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Vilya nodded at Sai's comment, looking pleased.
The man stared at the small party in amazement. "You'd do that? You would fight this monster?" A small flicker of hope returned to his sad eyes.
Vilya stepped in. "You'd just need to tell us all you can about it. We'll come up with something."


Tura nodded in reply, but she seemed uneasy.


"Show us to the inn and gather those who can tell us about this thing." Vilya said, "We'll help if we can."

Tura flicked an ear, then leapt skyward in a cloud of sand to join Stratus above the bay.
She caught sight of the shadowy figure below the waves as she let the updrafts carry her to the dragon's left side.
She hissed as she said it, laying her ears back flat against her head.

Tura sent a mental image of what she say back to her companion before turning away towards an open valley that looked promising for a good hunt.

((Oki,))

Vilya bowed her head in respect and watched behind Sai as the council did not look impressed.
"They are very young." The woman called Catrine said.
"I would not be so quick to name our problem 'little'," The baron Raymond added, "In fact, it may be growing larger."
The harbormaster said nothing, just grunted in their direction as he looked them up and down.
Vilya swallowed her irritation, but stepped forward and spoke quietly but firmly.
"Young we may be, but we are also mages, and capable fighters, we have fought against powerful sages and we know how to go about battles, whatever the conditions. We are offering you our help..." she shrugged casually. "But if you'd rather we didn't try..."
At this point the Mayor's eyes softened and she stood.
"Forgive our rudeness, we have been...under a great deal of pressure, Zakarius, can you fetch chairs for our guests, they should be included in this meeting," she turned back to Vilya once chairs had been set down for them. "We would be glad of your help."

Tura sailed through the warm air currents happily, now and again letting her hind feet dangle in the wind. The freedom was exhilarating.
In the distance she spotted a small boar skirting the edge of the forest, that would do.
The good thing about being a rare species she mused was that the prey animals were not used to contending with a gryphon's predatory strategies. Tura glided lower, circling around to hide her shadow from the beast.
It was completely oblivious as she dove, folding her wings silently and falling out of the sky.
the wind buffeted her body, but most slid off her smooth feathers and streamline shape. Faster and faster, her inner eyelids closed, protecting them from drying out but still allowing her to see.
At the last moment the boar saw her but it was too late.
Tura's talons closed about the animal's spine and she hurled it to the ground, landing with just the right amount of pressure to keep it pinned.
The boar squealed and kicked uselessly and Tura looked down, fighting the urge to tear its throat. With a sigh she brought up the energy for a spell and cast it about the animal. Immediately it stopped struggling and slowly it closed its eyes. A quick painless death, by magic.
Tura snorted as she pulled her talons from the boar's body, disgusted with herself. What sort of hunter was she, that she pitied her prey?
she growled, suddenly the animal did not look so appetizing anymore.

Vilya took in all that had been said. The creature they were pretty sure was a kraken, a giant squid-like monster capable of cracking the hulls of battle galleons once it was fully grown.
They guessed it was a young one and looking for a territory to call its own, pushed out of deeper waters by the others of its kind.
"That's pretty hard to contend with." Vilya thought out loud, "In order to get it to leave we'll have to be more frightening than whatever drove it here in the first place."
"Leave?" Walther sounded a little unsure, "You mean you'll try and drive it off? not kill it?"
"I want to avoid killing it if possible." Vilya admitted, "Now, lets see if we can piece together some strategies..."

Vilya contemplated this, it seemed quite possible. Gently she tugged on the connection to Tura and the gryphon responded by amplifying it with magic.
Vilya related the Baron's plan.
Tura said immediately.

Tura snorted, though Vilya had brought up an excellent point.
sensible?> she complained.
have the power to give him. It will have to come from you.>




"Either way we need to beat it." Vilya said finally. "What difference does it make to us if it is bound rather than driven off?" She stood, giving a small nod. "I think the best thing we can promise is that we'll try. If the creature decides to flee it has the entire ocean and it's unfathomable depths, we'll never catch it."

"There is the matter of strategies to fight it." The mayor spoke quietly. "I wish we knew more about it."

