ENDLESS JOURNEYS (O/A)

[BeaMichelle]

Keleth didn't need to be told twice. She tightened her grip, grinned with determination, and burst forward in a cloud of dust.

She had watched Leo chip off the scale. She had initially considered flipped her hammer over to drive the spiked end into the gap, but thought better of it. Leo had said to hit it, not to drive her hammer into it. She trusted her elder to do what would be needed.

She enough he followed through, and so would she. She cried out with gusto and drove the bell end of her hammer onto the tip of the spear as hard as she could.  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity watched as the battle ensued and took note how Keleth waited until she had the opportunity to strike. While doing so she was rubbing her neck, missing the choker, it wasn't just a trinket given to her by Lord Saturn it was also blessed by the gods to prevent her from transforming to the goddess within. Although that was not all the choker was capable of, it was this reason she needed to stop using holy and focused on other magics. She knew she needed to get it back in order to defeat the Necromancer and save the world. So strange that the world is dependent on such a small thing and that it depended on her of all people. Of all the people in the world, why me? she wondered, why not someone who was, more experienced, more intuned with magic rather than granting this to a captain of the guard of a fallen lord.

She snapped out of her train of thought when she heard Keleth land her hammer directly on the spear. She stopped rubbing her neck and folded her arms.  

[Nova Blancke]

The first spear fell to the ground. But he had accounted for that to happen. But it had served its purpose. His second spear hit the target before she did. It burried itself into the beast but not deep. But deep enough to be properly stuck. A Dragon-kin's strength is not to be trifled with.

Before the Earth Diver could react Keleth's hammer hit the end of the spear. With all that force focused on the end of the spear..... there was only one way it could go. Deeper into the Earth Diver. It dug in deep. Only a quarter of the spear was still sticking out but it was enough.

The Earth Diver trashed and roared in pain. It had pierced vital several organs. It's movements quickly becoming dull and slow. It wobbled on it's feet, trying to maintain balance but failed. It's legs gave out. It tried to lift it's head one more time but that too failed. The light in its eyes faded, becoming dull and it breathed out it's last breath.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Alec looked on dumbfounded by the coordination of the hunters.
It reminded him of home but with tools instead of tooth and claw. What amazed him was that Keleth seemed to pick up on what needed to be done with little being said to her. It was amazing.

When it was finally over, he was overjoyed for their new companion. He couldn't contain himself. He leaped up in the air and pumped his fist once triumphantly into the air while exclaiming, "Yes!!! You did it Keleth!"  

[BeaMichelle]

Keleth grunted and withdrew her hammer. She took two steps back and watched as the earth diver passed on. It was that time that her smile had faded. Like the other dragon-kin she respected the power of the earth diver. She understood that it had lost it's life so that her brothers and sisters could eat and live for another die. For that she wasn't joyful, she was thankful.

She was snapped out of her pensive daze by Alec's cheer. Her bright smile returned, and she laughed in appreciation. No one had ever given her such praise. She didn't know what else to do besides laugh.  

[Nova Blancke]

Leo's companions held on until it died. They knew letting go before that could still result in some serious injury. But when it did die they didn't seem as joyful as you'd think. Both dipped their index and middle finger into the wound. With their fingers coated with blood they pressed those fingers onto their foreheads and made a clear line down until the tip of their nose. A ritual their kind did to honor their strong fallen prey.

As they were doing that Leo had walked up to them to do the same. Then motioned Keleth over so that he could do the same to her. Only he altered the line. When they reached the bridge of her nose his fingers split and drew the lines diagonally. He stopped a little above the corner of her mouth.

"I have the honor of marking you with its blood. These markings indicate your first Earth Diver kill. You have taken it's life and provided us with meat and materials. Well done young hunter." Leo spoke as he marked her with it's blood.  

[BeaMichelle]

Nova Blancke

"I have the honor of marking you with its blood. These markings indicate your first Earth Diver kill. You have taken it's life and provided us with meat and materials. Well done young hunter." Leo spoke as he marked her with it's blood.

Keleth tempered her smile as the ceremony went underway. It was a proud but sincere smile.

She bowed and said, "My deepest thanks, brother, for allowing me to accompany you and yours. My hammer will always be at the ready for our Dragon-kin."  

[Nova Blancke]

"I'm proud of you, sister." Leo responded. He looked around and picked up the scale that had been broken off before giving it to Keleth.

