Welcome to Gaia! ::

@Both: I love all of the positive comments and suggestions. Also, you both commented on the character descriptions but lack of action, but worry not! I just wanted to flesh out the characters a bit before getting into the juicy bits. From here in it gets rather interesting. Or shall. I have been plotting a decent bit, but not too far in advance as this will simply spoil things a bit. That having been said, I plan to tackle both of ya individually for the more specific parts:

@LittleSun: I am especially glad you liked the characters and I can't wait to show them to you, both in action, and in interaction. :3

I might shave off a bit in the specifics of the situations you said, how many people or homes may be a bit over the top, but we shall see. If nothing else, going forward should be better. :3

Additionally, yes, I have it spaced out here, but it's got all the proper writing format in my word document, if you could see that. xD

@Saint: As you might know, I'm a huge fantasy fan, so it comes as no surprise my story follows that route, but I'm glad you're enjoying it, and moreso that I got a comment from ya. :3

Additionally, I shall make note of everything you listed about coyotes as it is valuable information that I can incorporate. Some of it I knew, others I did not. However, as you of all people should know, my net access is screwed at the moment, so maybe if you could post your findings on coyotes, in addition to what you have already listed, here, I can just have a quick reference as, if nothing else, I can keep a page or two permanently open, so hit me up with any more you find vitally important and I will do my best to swing it all in. :3

Thank you both, I look forward to sending you guys more the next time I am on and that it lives up to your expectations as well as my own! :3

Sorry, no time to touch all this up more than I have... my apologies, guys... I know you've read some of it too, but I edited a few parts, taking into consideration what all was said before... hope it meets expectations:

Prologue: A Night to Remember

The dark of night had fallen hours ago, and yet the city of Aurae was aglow with red embers throughout, lighting the many cobbled streets. Many bodies lay strewn through streets and out windows, all dead or dying. There were many homes that were burning or destroyed entirely on the outer edges of the city. All that remained now was the town square where a mere handful of fighting men and women remained. In this remaining safe area of town, only a few homes remained intact and untarnished, battle closing in on all sides. Morning was still hours off, with no sign of daylight to fight by, only a half dozen torches and the city’s unwelcomed embers. Most of those yet living were simple civilians, now tightly shut away in the remaining homes. Some of those hiding were the previous home owners, but many were refugees from across the dilapidated city. Beyond that, a retinue of only a dozen able-bodied, trained fighters remained, at best. Additionally, a few brave men seeking to protect their families joined them, though little more than untrained civilians who barely knew how to wield the blades they bore.

Of the trained men, two were taking charge of the situation. The first was a larger, older-looking, man, perhaps in his early forties, by the name of Darbus. He bore a jagged gash running the length of a now useless left eye and into his cheek, though not deep enough to penetrate all the way; blood having finally ceased flowing, fully coagulated. He wore his black hair back in a barely kempt, bushy ponytail and insisted upon wielding one of the heavier blades they yet owned in an aggressive, two-handed fashion. He had been fighting this battle since the outer edges of town and had to lead each and every disappointing retreat further inward. Beyond the gash to his eye, he had suffered no wounds of note, a few nicks and cuts, some of which were still bleeding, and a bruise or two to boot, but these would all heal in time. They would, perhaps leave shallow scars, but this was something he was accustomed to, having a few stories across his body he would share whenever his liquor got him talking a bit. He was usually a proud, albeit gruff, sort, keeping to his own unless leadership was called for, as was the case tonight. His clothes were in tatters, exposing a well-muscled body to match his burly stature.

Alongside Darbus, commanding their retinue, was Alexei, or Alex as he preferred. Alex was not as gifted with a weapon, blade or otherwise. Instead, he relied on the more arcane arts. He supported Darbus from the rear by casting spells, most of which revolved around the element of fire, some of which had caused their city to light. However, the invaders were responsible for a majority of that. Alex did not appear the classic image of a mage however, bearing clothes no different than the rest around him. He had been one to practice quietly, away from the peering eyes of judgmental others. Now, however, he displayed his ability whenever combat found their little group. Each attack was exhausting, more so than that of swinging a blade, heavy or light. Casting took a small part of his energy reserves so he could not fight actively like the others. Instead, his focus was on officers of import, taking down whoever seemed highest in rank among their attackers at any given time.

