So much talent....only to have it wasted obsessing over a grudge!

"He has called upon the kirin our master has entrusted to him. I wonder, unicorn, if you'll be able to reach her in time....."

------------------------------------------------------------

Still on edge, Ritsuko's vision slowly cleared from the blinding light of expelled sorcery that had clouded her sight temporarily. Not like it mattered. By the time she had regained her sight, she already knew that he was gone. Had fled just like the coward she had expected him to be.

Slowly, the samurai began to survey the battlefield. The corpses of three score men adding to the chaos of the previous day's battle.

The ground shook softly as a boulder slammed into the ground, flattening the Void Golem temporarily. Ritsuko watched in amazement as Evee repeated the tactic over and over. Each time, the Golem stopped completely for just a few moments, its substance oozing like slime around the imposed obstacle to reform anew and advance like the shadow it mostly was.

The strange squirrel creature that had found its way into their camp while she had been.....occupied.....was chittering noisily to Lavastine. All the while, the dark elf held a grim look on her face, further testament that she knew what they were facing a hell of a lot better than Ritsuko did.

Another swift check caught her a glance of Logan to her right, horn lowered to the chest of the glowering Varkahn. Strangely enough, the corrupt wizard seemed to be smiling with his usual amount of venom. Ritsuko could just about feel her stomach twist with anxiety as she looked away.

How can he be so confident?

As she turned away to mull this over, her jaw dropped as she caught sight of Zarl for the first time, staggering across the ruined battlefield. Wingless, and bleeding from a hundred wounds, the Macrai-Itoche looked like he had just climbed out of his own private war.

Her sapphire eyes flashed angrily at the thought of this also being planned by her enemies. She quickly filed it away in the back of her mind to ask him about his fight when he was tucked back into whatever safety their campsite had left to offer.

Her thoughts occupied with all that she saw around her, she paid little heed to what had become of the strange dust Hidoshi had released into the air before making his escape. Right now, they should regroup, perhaps Lavastine knew of some way to defeat the golem. At the very least, it had seemed that Logan's horn had some effect against it, though she'd confess to preferring to be off his back should he attempt it again.

As she took a step toward Zarl, the samurai stopped suddenly, something she couldn't quite place tripping an inner alarm.

Then she felt it again. The slightest of tremors in the ground....gradually growing stronger. The elf maiden's stomach lurched.

Ancestors.....please......no.......

Moments later, the ground erupted in front of her, a huge black plated arm clawing its way through the loosened earth. Even as Ritsuko took a step back in stark terror, the ground around her began to boil as more monstrosities clambored to the surface.

Pulling their glossy black carapaces from the shifting soil, the four kirin paused for just a moment to test the air. The air noisy with their chittering and the clacking of mandibles, it didn't take them long to catch the scent of what had driven them here.

Fresh blood.

The scent of the elf warrioress now caught between them, slowly began inflamming the monsters' innate desire to kill.

For just a moment, Ritsuko's shoulders sagged in defeat. The heavy armor of a kirin turned away all but the sharpest of blades. Her katana had been useless against these opponents just two nights ago....when she had been ambushed in her clan's decimated village.

But.....she no longer had that sword. The painful image of her own hand taking up her father's blade......his severed head gazing lazily back up at her......

A glimmer of hope sparkled briefly in her eyes, closing with serenity as she grasped savagely onto that one flicker of chance.

The squared tipped edge rose to defend, as her attackers moved steadily closer.......

 

[NyghtRayne]

"He has called upon the kirin our master has entrusted to him. I wonder, unicorn, if you'll be able to reach her in time....." Logan looked the the wizard, he could tell he was serious, a little insane maybe but serious.

Whent he creatures appeared, he knew they didn't have much of a chance against them, for they were fairly tough. His gaze settled on the wizard again and he took a step forward, the tip of his horn even closer to it's destination.

"Help us in this or die." His tone was deadly serious, but he was not sure even that would encourage the wizard to help.

 

[Armphid]

"Stronger than adamant, holier than a virgin's tears,
I call upon thee, Oh Mother, and swear myself to thee.
Let thy great power come as an answer to me payers,
Ruin and slay those who stand, and chastise those who flee."
Might entrusted to my command,
This great gift bestowed to my unworthy hand."

