Fantasy ~ FableWood ~

[SilverFlight]

Kallin was knocked flat by Malachai's approach, when he looked up Elena was forcing the piper back and another wolf had caught sight of him.


"You want to watch who you're stepping on dragon?!" He yelled as he dodged the wolf's fangs and brought his staff down upon its head. Then he moved quickly, while the piper was occupied with Elena's attacks he dove in, grabbing for that ruddy flute. He didn't see Achyls fire her spell, and was now with the piper directly in the way.


Ward swiftly broke the neck of the dragon he had in his jaws, thanking Malachai for the save with a pained nod as he rose to his feet. He favoured one forelimb and his side was ripped and bloody, but he was alive.


@Draki

 

[TheDayDreamer]

Thea watched in horror as the man put a blade on the arrow then knocked it into place,"Plug your ears." she whispered so only she could hear it, maybe it was instict or she knew what she was doing either way she sang in a strangely high pitch that was irritating to the ear, then it got higher and higher so high that that the sound slowed the arrow and anyone near without there ears plugged would be in pain at the moment. The siren sang higher, then thought for a second an idea popping into mind.


The brunette sang higher then once the arrow was moving at a slower pace she reached out to grab it, but missed, she felt so guilty when it hit her but then she noticed that it didn't look fatal, just painful. The blade struck but it didn't go far in probably stopped by bone. With that she ran over to the water carefully pulling the kelpie free, then she cocked her head, "You monster!"

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy looked over to the siren, her eyes confused and hurt, the hope and joy slowly leaking out of them with her tears. She was right, something wasnt right here. How had she gotten here? The cave.. Alexander.. the music.. Quincy's face fell, suddenly knowing it was an illusion and feeling utterly stupid, she felt a slight tug at her back and realized Lorence or whoever it was had a hold of her bow. She spun, anger and pain written across her features. "How dare you.." She uttered, glaring fiercely as the shadow figure twirled his blade and spoke. She couldnt say anything more, staring down the figure, she was too overwhelmed with emotion. At the sound of his question, she shook her head slowly, unsure if she was defying him or giving up.


The kelpie watched passively as he aimed the arrow, knowing this was her end. As the red eyes narrowed and his fingers slipped off the string, an image flashed through Quincy's mind: Alexander laughing. The sound of it filled her mind, and at the last second, almost as if it was a final instinct, she ducked to the side. It was too late to avoid the arrow- it embedded itself deeply into her flesh. But it missed her heart, landing instead just above her collarbone. She gasped in pain and fell beside the pool, realizing at once that the tip carried a dark poison. She was sure now that she would never see her dragon again. Her mind reached for his, desperately, saying, Goodbye, my love.


@Draki (and @Draki's post before I posted and I have to get to work!)

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls did not see Kallin diving in the line of the shot, her eyes were fixed on the rest of the battlefield. Her figure was strong, still, with wings spread out against the night. She brought her hands to her chest, forging a ball of dark energy from her fingertips. The building of battle was making her giddy, and she felt a desire to wreak her own kind of havoc. With a dark smile, she fired the magic at a clear patch, but the blast zone was much wider than the point of impact. A grin spread across her lips as the destructive light exploded against the field, taking out anyone in her way, though not in the sense of killing or maiming, purely incapacitate. As destruction ensued, she leaned back in the air, her smile denoting an impish attitude.

 

[SilverFlight]

((@Flutterby Its ok, I've asked Draki to tweak her post to have it fit.))


Kallin saw the blast hurtling towards them. He cursed, dropping like a stone and using the momentum to pull the piper in front of him. With the little magic he had he tapped into the enchanted flute, opened its channels, then he snatched it from the piper's grasp and hurled it at Achyls' bolt.


The spell and the instrument collided in mid air, the flute sucking up the energy like a sponge, it grew white-hot, unable to accommodate that much power. Kallin ducked as the flute exploded, and a frantic cry from the piper echoed through the forest.


"My flute! My beautiful flute! What have you done!?"


Powerless now, Kallin easily restrained the piper, turning him to Elena's sword point. Up close he was spindly, unkempt man with a permanent frown and a balding head.


"Try anything, and I let this human run you through. Now tell us where the other eggs are!" He shook the man roughly.