Alex would often be mistaken as female, his gender-ambiguous name not helping with this in the least. Moreover, his golden hair was often kept long and full, causing further confusion. He generally locked himself away for long stretches at a time, too worried of others to trust a proper barber with his hair, and often too lazy to tend it himself. His golden locks were often to his shoulders or further, but all of this fighting, and his numerous close calls tonight, had left his hair singed rather short, to the upper part of his neck; still longer than most men of this area cared for, but for him, still rather short indeed. He had a softer face, due to his lack of combat prowess, though it was covered in a light coating of soot and ash here and there, at present. Nothing more about him seemed exceptional save his rather unique abilities, however.

Alex was the brains and tactical, while Darbus was the brawn; the right arm of the resistance as it were. Both men human, which would not be a point of note, were it not for the fact that their most adept fighter, after themselves of course, shared many physical features that similar to a coyote, save her standing on two legs rather than the normal four of her animal brethren. She was an ‘anthro’ as they were called. She was quick, wielding a lighter blade and without a mark on her body to show for the combat. Not because she was not involved in the fighting. No, the blood that stained patches of her normally chestnut fur, would speak out against that. It was simply that she was near-impossible to harm, though this often came from knowing when a situation was too dangerous to approach. She had only enlisted in their group within the last half hour, near one of the inner sections of town. She had been a mere traveler here, staying at a now thoroughly destroyed inn when the fighting reached her. She had no allegiance to the people of the city, but her options were either to fight with them, or to die at the hands of the indiscriminant invaders. She chose the route which seemed less likely to lead to a swift demise. Better that than throwing herself to die outright.

Darbus and Alex had awoken the entire building to get them to safety. While she was originally skeptical, the first attack where she nearly took an arrow to her sleek, exposed torso, had forced her hand and she aided in the retreat. She owed that much, at least, to Darbus after he knocked the arrow off its course in the last moment before making impact. A quiet thief by trade, Zera made stealth her contribution to their unit. She served as a scout at present, standing atop a tall statue in the middle of the square. One tall enough to give her the view she needed for approaching lights or other activity, eyes open and pointed ears alert, swiveling about to detect any activity approaching, her fur already a bit bristled in anticipation, wanting to be ever-ready. A claw from one of her fingers, itchy on the trigger of their last flare, planning to use it, both for light, and to signal the approach of oncoming enemies; which was to be fired from the square in the direction of their attackers and, in the case of multiple fronts, over the group nearest their position, with a heavy preference to smaller unit size.

The group had set up on a few benches and hid away behind trees nearby, wanting to hold tight and stay ready, hoping to avoid further casualties; their group could not handle another ambush. Alex was taking a breather on one of the benches, taking the last swig from his canteen of water and tossing it aside, revitalizing himself as best he could manage to prepare for what would, undoubtedly, be their last stand; Darbus standing not far off, keeping his good eye on his resting ally, the cautious Zera, and the alleys nearby as well, trying to relax while he could, but the moment too tense, a chill running his back and the hairs on his arms standing a bit. Everyone in their little ‘camp’ was exhausted, but still driven by the terror of what was coming, knowing their final hour was upon them, certainly.

Howls soon filled the air around them. The enemy had found them at last. Moments later, the flare was shot off to the west and just as the flare had loosed, so did a bolt from a crossbow through the form of Zera. She had been aware of the precarious position she was in however and had quickly slipped back, leaving naught but a shadow to take the bolt. The shot stopped abruptly and pinged off the statue and down into the pool of water at its base; a fountain.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Darbus led a charge down the nearby alley with his entire force, little more noise than the sound of footsteps from his group. They were swift and as silent as could be. Darbus took the lead, Alex in the middle, and Zera jumping from rooftop to rooftop, making sure to stay low and out of sight until the fighting broke out. It would not be a long wait however as, after the second corner rounded, they entered a clearing where a group a little larger than their own awaited. Darbus stopped everyone at the mouth of the alley with a quick gesture. Before them lay what they had been fighting, en masse, this whole night long: a few brigands, each holding one of those dark amethyst crystals which radiated with an ominous glow. These were, without question, the source of control for the beasts they led; goblins mostly, small, nimble, but ultimately weak little creatures, save for in number as they were. More than just the goblins, however, there were the larger, slower, tougher trolls. All of them creatures with low intelligence normally, but these crystals seemed to take advantage of that, thrusting the will of the crystal-bearer upon that of the controlled, leaving the beasts little more than monstrous puppets.