Taren leaped in front of Ritsuko, a hand shining with golden Earth Essence as he touched it to the earth. "EARTH LANCER!" All around the two thin spires of stone shot from the ground with terrible speed, scattering the quartet of kirin. One was too close to the elven samurai, it's chitin shell shattered and pierced by many of the stone spears. It convulsed and twitched in it's death throes, a screeching keening sound coming from the beast as it died.

The tall half-elf turned back to back with the samurai, his hands pulling the curved blades of Overture and Finale from the sling on his back. He did now have his armor, much to his regret, but there had not been time to mend it yet. He looked back over his shoulder, and caught her eye.

"Ritsuko...I'm sorry it took me so long to get here." "I was trying to hunt down something for dinner, but it looks like we were hunted instead." He rolled his neck, a few vertabrae cracking. "Let us draw swords together...for Clan Hitari."

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl of the Macrai-Itoche (Wingless and bloody)

Zarl continued running, getting close to the Void Golem now, closing the distance quickly. He cursed, searching his mind of the translations he needed. "STOP! Evee, stop! I can get it! Kill the Wizard! The WIZARD!"

He motioned towards the wizard and the others, doubling over to breathe. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head at what he saw. Under attack? Again? Damn, things were never easy.

He looked up to see the the Void Golem moving closer, and thrust out a hand, golden lightning arcing between them. The Golem stopped moving, and Zarl screamed in pain.

"KILL THE WIZARD!"

 

[NyghtRayne]

Hearing Zarl's words to kill the wizard, he took a step closer actually touching his horn to the wizard's chest. "Like I said help destroy these things or perish."

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl of the Macrai-Itoche (Bloody and Wingless)

Black lightning arced back across the gap between the Void Golem and Zarl. The golden lightning surged, as if drawn into the Golem. The black lightning shoved itself rudely into Zarl.

His mouth opened in a violent, silent scream of utter pain and torment. Pain shot through his system, and his entire life began flashing before his eyes. Random incidents reliving themselves in an ever-quickening pace.

The Golem began moving again, advancing on the Macrai-Itoche, both sending deth into Zarl's motionless body, and drawing the very life from it. It approached, lifting a misshaped limb to attack...

 

[roleplaylifer]

Muscular, heavily armored, the kirin posed a terrible threat to any that sought to combat them in melee. Fortunately, their one draw back with the stupidity that came with absolute obsession.

So intent were the four monsters that they never saw the rapidly approaching Taren until his Earth Trance completed itself with a sharp cry. By then it was far too late.

The ground buckled sharply, Ritsuko shifting her weight slightly to adjust. Just as she had brought her katana sharply around to attempt to ward off one creature's massive blow, Taren's Earth Lancer struck with a sickening crunch. The magicked stone piercing the chitinous armor and flinging the horribly shreiking monster to the ground.

The other three...knocked aside by the resulting shockwave from the terrible impact....lumbered swiftly to their feet, seemingly unfazed.

"Ritsuko...I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I was trying to hunt down something for dinner, but it looks like we were hunted instead."

By the time the half-elf had drawn near her, Ritsuko's ken had already found Taren's unmistakeable aura. Smiling softly, she nodded gently in his direction. Eyes closed in peaceful serenity....she concentrated on her opponents that were even now rising to their feet. Yet as much as her good sense cried out for her to do so, she would not strike a fallen opponent.

"Hunted yes....and it appears that they intend to eat what they catch."

She could hear.....feel.....Taren draw closer to her, twin shotels drawn for the difficult fight ahead of them all.

"Let us draw swords together...for Clan Hitari."

Grimly, she nodded, her usual two handed grip tightening on her own blade......

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Varkahn looked silently down upon his tormentor. Not for the first time, a quirky smile flickered briefly upon his face as a mind that was far more healthy than his body was swiftly tallied up the actions of his adversaries.

"I see.....the Macrai-Itoche wishes you to kill me, so he can draw the golem into himself.....hopefully healing his own grievous wounds. I had not thought of this....."

A low raspy chuckle rattled in his through as he could see how his inaction to turn the golem against the kirin annoyed his captor. Shrugging softly, paying no heed to the sharp point of ivory horn that Logan had levelled at his chest, he began to explain.