@Bea Delaine @SkywardSocks


Ward tackled one of the last dark dragons remaining, watching as the others dispatched the wolves. Nyr had taken down a good chunk of them from the beginning. Once again the enemy had underestimated their power.


"It seems you are out of tricks piper." Ward said coolly.


Leia called Lee and the earth spirit to her to stand threateningly at her side.


Suddenly, out of the blue Tad appeared, squeaking frantically. He pushed the image of Quincy and the stranger into her mind and she gasped.


"Quincy's in trouble!"


@Hel

 

[Hel]

Alexander had heard Quincy reach for his mind just before the spirit arrived. Having taken down the dragon he was fighting- not killing, mind you- he turned and took off towards where the spirit had come from with every ounce of speed he could gather.


Quincy! I'm coming, my love! HE thought to her. Moments later his feet landed at the edge of the clearing around the lake.


Mistaking her for an enemy, Alexander ran at the Siren, hoping she would simply scare off, after a strong, threatening roar he turned back to the Kelpie, and nuzzled her, trying to find the problem and what was ailing her. He saw the blade-arrow, and was thankful it had not struck her heart.


Anya had done little towards the end of the fight- or at all, honestly. The Piper reminded her of one of her uncles, and she wondered if he was as vulgar. She almost hoped he didn't answer, and Elena was permitted to skewer him, but knew that would be ultimatly undesirable.

 

[Lioness075]

(Just going to skip ahead to the end of my own fight so I can catch up with y'all)


Luness managed to tackle the wolf to the ground and just like the one before, she swiftly bit down hard on his neck, holding him still while he struggled.


When the wolf finally stopped struggling, Luness let go of him and then limped to the side before assessing herself.


Seeing her back, left paw still bleeding from the bite wound, Luness let out an annoyed growl and then limped over to the group forming around the piper, who had been stopped finally.


Snarling at the piper, Luness arched her back as well while waiting to hear what his answer would be to whatever Kallin had asked him, as she had joined them a bit late and wasn't sure what had been demanded, though it probably had something to do with the dragon eggs and hatchlings.

 

[Bea Delaine]

"Don't test me.. I actually enjoy seeing people like you bleed out. And either way you die.. But the more you screw around.. The longer I'm going to extend the fun I'm going to have with you.."


Elena smiled at the man, touching the tip of the sword to his chest and digging it in enough to shallowly cut, but not severely damage. She looked to Tad who bore bad news about their friend. Elena tilted her head to the side getting closer to the piper.


"How do we help our friend? And if you give me a a wrong answer I'm breaking something." Her legs felt like jello now. She hadn't seen the damage but she knew it would prohibit her from chasing anyone around.. Meaning she had no more tolerance for any possible trickery.

 

[TheDayDreamer]

Thea jumped back at a roar, turning then seeing a dragon, "I'm not the enemy! He is!" she yelled at the dragon then pointed at 'Lorence'. Then she ran back over to the girl and the dragon checking her over and ignoring the creature behind her then looked the Kelpie over. She was hit just on the collarbone but Thea wasn't exactly sure what to do so she looked over her shoulder to the dragon not at all fazed by the creatures size wondering if he knew what to do.

 

[Flutterby]

Quincy could feel the fire of the poison beginning to seep into her. It was hell, a slow and suffocating one. The siren bent to look at her, and Quincy tried to voice her thanks, but all that came out was a pained gasp. She couldnt communicate mentally with the girl, and her voice appeared to have left her, so she was at a loss of what to do. She could just barely feel Alexander's presence in her mind, and a part of her wanted to search for him, but more than anything, she wished to get up and destroy to evil creature that had tricked her.


Suddenly, there was a thud and a roar, and Alexander appeared above her. Her breath was coming in short, sharp gasps, but her face still managed a smile at the sight of him. With shaking hands, Quincy reached up to touch his scales gingerly. How could she have been so stupid as to allow "Lorence" to tempt her, when she had him?


It burns.. Get it out.. Help me! She thought to him desperately, squirming uncomfortably. Then, more to herself than to him, Is this what it feels like to be burned by dragon fire?

 

[DawnAntalios]

Nyr smiled as she saw the combined attack of her allies destroying the flue, leaving the piper defenseless and at their mercy. As much as she wanted to enact vengeance upon the abominable man she knew that the information he holds might be very valuable, thus decided against it. Now that the babies were safe from this evildoer she sighed deeply.


