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Leitha had trapped herself in her mind to get away from the pain. It was closing in around her slowly, but surely. Then suddenly she felt it being sucked away. A cool feeling enveloped her, like water. Slowly she could feel the blood in her lungs go away.

She opened her eyes and for a second thought she saw light. It startled her, but a second later all she saw was her normal nothingness. Slowly, she turned her ear to the ground. There was person beside her. The weight was familiar. It was the woman who was trying to keep Wyvern from reachng the chaos!

"Wha-" the young dragon coughed. Her mind was slow and her mouth still in disuse. "What happened?" She asked Ekanta. She remembered the battle, and falling. After that, she cut herself off so she might be able to keep her mind sharp if the poison didn't destroy her body too much.

Ekanta did all that she could, eventually pulling all the venom from the two dragons' bodies. She quickly cast it away from them before she couldnt use her water magic anymore and dropped it. The mermaid looked to Reyen worriedly, then to Leitha who's questioned her.

"You've been injured, just lie back and rest." she said softly.

Ekanta remembered that there was another dragon, the deaf one, but what had happened to her? She looked around quickly and felt a jolt of horror as her eyes passed over her motionless, crumpled body on the ground. Standing quickly, the water maiden ran to her. She was still breathing, the breath shallow and slow. Link wasn't bleeding but this didn't mean she wasn't injured.

Ekanta was afraid to touch her and could see massive bruises forming on her body. There was nothing she could to to help any of them further and she felt completely useless. Where had the humans gone? There were two of them earlier, were there not? If she could just find them then they could help.

She ignores his harsh bark and calmly explains.
"Before he was taken off, I Forged his wounds while he was caged in by those weird thorns. I was exchanging soothing images with him and I saw when he used to be here.", the shepherdess gives a pensive cry when Synrai suddenly vanishes. Breathing quickly and trembling she continues to speak, "I saw him go blind and I saw him grieving...please Ardan, we can't resent him for leaving Nathoran. He had a personal life to tend to."
Sudden noises call her and her friend to rise and rush back to where they left the group. The cruel man was gone, before them are injured figures. Felda rushes to an unknown woman near three bodies, one of which is thankfully awake. Silently checking over the girl that is awake the shepherdess sends a bit of energy into her for an extra boost. She still has plenty of magick left to spare as does Ardan whom usually only needs his body and therefore has a strong amount. Recognizing the last girl there Felda recalls when Link and Synrai had visited the fields to thank her. Going to Link next she gently takes the hand of the fair haired lady's arm in her scarred hand. Warming up again she glows faintly and this time does not care if anyone sees her face. There is so much destruction going on in their peaceful village. The shepherdess closes her eyes and can feel her Fire swirling within herself, a wordless song pearling into Link's mind as Felda wills it so in order to keep her unconscious form calm. Her low Fire smooths over the bruising to Link's body as well as focus on her injured arm. After Forging Link she remains sitting in case the mute awoke and needed any explaining.

Ardan shakes his head.
"I don't understand...why is he here after all this time?", when he hears a battle he takes Felda's hand and rushes her toward the din with him, "They need help!"
He skids to a stop and gets down next to the white haired man as his friend tends to the women. Setting aside his spear he quickly removes his gauntlets. Any amount of Warmth may cause them to grow too hot and possibly cause discomfort to the receiving end. He closes his eyes before willing energy to steadily seep into the man. Ardan focuses on dispelling the discoloration in the arm, then slowly increases the heat of his Forging as it spreads through this stranger and eliminates any threat like a sped up immune system. After Forging the white haired man's wounds and cleansing his veins the Owlet has his Fire die out and cool over the man's body. Something glints out of the corner of his eye and so Ardan glances over only to see the bleeding, still body of Lance. He inhales sharply before forcing himself to look away.

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Riven. She had felt him there, within the summoner. Despite everything, it grieved her to think that he was once so much more than that. Now, he must live through another... if anything, the battle between them had brought them closer... or at least brought her closer to him. But she had nearly beaten him! With Tanya's help! And as she felt him vanish, had he been impressed with their efforts? Or merely amused? It was so difficult to tell...

"Master..." Shyrion murmured distantly.

Sh-Shyrion...

Tanya's thin call broke her reverie. The child was weakened by this time, and soon Shyrion realized that she was as well. She had given nearly everything, and so, it seemed, had Tanya. The ex-general walked back to the little girl, slowly but smoothly, before leaning beside her.

"You did very well," the Tainted said, almost warmly, surprised at how quiet her own voice was. Tanya seemed to be in much the same state as she had been after their race on the icy world. Only worse.

What had the little girl done then? Eaten the shadow?

A strange remedy indeed, but Shyrion had just enough strength to call up more of the darkness. She held out her hand, a glob of darkness forming in the center of her palm.