"The golem is bound to me, and to the magic I released upon its creation. Your friend can absorb that magic, being a creature of the Void himself, yet he cannot do so while the Golem is still bound under my control. I personally had assumed the Macrai-Itoche to be dead, but it seems that Hidoshi's men are as worthless as their leader....and just as prone to failure."

The tired looking face of the aging man suddenly split into a gap toothed smile.

"So its his life, in exchange for mine, huh?"

Not waiting for Logan's answer, the Void Mage suddenly burst into a fit of raucous laughter. The heaving of his chest pinking his tender flesh upon Logan's shirt....a tiny dark spot beginning to form on his robes.....

"Fair enough!"

Without another word, Varkahn held Logan's eyes for just a moment. Again the look of a man possessing a secret. One step forward.....and he had thrust himself upon the ivory death that had cornered him. The sharp unicorn horn tearing through cloth and hide, impaling the gaunt man completely.

Varkahn died painfully....the light in his eyes slowly fading.....but his knowing smile never did.

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl of the Macrai-Itoche (Pain. Lots of Pain.)

Suddenly, he realized a weakening, the wizard was dead. He thrust hard and fast with his spirit, twisting deep into the Golem to fill the void of power and override it's current orders, to erase its purpose, and return it to a more pure form of void. A complete erasal of what it had had imprinted on it.

The black arc between him and the Golem, changed, the lightning being drawn in and dispersed throughout him, used to replenish flesh, bone, sinew, and blood. There was more, though, than he could absorb. His attention turned to the Kirin.

Of course, he didn;'t have to use it all on himself...

 

[Sky Jade]

The dragon stopped throwing the stonesat the golem after a few times when she realized it wasn't working. There wasn't anything she could do at this point, so she landed on top of the ancient tower and sat watching her companions fight the wizard, golem, and other creatures.

 

[Armphid]

Taren leaped low into a roll to avoid a stooping claw attack by one fo the hideous monsters. He was up in a flash, blades arcing through the air to take advantage of the beast's expposed flank. The creature wheeled on it's legs, slashing a wicked blow that would have knocked his head off, had he not ducked under it. He darted past, the shotels raked across the sides.

It was then he noticed that they were having no real effect. He could see shallow grooves in the carapace where he had struck, but the damage was purely superficial. "Damn!" The kirin, as if sensing, his anxiety, pressed the attack. Taren spun and danced, avoiding the wicked claws and dripping mandibles.

The head went low, biting at the half-elf's light feet. Taren jumped up, kicking off one large eye, flipping over a dozen feet distant. The hoffible beast let out a shriek of indignation, then scuttled after him. "Magic hurts them...but my only magic weapon..."

Then it was on him, and he was forced into a series of back handsprings to get away for a moment. As he landed on his feet, Finale slid back into its sheath, his hand reaching into his magic pouch. The hand went wide, pulling out not a blade or an axe, but the long, leather whip he had used to travel through the woods. The whip was old, a product of a master craftsman and a talented alchemist, giving the weapon certain minor magics. He just hoped it would be enough.

As the monster rushed him again, he waited, feet firmly planted. It rose over him, rearing back to deliver a disembowling strike. There was a startlingly loud crack as the whip snapped up and into the air, then a second one as the chitin it struck cracked. The whip looped around the creature's neck, and it reared back again, squeling. Taren dug his feet in, dropping Overture to grasp the whip with both hands.

His mighty shoulders heaved, his back screaming in protest as he threw all of his strength into lifting and swinging the monster. The surprised kirin found itself lifted off the ground, spinning throught he air for brief moments, before it crashed into the still standing stone lances that Taren had summoned moments ago.

The enchanted stone shattered chitinous armor, battering wicked flesh beneath. Taren had not been strong enough to drop it on the spikes, but there were huge rents in its protective covering as it thrashed free of the rocky cage.

Taren snapped the whip back, his muscles aching. He'd better not have to do that again any time soon. "Well now...looks like there are a few chinks in your armor."

 

[NyghtRayne]

Logan was stunned a few moments as the wizard flung himself to his death upon his ivory horn. He had never expected him to do such a thing.

He staggered as the weight of the wizard slipped backwards off of his horn. The man had died, quickly, but very painfully. Even though he may have actually followed through on his words of killing the wizard, the man's death shook him to the core of his being.