Her relief was short lived though as she now gazed at the piper down on the ground. Her hatred intensified as dark thoughts filled her mind how to pry information from the man. She then remembered something: the ball of light energy which she once created for healing might had other effects when used on people with full of darkness... purification more specifically.


" Luness! " she exclaimed with both excitement and curiosity " Do you happen to have that concentrated ball of light still? I know not if it works against sorcery like this but... we have to try. "


She looked back at the defenseless man on the ground. She felt no pity towards him, only anger.


@Lioness075

 

[SilverFlight]

The Right Hand of Caraboss stood over the kelpie's poisoned form and laughed.


"You don't have much time dragon. I'm afraid you'll need a little more than love to banish this poison."


He held out both hands, pulling deep into the chaos magic at his command and vanished, his laughter echoing behind him.


@Draki


The piper whimpered in Kallin's grasp, clearly terrified of the human girl. Kallin raised an eyebrow at Elena's violent threats. She sounded dangerously like someone he could think of, but for now, they needed answers.


"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Kallin slammed the hapless man against the rock wall.


"Wrong answer!" he yelled.


"Ah! The kelpie! I can't help you, I don't know what he was planning! He just told me to send her someplace!"


Kallin frowned. "And the eggs! This isn't all of them, who are you working with?!"


There was a small whimper. Kallin looked at Elena, a little more posturing would probably have him singing like a bird.


Ward limped up to them, watching the scene carefully but making no move to intervene.


@Bea Delaine

 

[SkywardSocks]

Achyls caught sight of the situation only as Quincy was already surrounded by the others. It was only at that moment that the 'joy' of battle was replaced with a much less desirable emotion. The sheer sight of the poisoned kelpie sent a hideous fright through her blood and as a result she recoiled, disappearing into the night. Speedily, as if they had their own thought, her wings took her back to the lake not far from the others, setting her down a few paces from the rippling pool. She sat with her knees close to her chest, deep in thought. She tried to extinguish the flames of memories that boiled her mind, like the closing of her eyes unleashed some kind of protector in her brain...it didn't work like that.


She knew she would have time to keep to herself while the others would do all they could to save Quincy. Her heart lurched at the thought of a companion's death. One near death experience was enough, and there was nothing she could bring herself to do to help. She was no healer, all she had was that strange black magic. But with the fuss from the others, it was unlikely she would be able to do anything worthwhile. Instead, she took the cowards route, leaving the battle she had scarcely been a part of for her own petty needs. She scolded herself with spiteful words, fists clenched, until her mind closed over, and she soon sat staring at the cliff face opposite her.

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elenas eyes and smile brightened as the Piper was reluctant. She placed cold and lithe hand on his shoulder as he was thrown into a wall. She shook her head slowly and tsked. She then leaned in after Kallin seemed to get one almost useful thing out of the man. He was pretty good at aggression it seemed. Se took her sword and it shrunk down into a long dagger for better control. Then she took the weapon and broughtit up to the pipers face, taking a hand to his forehead and pushing it forcefully into into the rock without knocking him out. The rock wove around his arms and pulled them into the stone like handcuffs, then the ankles. She slowly carved into his cheek and down to tease his neck.


"I told you.." She said in a light tone, with a smile.


"I enjoy this.. so lets try again? Where are the eggs?"


She took the dagger and then buried it into his upper arm.

 

[Lioness075]

Surprised by Nyr's sudden exclamation towards her, Luness jolted slightly before relaxing and regarding Nyr carefully.


Upon hearing the mention of a ball of light, Luness furrowed her brows and cocked her head at Nyr before asking her, "What ball do you speak of, Nyr?"


As she had never been conscious at the time of Nyr presenting the ball of light to whoever was present in the arena, moments after Luness had been recovered from under the jabberwocky's body, she had no recollection of such an object. As it would seem, whoever had retrieved it at the time, had misplaced it or perhaps even kept it to themselves.


Limping around Nyr to see the piper, Luness was rather surprised to see how dark Elena was becoming with this interrogation of hers. While the torture itself wasn't anything new or uncomfortable for Luness, she was surprised to see Elena taking matters into her own hands and even inflicting injuries upon the piper in such a manner.