"I may have an idea, we know it attacks ships, its probably looking for food."

"Most of our vessels are fishing ships, and yes, in the beginning they were attacked coming in to port, not going out."

"But the kraken has learned that food is on those ships, so it might go for any vessel out in open water...we can set a trap for it."

Suddenly Walther spoke up. "Buoyancy powder!"
The council looked at him strangely.
"I was thinking about how to prevent the creature from diving out of reach. We use buoyancy powder on our ships' hulls to keep them afloat in sever weather. Its a magically infused powder, quite harmless if ingested, but anything that contains it will not be able to submerge. We have a surplus of it in the dry-dock storehouses."

Vilya smiled, "You might be onto something there."
She stood and made for the stairs. "I'm going to turn in early, sleep on this. We can meet tomorrow morning and refine what we've thought up."
She gave a polite nod to all in the room and disappeared to the top floor.

((and I'm afraid that's that until I come back August 1st, thought if I do find an internet connection I shall post. Wish me luck in Madagascar!))

((I miss you guys heart ))

((Alright, It's been a hell of a long time since any of us have done anything here. So I think we should start off somewhat fresh. We'll pick up the morning after our team met with the village council. So Vilya got her own room, Kin and Sai ended up having to share a room. Go.))

Stratus awoke to the predawn light as it reached him where he slept atop the inn. He blinked a couple of times to clear his eyes and rose. He stretched out his long body and his wide wings, limbering himself up for the coming day.
Stratus thought into his partners mind.
Down in his room Sai awoke to his mental 'summons'. Ironically, he performed almost the same actions as his companion. He rose and pulled on his clothing, dressing quickly. He strapped on his sword belt and grabbed his staff and headed for the door.
"Morning time, Kin." Sai said as he passed his friends bed.
Sai walked down to the main level of the Inn and found that the innkeeper, Zakarius Clare, had set out a small breakfast buffet. Sai walked down to the table and greeted the innkeeper.
"Good morning, sir." Sai said.
"Ah, young... Sai, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, good morning, Sai."
"Thanks for putting us up for the night like that." Sai said.
"Nonsense. Room and board, and some good food, are the least I can contribute if you can really help us with that damn water monster."
"Still, we would have been happy to pay for our rooms and meals."
Zakarius leaned down and whispered. "If you beat that thing, it's all well worth it. And if you don't, I'm taking it out of Marcon's pocket. Hahahaha."
Sai couldn't help but smile at that. "Well, alright then." He helped himself to a plate of various meats and cakes and fruits and then walked outside to eat with Stratus.
As Sai walked out he found a crate to seat himself upon and Stratus came swooping down out of the sky and landed in a curled position around Sai.
Sai asked Souun telepathically, so that he could eat simultaneously.
Stratus said and quickly reached out with a talon, stole a slab of meat off Sai's plate, and deposited it into his maw.
Sai exclaimed.
Stratus pointed out.

Stratus said, still in a complete mental deadpan.
Sai grinned and punched his partner lightly on the shoulder.

Kin didn't open his eyes but literally rolled out of bed from under the covers and fell onto the floor with a thud. He then stood up and opened his eyes.

Vix snickered sarcastically at Kin.

Kin didn't make any morning preparations of any kind as he got up and joined Sai and Vilya. "What's going on?" Kin mumbled, scratching the bad of his head with his large gauntlet. It was odd for Kin to act so unprepared or open. Traveling with Sai had started to change Kin's defensive sleeping patterns and he now acted like every other sleepy morning person.

Vilya tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face at Kin's appearance. It was encouraging to see him this relaxed around them.
She finished off a peach and addressed Sai's question; "I'd say the closest person too him when the deed is ready to be done. We can't tell how this battle is going to go, the person chosen beforehand might not be able to do it."

Tura nodded in agreement,

It was then the harbor master rounded the corner from the inn's front grounds.
"The ship's been prepared, we're all ready and waiting."
Tura inquired gently.
Vilya took a deep breath, already the thrill of anticipated battle moved through her. She shot a grin at her companions before setting her breakfast plate aside and adjusting the scimitars on her back.