Logan had killed monsters in his time as a warrior, but never a human. The wizard's death, even if it was his own doing, it was with Logan's help in a sense. He failed to notice much more in his surroundings as he watched the man's lifeless body sink to the ground at his feet.

He was keenly aware of the man's blood dripping off the end of his horn. Logan stood there almost as if spell bound.

 

[roleplaylifer]

Ritsuko tensed as the first of the kirin charged them. Her blade readied, she was not surprised as she felt Taren charge forward, distracting the creature by engaging it in its favorite pastime....combat.

For a brief moment, she felt her heart leap with hope that she knew could only be dashed. Though the two weapons the half-elf carried were formidable indeed in his hands, it seemed that they did not contain enough magic in them to strike a severe blow to the black armored monsters that threatened them now.

Her own blade radiated such energy, though just faintly. Not for the first time, the samurai wondered if she'd see the end of this battle.

Then they were upon her, the two remaining creatures diving in upon her with a frenzied desire to split her flesh and engorge themselves on her corpse. As the first of the bony claws descended, her katana rose sharply to meet it.

The shock of the blow drew an angry ringing from the fine honed steel of the blade. The vibrations of the blow travelling easily down its length to make Ritsuko grunt painfully as they passed into her arms. As much as she tried, she could not maintain a stance against such a powerful opponent. The sheer strength of the kirin driving her smaller frame back with every blow. Frantically, she searched for any options.

"Magic hurts them! Drive them back if you've any spells left!"

Her breath quickened along with her heartbeat, as the adrenaline of the moment slipped quietly into her bloodstream. The elf's nimble form was her only advantage, slipping repeatedly under and between her opponents blows. But it was only a matter of time.....she could only hope that her voice carried across the battlefield to the rest of her friends.

She had scored several minor blows, but nothing too much more than what Overture and Finale had done. Though her face remained calm, her mind raced for a solution even as a rising sweep of a claw caught on her cross-guard, sending the long edged katana spinning away.

Life hangs on a thread at the best of times. As Ritsuko watched the second creature come in under the strike of the first, she couldn't help but think of how frayed that thread seemed. Gracefully slanted eyes narrowed to slits as she slipped to one side. the first lunging claw tearing a wide swath in her kimono as it passed by her side to come away tinged scarlet.

Grant me strength
To match my speed
The power to stand alone.
The strength compared
To a blossoming seed
Bursting through both soil and stone.

Rebuke

As the creature's second claw scythed toward her, she stepped back to her original position, well aware that she was now between both of the creatures massive arms. Arms that even now began to close, intent on drawing yet another victim into its cavernous mouth.

The elven samurai's head shot up as her hastily chanted Trance completed. Her Trances towards earth were weak, but she would force them to be respected! Her eyes opened just briefly to lock a burning sapphire gaze upon her target, her right hand shooting forward in a palm strike at the monster's chest. As she felt the smooth, dry shell connect hard with her hand, her eyes furrowed in concentration. Slamming the heel of her hand into the carapace of the kirin, Ritsuko twisted hard, striking a second time with the pointed tips of two fingers. With a loud yell, the samurai drew deeply upon her ken.

The normally hulking creature stood up straight for perhaps the first time in its life as the force of the combined strikes drove it back a step into the path of its companion. Loud clap of impact nearly drowned out by the crackling of cracking chitin.

Spidery cracks appeared to radiate outward from the smallish indent that had been the point of impact. The kirin never had a chance to recover as its companion eagerly moved to finish the weaker monster off. Huge mandibles closing about its brethren's throat, claws scrabbling on plate as the wounded kirin tried desperately to escape.

Ritsuko watched the struggle only briefly.....her eyes clear with horror. As the conflict steadily neared its inevitable conclusion, the samurai turned to look for her lost katana.

This could be her only chance.

 

[katalynn]

Lavastine was in horror when she caught sight of Zarl, he was so hurt and had lost his wings, both of them this time. To stunned from the vision before as she watched him take on golem, remembered how to kill it, but before she could say or do anything it looked like Zarl had taken some sort of control over. Perhaps using its power to heal him, she couldn't tell from here of exactly what he was doing.