The brigands stayed back as the beasts charged in their stead. This was, perhaps, the most frustrating aspect to Darbus; cowards that hid behind their meat puppets. Fortunately, slaying the monsters removed the control. When slain, they would lay dead. Better that than being able to control the corpses as well, he figured. As the beasts approached, Darbus led the charge in retaliation, a fevered roar from him as adrenaline coursed his body. Before the groups clashed, Alex conjured up a fireball which he arced over his allies and into the enemy line, exploding and sending a handful of the goblins flying in different directions, bodies burning and writhing on the ground as others lay dead from the initial explosion. He successfully scattered their line just as Darbus and company closed the rest of the gap and began battle with the trolls and remaining goblins, few as they were. Once engaged, Zera darted around to their back line and quickly cut down a couple of the brigands, crystals shattering on the ground, and with them, the life force of the creatures they bound, monsters dropping dead from the act. This caused the remaining brigands to call back a few of the trolls to deal with the situation, favoring this route rather than fighting directly.

With their line now thoroughly damaged in such short order, Darbus and company had little trouble felling what they had left to fight. However, it came with a couple losses in his group as well, losses they could not afford. Shortly after, another screech shot out from behind them. They were being surrounded. They would need to end this fight even faster if they wished to survive this. Alex charged into the fray with Darbus, mostly for cover, not being able to defend himself if these enemies drew closer. Meanwhile, Zera dodged and struck as she could, the slow nature of the trolls easy to predict, but their number making it hard for offense. She got in blows as she could manage them, very slowly whittling at their number, the brigands controlling them, laughing at her attempts, though they knew their own mortality was nigh.

The alley began to spew enemies now as well, no controlling brigands in sight, but if there were, there would be little they could do about it, the element of surprise was lost, and Zera herself was quite distracted, another of the few trolls falling at last, only a pair to go, but she would yet be busy for a bit, dodging fevered blow after fevered blow.

Darbus turned with his group and charged the alley before the enemies had fully emptied, hoping to choke them off, limiting their emergence to that of the alley’s width, battle ensuing once more. Alex had to make a quick decision, the fighting at the alley already underway. He shot another fireball into the alley to harm further attackers as well as to cut off reinforcement for a bit as a fire wall erupted from the explosion, focusing his energy to sustain it while Darbus and his fighters cut down the current troupe.

More humans fell as the fighting continued, their number dwindling to dangerously low levels. Zera dove in at one of the trolls when she saw an opening, felling him with apparent ease only to have a crude club from the other come down on her shoulder, a loud snap followed by a shrill scream from the coyote as she doubled back and fell to the ground, trying to quickly scoot away from the remaining troll. The brigand without subordinates threw his crystal, shattering it and drew his blade, approaching the downed woman with a devilish grin, “Not so tough now, are ya?” He asked in a mocking tone.

She gave him a defiant glare as she held her place, hand upon her injured shoulder, “And you are a coward who hides behind monsters with no free will!” She spat back at him.

The man grimaced as if hit, but his confidence was unshaken. He knew he had this one, a girl that had evaded her own demise long enough. He finished his approach, standing over the seated woman as he extended his blade to her throat, “Even so, a win’s a win and you’re not gonna live to see another day, but I am! So who’s the smart one now?” He asked with a cocky chuckle.