Luness had certainly not expected such dark actions or emotions of elena's to surface in such a manner. She could only wonder how Ward was taking everything since he was watching nearby as well.


@DawnAntalios

 

[SilverFlight]

"That's enough Elena!" Ward tried to limp forward.


Suddenly the piper screamed. "A portal! There's a portal nearby! I'm working for Rumpelstiltskin!"


There was a shock hanging in the silence. Kallin let the man drop to the floor, turning his back on him.


"If its here, I'll find it." He stated, leaving the piper in Elena's care.


Slowly, rain began to trickle from the heavens, coming down stronger until it hissed all around them. Ward did not move, he could only look at Elena, pain and worry plaguing his feathered face, and one more emotion. Just a hint of fear.


@Bea Delaine @andujarprime


Leia pulled her coat more tightly around her as the rain came down heavier. She summoned Lee and bade her fetch the adult dragons to rescue the eggs and babies they had found. After that she settled down in the darkness and waited for Kallin to find what they were looking for.


"I'm worried about Quincy." She stated as Luness approached, Nyr was also in earshot.


"The others will handle that," Kallin said, not looking up from his search. His staff tip glowed faintly, but it was hard in his current state. He was more than a little frustrated.


@Lioness075 @DawnAntalios

 

[Lioness075]

Upon feeling the rain soaking her fur, Luness couldn't stop a small whimper from escaping upon feeling the rain water stinging the bite wound on her back, left paw.


Biting her tongue to try and avoid whimpering again, Luness remained silent when Leia mentioned being worried about Quincy. Not that she didn't also feel concern, but she was struggling to keep herself from whimpering in pain again.


While balancing on her three good legs to avoid feeling more pain from her injured paw, Luness wondered what to do right now.


She wasn't entirely sure who Rumpelstiltskin was so she wasn't feeling like much help in the moment. Nor could she locate the portal. In fact, now her ability to smell anything for tracking purposes would be useless with the fresh rain cover.


Sighing, Luness stopped biting her tongue, as the rain soon was no longer stinging her cut so much as it was just a dull throb now.


Glancing over at Kallin, Luness was having a hard time seeing him since the rain was falling so heavily. Limping nearer to him so that she could make out his face, Luness halted within a few feet of him and then was able to see the frustration in his facial expression and mostly in his eyes.


Unsure how magic even worked, Luness felt that she'd have no advice for Kallin so she continued to remain silent in the moment.


@SilverFlight

 

[DawnAntalios]

Satisfied that Elena's methods made the coward speak Nyr nodded and walked with the others to find the eggs. She walked near Leia and pat her on her shoulder comfortingly.


" He is right, we must have faith in our allies. " she said as she followed the group " If the situation becomes much more dire then we will be able to hurry to them. "


With that she raised her gigantic white wings, serving as an umbrella to protect the others from the rain. As they walked forward she was just thinking about the information they were able to pry from the piper. His scream sounded to be real but she still could not breathe safely.


" I am sure you all know this as well but... it is very likely that the portal the piper mentioned is a trap. Maybe they transport the eggs and the hatchlings but I am certain that they have something or someone to guard their treasure. We better ready ourselves. " she turned to Kallin once more " I will open my mind if you wish, you will be able to tap into my power should we require to fight. "


She knew her warning was well known by the others... still she thought to be just sure about this.


@SilverFlight @Lioness075

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena heard Wards voice and the froze. She dropped the dagger and felt her shoulders tense. Everyone seemed satisfied with her method and the result, except he sounded.. Well, she couldn't figure it out. She wanted to explain so badly. Say why she needed to turn off the empathy, but she also wanted to keep it turned off. Not feel. Save the flashbacks for a less urgent time. So she chose the latter.


She knocked the back of the pipers head against the rock no softer or harder than knocking him out so he couldn't try anything. She was about to follow them, trying to avoid Wards expression, but her legs gave out. The burnt skin barely tingling anymore. The rain hit her shoulders and head. She made the mistake of looking at Ward. Fear. The first thing she noticed. Her giddy and sadistic smile was long gone, but not replaced by anything.


"Go.. Help the others." She said, a tinge of shame in her voice but nothing more.

 

[Flutterby]

As the Right Hand disappeared, Quincy cried out in protest, his laughter inciting fury even through her pain. She wanted to kill him slowly, make him feel every inch of his life ebbing away. The kelpie still had tears coursing down her cheeks. They were tears of pain, of anger, of humiliation. She had wanted to make him feel that, or in the very least, watch Alexander tear the being into pieces.