Finally forced her gaze away just in time to see the wizard fall from Logans' horn, that as well shocked her. She didn't know what had happened, last thing she expected was for them to actually kill him. Figuring it was the best plan of action for the moment, she just hoped that he was truly dead and not just some illusiont. Those wizards were known for trickery such as illusions, it was something they would have to wait and see. And if he was truly dead, then we better burn the body so no one will wish to bring him back from the other world.

Thats when she barely heard the females' voice, it was faint and weak. It was the magic being used that caught Lavastines attention the most, her magic was useless against the golem, wasn't sure about these creatures. Perhaps it was time, and worth a try.

Positioning her hands in front of her once more and sent out a blazing ball of flames watching as it reached its intended target in back.

 

[Armphid]

Taren was rushing the kirin, ready to lash out when a brilliant fireball exploded into it, rocking the creature off it's clawed feet. "Whoa!" THe half-elven warrior slid to a halt as fire rained down upon it. He turned his head, leaf green eyes taking in Lavastine as she hurled bolts of fire down onto the monstrocity. Just as his magicked earth had, the magic fire seemed to hurt it where his blades could not.

He raised Overture in salute to the sorceress, "Thanks Lavastine, I owe you one!" "Keep it up, burn it into ash!"

Okay, two down. Where was Ritsuko? He'd heard her casting that spell. He vaulted away from the thrashing, burning kirin, running flat out toward the samurai's voice. "Gods!" He came to a halt, gazing in horror at the sight that met him. One of the kirin had turned on its partner, mandibles biting and sawing off chunks of flesh. The unharmed monster was almost gleefully tearing it's fellow apart, devouring as much as it could. He felt a bit of bile rise, but fought it back down.

He caught sight of Ritsuko, the samurai looking about for her weapon. Taren spied it, and leaped into motion again. He jumped upon a large discarded palte o f chitin, the force sending it sliding down the small hill, Taren atop it. "Ritsoku!" He lashed out with the whip, the alchmeically treated leather wrapping around her blade's hilt. Then he heaved it up into the air, toward the elven woman. "Your sword!"

With a fluidity of motion that was almost mesmerizing, she spun backward, snatching the magnificent sword out of the air, continuing her spin until she faced the remaining kirin. Taren found himself staring at her as he continued to rocket down the slope, awed at her grace. "Gods Above...how she moves...."

As the chitin plate went past Ritsuko, he hopped off. The two warriors moved forward, side-by-side. "This is the last one." His eyes were drawn to her wound and his eyes narrowed. "Okay, I'll run interference, and use the whip to crack up that armor." "When you get a clear shot, take it, okay?" "But make sure it's a killing blow, we may not get another chance." "I can use another spell...but I'll be weak as a kitten if I do, so that's more of a last resort."

 

[roleplaylifer]

Dark blue eyes scanned the battlefield ground in vain, her katana seemingly lost in the sheer volume of weapons that littered the once pristine ground.

"Ritsuko!"

She spun in alarm at Taren's yell, heart leaping into her throat. She doubted she could ever live down the shame should one of her new friends fall to this danger that she had obviously brought upon them. As her eyes met Taren's for just a fraction of a second, they caught the bright flash of something moving towards her.....fast.

A warning then.

"Your sword!"

Eyes widened slightly as she identified the missile hurling at her, stepping gracefully to one side. A slender hand darting forward at the last second to snag the hilt of the blade as it cartwheeled by.

Lucky. That was a reckless stunt. You could have lost your hand. Who are you trying to impress?

Vaguely disturbed by the obvious answer, the samurai spun smoothly toward her final opponent. The turn of her spin bringing her a flash of a burning, flailing kirin, its black armor smoky and ruined as it began a slow tumble towards the ground.

She smiled at the thought of the anger she had seen previously in Lavastine's eyes. It was good that the dark elf finally had a target with which to unleash that rage.

Silently her eyes closed once more in concentration as she brought her katana to bear before her, held straight out from her body in a traditional defensive stance as she waited for Taren to engage.

Her heart soared with adrenaline. For the first time, the fear she felt just moments prior began to fade, replaced by an aggressive desire to finish what her enemies had started.