"Here, a little something to remember this by. I'm sure your father will have to believe you now."  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity watched as Kaleth made the final blow. She too noted that she didn't need much verbally to know what to do. Something she hopped that training with her they will be able to do the same. Once the final blow was struck they waited until they were certain it was dead. Then they paid respects and proceeded to do their ritual of placing blood of their prey on their fourheads.

She heard Alec cheer. Trinity followed by saying, "Well done Kaleth!" Then she too had blood smeared on her head. She felt undeserving in sharing in such a ritual. That she had not done enough. Though she didn't want to cause a fuss or start a fight against the dragon-kin for refusing to participate.

She looked to Alec and beckoned him to follow her as she was heading toward where Kerana was. She was protected underneath a shadow shield as the battle commenced. "Alec, I know this may go without saying… it looks as though your duty to protect her has become much more difficult. This isn't the Kerana I come to know through out this quest. It seems so sudden that she has become fearless, reckless and no regard to consiquence. You can see why we may have to go our separate ways right? Her behavior may put us all at risk. I don't wish to come to that but I will if I have to. Though I must admit, due to the timing of it all something magical may be afoot. Do you have any idea what happened to her? What may have driven her this way? Nova and I are willing to help but we need to know what is causing this in order to help resolve. Do you think you will be up for such a task?"

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Rikki Tikki Travi

BeaMichelle

 

[BeaMichelle]

Nova Blancke

"I'm proud of you, sister." Leo responded. He looked around and picked up the scale that had been broken off before giving it to Keleth.

"Here, a little something to remember this by. I'm sure your father will have to believe you now."

Keleth took the scale in her hand and clasped it. When Leo mentioned her father she looked up at him with shock. "wha." she stammered.

She heard Trinity cheer for her off to the side, and normally she would be crazy excited. However, what Leo said had her full attention.

"How do you know about that? I've never said anything to anyone about that, and he never talks about me because he's ashamed."  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

PixelMuse

"Alec, I know this may go without saying… it looks as though your duty to protect her has become much more difficult. This isn't the Kerana I come to know through out this quest. It seems so sudden that she has become fearless, reckless and no regard to consiquence. You can see why we may have to go our separate ways right? Her behavior may put us all at risk. I don't wish to come to that but I will if I have to. Though I must admit, due to the timing of it all something magical may be afoot. Do you have any idea what happened to her? What may have driven her this way? Nova and I are willing to help but we need to know what is causing this in order to help resolve. Do you think you will be up for such a task?"

Alec's jubilation quickly disipated as Kerana was brought up. Would they really have to leave the group?

"I don't know what came over her, but you're right about how strange the timing of it is. I'll do whatever it takes to bring my Kerana back to us."  

[PixelMuse]

Trinity nodded and she waved her hand revealing the fox girl. She uttered the encantation to release her from the sleeping spell she cast. The fox girl opened her eyes and sat up.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Alec kneeled beside Kerana and took her hands in his. He looked lovingly into her eyes and hoped the earlier insanity was at it's end. Just incase, he thought it best to hide Trinity's involvement im her incapacitation.

"Kerana, thank goodness you're awake. The earth diver made a terrible noise and you fell unconscious from the stress. How do you feel?"  

[PixelMuse]

She yawned and stretched feeling well rested. Kerana tried to remember what happened before this nap. What Alec suggested, didn't sound right. She felt like she was in the middle of something important. It was a discussion about their future, a heated one at that. But then what happened? She fell asleep? That wasn't like her it must have been… "A sleep spell Alec!? Really?" she shot up and asked.


Before Alec could defend himself Trinity spoke. "That was me. You were putting him and the rest of the group at risk."


"There's never really a good time to discuss things is there. Always our lives are on the line!" She looked to Alec and said, "Which is exactly what I was talking about before Trinity cast snooze on me…"


At that moment Trinity backed away and decided to check on Kaleth.


"We only have one life to live Alec and I rather it be with you and not have some old geezers tell us otherwise! Don't-don't you feel the same?"
 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Alec stood up and insisted, "Of course I do. But we should be careful until we've had a chance to speak to our parents. If things are as bad as my wolf spirit says, then our people are on the brink of war."

"Kerana, I've loved you since the day I was made your guardian, but we have to think beyond us. Or do you want our parents to try and kill each other?"