Rain began to fall on her skin, cool and soothing. It helped calm her, and she stop squirming so violently. But her breath still came in ragged, shaking gasps. There wasnt much room in her mind for anything but the pain, but with the room left in her conscious mind, she was enjoying the rain, vividly feeling every drop as they hit her skin. And then, in a meek, childlike request, her mind whispered, hold me..


@Draki @anyone else by Quincy

 

[TheDayDreamer]

Thea looked at the arrow's blade, there was an all to familiar smell, "Is that belladonna?" she wondered allowed, reaching her hand out and running her finger along the blade, Belladonna was poison she knew all well because one time, due to some very unfortunate maids work, which wasn't maids work at all really. She smelled it, sweet like honey, just as she remembered. The brunette wiped her finger on the ground then stood up, "It's belladonna she has around 1 day, if she's lucky. The poison burns at first then gradually removes her senses and ability to move an then... she's gone. I know the cure but you guys wont like were we'd have to go to get it." she said, and she knew they'd hate it, no one ever likes entering Shadow Wood especially the few that came out of the area the cure grew in.

 

[SilverFlight]

Kallin, nodded to Nyr, grateful for the offer. He hated being this useless.


Ward stood where he was for a moment longer, before he shrank back into his human form, wincing as his injuries shifted and sent daggers of pain through his body.


He knelt beside her, one arm hanging limply at his side. He summoned his healing magic and began repairing her flesh.


"You first." He said quietly, soothing her burns and mending the gashes in her skin.


Blood began soaking into his shirt and through his coat, which was ripped in the places he had been clawed and bitten.


"They aren't that deep." he said, in case she started to worry.


When her wounds looked better, and promised not to be too painful anymore he got up, moving to Luness and offering to mend her wounds too.


He wanted to do anything but think about what had just happened, though he knew that was foolish.


"I've got something." Kallin was at the back of the cave, beyond the eggs and sleeping hatchlings. Once Luness had been tended Ward moved to the cave's entrance, peering in. Leia entered the cave, going to stand just behind the mage. She strained her eyes in the darkness and suddenly she saw it. Under the dim light of Kallin's staff she saw a tiny crack appear in thin air.


"Its a portal seam. They appear when someone sets up a magical portal and closes it temporarily. If we can get this open, it should lead us to Rumple." Kallin shivered at the name.


"The imp is cunning, and devious...and very powerful. We need to be careful. I'm starting to think this may well be a trap." He remembered someone had mentioned it earlier.


"We should heal as much as we can before going through...that is, if we can even get the blighted thing open."


((last post for tonight. Sorry @Flutterby I expected Hel and Andu to be more active before now...my hands are tied..))

 

[Flutterby]

((@SilverFlight Its all good! They'll probably show up later, they usually do.))

 

[Bea Delaine]

Elena flinched and tried to scoot away when Ward dropped to her level to heal her. Her hardened expression morphed as her eyes widened a bit.


"St..stop don't touch it.. The airship, I told you I don't want you helping me."


She tried to sound angry, and Ward tried to promise his wounds weren't so bad she knew it was a lie. He tried to ignore what happened. There was nothing she could do about it though. She wanted to die, or to stop feeling all together, so instead of sticking around, the moment she was healed she followed the others, jogging without looking back.

 

[Lioness075]

When Ward came to her side and offered to heal her, Luness bit back her tongue, deciding against saying no to his healing. It would be childish to push him away, considering her injured paw was practically useless as it were.


Upon being healed, Luness tentatively tested her paw, satisfied that it was back in working order and then stood up on her two hind legs.


Walking past Ward and into the cave, Luness' eyes had no trouble seeing everything clearly. At this point, she had shifted out of her Alpha state and so her eyes glowed golden in the cave.


Joining Kallin's side, Luness saw the crack in the air that he was referring to.


Listening to what Kallin had to say about everything, Luness instantly felt a bit uneasy at the mention of how Rumpelstiltskin, or Rumpel as Kallin referred to him as, acted.


While Luness had no clear idea who Rumpel was, she could tell that he'd probably be an annoying person to deal with in the end.


@SilverFlight