Her chances of surviving this growing by the second.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Logan barely heard the sounds of battle as it raged about him. He stood almost frozen in space and time. He saw the life fade from the wizard's eyes, but the look on his face never changed from that ever knowing smirk.

He fought his own inner demons as his friends battled the Kirin, he knew he was needed and turned his head to find where he was most needed. He knew deep down that there may be little to nothing he could do against the beasts, but he turned and reared and headed for the area where Taren and Ritsuko faced the last of the beasts.

"Ritsuko, tell me how to help. I'll do what I can."

 

[The GrandMage]

Zarl of the Macrai-Itoche (Infused with the Darkness)

Void. It flowed through him. His spirit contained it. He absorbed a good deal of it. His body filled in. The flesh and wings were black adt first, a colorless darkness that sucked in light. And then, he was normal, full.

Black lightning arced between he hands, sucking away the light. He held them out, and grinned evilly to himself. A loud crack broke through the air. All light flashed away for a second as black lightning arced from his arms to the Kirin.

It slammed into them. The living let out screams as the Void met them. But they could not control it as Zarl could. They could only feel the pain as it blasted them from the world, killing them instantly.

Light seemed to flood back as the black arcs disappeared. Nothing was left of the Kirin. Their crystals had not had time to form, and their souls were destroyed as were their bodies. Zarl stood proud, his wings spread wide. He began slowly walking from where he had been towards the others. He ignored them for the most part, heading towards Logan.

His eyes were aflame with anger.

 

[Armphid]

Taren leaped forward, a ferocious smile on his lips. These were the moments he lived for! Never did he feel so alive as now, rushing to confront a powerful foe, dancing for life and death, for glory and honor. His heart sang all the more as he caught a glimpse of Ritsuko waiting and ready to follow up on his attacks. "Showing off for the girl?" "Gynan would say that's a good way to get killed." In his mind's eye, he saw that rare and delicate smile that had graced her face the night before. "I'd agree with him."

The crack of the whip split the air, a hairline break in the thick chitin appearing. The kirin reared back, letting out a high pitched shriek of outrage. The huge head darted forward, cavernous mouth agape, mandilbes gleaming with some wicked toxin. Taren danced back, and the mandiles bit into earth instead of his flesh. As the head passed, Overture cut through the air to slam into a ridge just above one bizarre eye. Not enough to hurt it, but he hoped it was annoying the great beast. The thing bellowed as the whip cracked again, and another fracture appeared. Kirin and half-elf spun and lashed out, feinted and dodged, tearing up the soft grass of the hills.

It was the torn up ground that betrayed Taren. He stepped into a hole that had not been there a moment before, loose dirt giving way and sending him onto his back. The kirin raised it's head, and Taren knew that this was the end of him. The smile was still on his face as barbed claws began to descend.

Then the stench of ozone filled his nose and there was a thunderclap as black lightning smashed intot he now shrielking kirin. Taren stared for a heartbeat, then rolled away, getting to his feet and racing back to Ritsuko's side. They warriors watched as the last beast was utterly destroyed by the unfettered Void magic, speechless before such absolute entropy.

As suddenly as it came, it was over. There was no body left. Taren looked at Zarl, now fully fleshed, his wings resplendent. "Zarl...Thank you." "Good to see you back with us." The monster swordsman said nothing, moving past the tall half-elf. Taren felt a bit slighted, and would have spoke but he noticed the red on Ritsuko's fine kimono.

"Ritsuko, are you all right?" In an instant, Overture was sheathed, the ship merely dropped to the ground. Taren frowned at the wound, calling back to the massive dragon. "Holy One!" "Eeve!" "We've got wounded down here!"

Turning back to the samurai, he smiled. "It doesn't look bad, I'm sure Eeve can heal it." His grin faded a bit, and he inclined his head to her. "You fight very well, samurai." "And with a courage I have never seen."

 

[roleplaylifer]

Ritsuko recoiled just in time. Her ken warning her at the last second about the massive bolt of Void energy closing in on them. She opened her mouth to shout a warning to Taren, just before the sky seemed to split open with black lightning that blasted her away from the last remaining kirin to land several feet away.

Rolling to her feet swiftly, she shook her head vigorously, not noticing the small sparks that rained from her short black hair. Trying desperately to clear the fog that had descended upon her, confusing even her ken sight.