"Here, sweetie," she began. "Will this help?"

~~~

Wyvern and Synrai surveyed the battle with wide eyes. It seemed to have reached a climax... and then Axys had vanished...

If Wyvern's hands had been free at that point, he would have been biting his nails.

"He's... gone..." Synrai said.

"I hope everyone's going to be okay..." Wyvern struggled against the rings some more. He stopped when he noticed the little girl lying on the ground. Even though she had imprisoned them, the younger dragon felt a twinge of worry on her behalf, as well as worry for his friends.

"You really have caused a lot of trouble, you know," remarked Wyvern, with a comical look of scorn on his face.

Synrai looked at his brother with surprise, and then guilt. As they waited in the Void, he had told his younger brother what had transpired between himself and Axys. Perhaps it was true... he should have expected his friends to help him - to fight in his stead. And now that Wyvern had said it, his actions now seemed very foolish. The blue-eyed dragon sighed wearily.

"That was even worse than what I did back on Celestir. Did you really think that guy was gonna leave us all alone if you went and sacrificed yourself?" Synrai stifled a bitter laugh. He hadn't even gotten to negotiate with the summoner. Could he have expected anything less? "REALLY stupid thing to do, if you ask me."

"So - "

"So don't do it again!" yelled Wyvern. "Idiot."

Synrai gave a rueful chuckle.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

The younger dragon smirked. Since when was he the one giving the lectures?

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Yakato slowly and silently crept up behind the the fox. He pulled up his bow to eye level and aimed it at the fox. He pulled his free arm up to the handle of his bow and slowly pulled back to the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, an arrow made from diamond like ice began to manifest along his arm and in his other hand. He fitted the arrow in the string of the bow and pulled it back to the corner of his mouth. Gotcha. Secounds later, the arrow flew through the air and into the the head of the fox. With a large grin, Yakato ran over to his prize and held it high in the air, inspecting his prey. As soon as he declared it worthy to eat, he pulled the arrow out and began to eat it raw, right there and then. The blood of the canine slaptered over Yakato's face with each vicious bite into the flesh of his prey and prize. He finished off his meal by licking the rest of the blood and meat off of the bones. He stood up off of the frozen ground, strapped his bow back onto his back, and set off to find a place for shelter.


(((How was that for a first post?)))

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Shyrion's yellow eyes widened in puzzlement as the little girl went limp. What should she do now? She couldn't have Tanya fall out on her like that... Wait a minute.

Was she actually worrying for the child?

Well, yes, she supposed. After all, without the golden-eyed girl's help, Shyrion could never have generated that much power. Tanya was useful, right? The ex-general was less than willing to admit that they just might become friends.

"A dark place?" she asked herself. The Void? That's just about as dark as it got.

Without another word, Shyrion bent to pick up the girl, her body surprisingly light in her arms. A glance around took her to the place where the open portal lay waiting; two sets of draconic eyes peering out at her from within its depths. And then the portal was shut once more.

~~~

Wyvern and Synrai looked at the newcomer with intermixed fear and interest. However, their wariness lessened when they saw that the tentacled Tainted carried the girl who had spoken to them before in her arms. The little girl had been friendly enough. Perhaps this Shyrion would be as well. She laid Tanya on the ground near Synrai and surveyed the two of them.

"So she managed to rope two of you, mmm?" The woman's biting, sarcastic tone caught the two dragons a little by surprise. Shyrion tossed her sleek, blue-black hair imperiously before walking by Synrai. She met him squarely in the eyes, but he only looked back, nonplussed. "And you're the one I've heard so much about. The great Silverwing." She chuckled bemusedly. "Tanya said she was going to heal you."

"And then..."

"And then let you go," stated the ex-general simply, smirking. Synrai seemed to consider something for a moment.

"Why?"

"Because I said she could only have one dragon, dearie. Quite glad she didn't choose you, actually. You're a thorn in Axys' side."

"What will happen to Wyvern?" At the sound of his name, the younger dragon glanced up.

"That's really dependent on her... can't say what will happen..." Shyrion smiled devilishly. Synrai swallowed.

"Unless..." The ex-general's smile broadened.

"Kill Axys. It should be easy - we've softened him up for you. As you know already, he's bonded to a certain Tainted..."

"And....?"

"I want you to bind yourself to it." Her voice had dropped down to a whisper, so that only the two of them could hear. Synrai glared up into the yellow eyes. Catching the dragon's expression, Shyrion smirked all the more.

"If you do not, I can't guarantee Wyvern's safety on Orcos." Her bladed tendril-whips twitched imperceptibly.

((The plot thickens. Nice one, quiz master! mad d ))

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((Yesh, one more post and then a time-skip of several hours. That sounds okay. heart ))

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Axys woke, finding the plaintive eyes of the Tainted in front of him, but the amber orbs quickly turned venomous as she seemed to realize who he was. A blade was drawn, nearly brushing his torso, but already his body ached with pain.

Laughter? A voice in his head... or was it only from someone nearby? For a split second, Axys tried to remember what exactly had happened in the moments before, but it was all a blur… and then suddenly his perception was blurred as well…

Riven was taking him back to the oasis.

A hot blast of sunlight sent his dark-adjusted eyes watering, and it was a few minutes’ time before he could open them again. And there was the searing pain in his sides… What had happened? He tried to open his mouth to speak, but his voice would not come… his body seemingly drained of all energy. He could not stand, nor do anything more than think; and for a while the great summoner Axys Mordaen was naught but a pile of robes in the sand.

He called out with his thoughts, seeking the source of power that had come so easily before; perhaps to heal himself, though he knew not how. He clutched weakly at his robes, feeling moisture in the fabric. It hurt, and the panic he felt made him call out all the more.

Silence.

Was that the Dark One’s voice, so angry? It was a single word, but the venom in it sent an involuntary shiver down the summoner’s spine, despite the heat of the desert and his own weakness.

The battle; they had fought in a battle against… he would have asked, had he the courage to do so. Silverwing was missing—he had told the elder council that he would bring him to them. Where had he been taken? The village…?

Silence.

Louder this time, and it felt as though he had been physically stricken. A wave of fatigue washed over him, and Axys knew no more.


((Time skip! mrgreen ))

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