She merely remained silent and unmoving, a grin of her own slowly crossing her muzzle as the brigand’s own grin slowly vanished, blood soaking his jacket as he looked down, feeling the warmth escaping him, “Wait… wha-?” His hand released the blade he held, letting it fall to her lap as he crumpled into a heap, her useable hand reaching out to his chest and withdrawing her knife from him with a firm tug, life having fully left the fool’s body. She then shoved him off and slowly worked her way to her feet, gripping her blade in her off-hand as she looked at him and snickered, “You’re just some fool too scared to fight fair. That having been said, you died in a most appropriate manner, from someone cowering away from you as you have your entire life no-doubt.” She spat on the corpse, but took no more time for herself, as the other brigand had shaken off the shock and struck out at her with his controlled troll. This would have been an easy fight were it not for her useless right arm and hand, but she knew that, tough struggle or no, she could win this fight.
As the final alley monster was slain, Alex fell in exhaustion, the fire wall falling with him as more creatures rushed in from the alley, giving Darbus and his men no time to rest and recuperate what few were left. They continued to choke off the enemies, but it was becoming a futile effort. After slaying a handful more of the beasts, Darbus ordered a retreat, falling back to where Zera was finishing her fight, the troll falling in death and the brigand running off to a different section of town in fear, crystal shattered behind him. Darbus quickly helped Ale to his feet as they met with Zera. Darbus looked to her and noted the injured arm, “Zera, you’re hurt. I can relocate your arm, but it will sting and I still recommend using that offhand for a bit longer; would hate to ruin it for good.”

Before she had time to reply to him, due to their lack of such luxuries, he approached her and gave a quick jerk to her arm, replacing it and quickly tearing free a portion of his tattered shirt and making a makeshift sling. This took him almost no time at all, something he was familiar with from his own traveling, but she bit down hard to repress a scream of pain at the relocating, taking a moment before looking back to him with a grimace, “Thanks, Darbus… much as it hurts, I appreciate it.”

He merely gave her a small nod and turned back to the approaching enemies, taking a deep breath and sighing it out. “Aright everybody… this is it.

The remainder of the prologue for you all! And I will get to editing later tonight, then I will have a clean first chapter for you all to see! <333

He merely gave her a small nod and turned back to the approaching enemies, taking a deep breath and sighing it out. “Aright everybody, this is it. It has been a pleasure fighting with you all! Each and every one of you possesses a spirit the likes of which I’ve not seen in more than a decade! When we die, we die bringing down as many of these bastards as we possibly can! I’ll see all of you… on the other side!” He yelled out as he led the charge into the oncoming horde, more filing in around them from the sides.

Alex did not hold back now, keeping close to the others, but still behind them in their advance. He summoned up a great wave of flame, shooting up and firing out in a canopy over his friends before flowing out across the ground around them, dealing as much damage to the enemies numbers as he could manage, burning up the front lines on all sides, but exhausting almost all of his remaining energy in doing so, keeping now to individual shots of fireballs, but feeling his consciousness waiver the longer they battled. Zera was having a tough time keeping to fighting, but worked as she could, aiding in each fight one-on-one. Darbus still fought hard, but he was losing allies one by one. There were very few left now, and the enemies seemed to yet be crawling out of the woodwork. Yes, these would be their final moments indeed.

As the three and but a couple others huddled together, backs to one another, preparing for the final blows of battle however, a light shone from above, a spotlight on their group, and a ladder dropped between them all. Alex looked up to see an airship above and called out to the others, “One of our distress flares has been answered!”

With that, a crossbow eased over the edge of the craft and fired a few very fast bolts before a pause, cutting down half a dozen of the closer enemies in a moment, and another shooter from the other side of the ship, obscured from view given the positioning, followed suit, another good number of enemies felled in a few short moments. Then a voice from the exposed weapon rang out from high above, a man’s voice from the sounds, “Everybody aboard, quickly!”

Zera was urged up the ladder first, followed closely by Alex. Each person of least skill following, leaving Darbus until last to cover their tracks while the others climbed upward, defending the ladder, his only avenue of escape. He cut down a pair of assailing trolls with what seemed great ease, especially given his fatigue before a call rang out from above, “Now! Climb!” With that, a slower volley of bolts, but in a longer stream, as well as a few fireballs from Alex, covered Darbus’ retreat up the ladder. Before he could make it to the top, the airship began on its way, Darbus holding tight as the volley of arrows and the fireballs had seemingly met their end. Darbus worked his way up, taking a moment, at the last rung, to look down, the other survivors doing the same, as the horde below rushed about the large, burning city. Aurae, their home, was lost; and everything they had ever known right along with it. However, they yet lived, and this night would not soon be forgotten. With that, Darbus climbed aboard the ship, taking off for skies unknown, but safe for now.