When her vision finally cleared it was to gaze in shock at the twisted, blackened crater where the last of her opponents had stood. Unsteady feet shifted slightly to firm her position as she scanned the field for the wizard. He had to be dealt with now, she certainly had no desire to be struck by lightning for the second time in two days!

She vaguely remembered Logan's plea for directions in her mind, just before the massive energy bolt struck. Concerned, she turned to the unicorn, shocked to find his normally pristine brown coat soaked with blood, the crumpled corpse of the Void Mage at his feet and an angry Zarl bearing down on him.

It was then that the samurai pieced everything together. The black sparks of lightning playing about the Macrai-Itoche's clenched fist left little to the imagination as to just who had done in the last of the kirin.

She opened her mouth to say something, her words being temporarily drowned out.

"Ritsuko, are you all right?"

The elven warrioress merely nodded dumbly, not understanding what Logan could have done to have set Zarl into such a fury. She only hoped that the others saw the danger, and calmed him down in time.

She turned to face Taren then, meeting his concerned gaze with a tired smile of her own.

"Holy One! Eeve! We've got wounded down here!"

Ritsuko shook her head slightly, her smile turning much more sincere at his obvious worry for her well-being.

"You must be referring to the little clip I took earlier......it's only a nick....I'll be all right. Here....I'll show you."

Ritsuko lifted her right arm slightly....fingers seeking the slash in her new kimono, and the gently bleeding wound underneath the shimmering fabric. Though the injury still smarted a little, try as she might, the samurai could not find the injury to her battle robe.

"Huh? I can't seem to find it."

Double and triple checking, the entire side of her kimono seemed completely uninjured. The more she checked for the damage she knew had to be there, the more Ritsuko aggravated her new injury, until she finally gave up to grimace in consternation, shrugging apologetically to Taren.

As she turned to face him, his warm compliments rang in her ears. Almost instinctively, her chin raised to accept them with pride. But that lasted only a fleeting moment, before she lowered her eyes once more in well taught humility.

"I know I got hit, the monster's claw clipped me as I positioned myself for my Trance. No amount of seeking seems to bring to view the damage done to my kimono."

Her raven locks swished slightly in the morning breeze as she shook her head confused. Stooping slightly...she wiped her blade clean on a scorched rag she cut deftly from the charred corpse of a ninja. Sheathing the blade with a sureness that bespoke of her own regained confidence, Ritsuko began to make haste back to their encampment, hoping Taren followed suit. If she were correct, someone just might have to intercede on Logan's behalf.

She would have to return Taren's compliments later....when she was more confident that all of her new friends were safe....even if it was from themselves.....

 

[NyghtRayne]

Logan felt more than seen or heard Zarl's approach. He turned and faced him, noticing the anger in his gaze. The look there in Zarl's eyes made Logan take a step back, unsure what Zarl was about to do.

 

[Sky Jade]

The dragon rumbled her approval as the rest of the group quickly dispatched the Kirin. She would have helped, but they did it all good and neatly. As Taren called for her to help with wounds, she roared in response and flew down to land near them before transforming back to her human form.

She giggled as Ritsuko said she would be alright.

"You still might want to let me look at your wound sweetie. It could be more than a simple cut. We don't want you to die on us."

She followed after Ritsuko, looking at Taren with a smile.

"Are you hurt anywhere Taren?"

 

[Armphid]

Taren patted himself down. A few hurts responded to his touch with jolts of pain. "Mostly just my pride,Holy O...er.. Evee...though there are some scrapes and bruises, nothing too serious." He smiled ruefully, "I just can't believe I let myself get tripped up like that."

Taren fell in behind the priestess, if she thought he needed healing, she'd handle it. As much as he was jealous of Evee, a foolish emotion, he chided himself, he trusted her and her power. 'You know, Ritsuko...you found that kimono in a wizard's tower...there's probably magic in it." "Maybe it mended itself?"

It was then that he noticed Zarl's furious approach toward the unicorn. Taren had grown up isolated in an elven forest city, then wandering the world with a grumpy old man. Social situations were not hie forte, but even the rugged half-elf could see trouble brewing. "Uh, guys?" "Zarl, what's wrong?" "The battle's over, we won...you can calm down now...we don't need the battle rage."