Left over Exp Bin: 35/75 --> 69/87 with 12 lvls gained! (Lvl 87) LUK: 78 --> 98 (20 Victories in Range, since Aedaun is the last dragon tier) Luck loss count: 0/3 --> 0/3
+20 Aedaun Dragon Orb
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:23 pm
Character: Carrion Stage: Khehora Current lvl: 1 Luck: 11 (+78 from Sam = 89) Dragon: Aedaun x 20
Sucess Rate: 6-100 Rolled 39, 6, 56, 49, 84, 76, 64, 49, 93, 14, 82, 98, 49, 31, 78, 71, 39, 67, 6, 53 Battle outcome: Win x 20 1(100/1) = 100 x 20 (number of dragons) = 2000/2 (number of participants) = 1000 ((Adding a chart for updater's convenience. Hopefully it's accurate. sweatdrop))
On the left is the accumulated number of points I've used: EX: 1 point to proceed to level 2 + an additional 2 points (equals 3 total) to proceed to level 3 + an additional 3 points (equals 6 total) to proceed to level 4 On the right is the level Carrion is advancing to. 1-2 3-3 6-4 10-5 15-6 21-7 28-8 36-9 45-10 55-11 66-12 78-13 91-14 105-15 120-16 136-17 153-18 171-19 190-20 210-21 231-22 253-23 276-24 300-25 325-26 351-27 378-28 406-29 435-30 465-31 496-32 528-33 561-34 595-35 630-36 666-37 703-38 741-39 780-40 820-41 861-42 903-43 946-44 990-45
Left over Exp Bin: 0/1 --> 10/45. Advances to Lvl 45 (44 lvls gained) LUK: 11 --> 31 (20 Victories in Range) Luck loss count: 0/3 --> 0/3
+20 Aedaun Dragon Orb
Word count required: A WHOPPING 12000!
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:05 am
Chapter 1: Serenian Landing Carrion's P.O.V.
"No, Dad. I'm pretty sure that I've stopped growing already." Carrion grumbled in annoyance as he rolled his eyes. They'd departed Ayr as quickly as they could, since the snowy, windy wasteland was not at all where Carrion expected his clan to live. Somehow, he'd expected to see many beautiful Drakeins flipping and careening through the air, enjoying the freedom the wind offered. Instead, he'd seen nothing but winter's snow and dank, gloomy rocks. His home in the mountains on Eowyn was much more hospitable. Plus, Ayralan two-leggers were rude and mean, and he didn't want to be anywhere around them! That stupid woman that attacked his dad... Carrion growled at the very thought of her.
Anyway, at some point during the flight across the ocean to Serenia (another place to explore!), Samael mentioned that Ayrala dragons were generally the smallest, though also the quickest. But he'd never met an Ayrala before Carrion, so how was he to know if Ayrala Khehora were the smallest of the Khehora? But if Carrion was permanently stuck at his current size (hardly larger than most Orakoir Sam met, and not much more than half the large Gaili's size!), then it seemed feasible that Ayrala Kehora were, in fact, smaller.
Carrion hardly needed to be a moment into the conversation before he felt insulted. He knew he was different than any other Khehora he'd ever met. He didn't need his old man to rub it in or ostracize him anymore than he already was... Grumbling quietly to himself, he flew ahead, feeling the rush of wind glide over his wings, encouraging and egging him on with its quiet whisper. Yes, Sam was bigger, but up here in the sky, far away from the Gaili's elemental magic, the young Ayrala Nekkora held more power than his father! At least... this is what Carrion told himself.
N-not that he wanted to be stronger than his old man, of course! Just... thinking he wasn't entirely useless... worthless... Well, he needed something to hold on to, didn't he?! He glided ahead through the clouds, keeping his crimson orbs peeled for the swatch of green that would signal his arrival in Serenia. And it wasn't long before he spotted the leafy treetops, rustling in the faint Serenian breeze, the tweetering of small birds accenting the sounds of the leaves. The Nekkora landed with wonder and awe in his eyes. He loved his mountain home, but nothing on Eowyn could compare to this!
Something about it seemed so... gentle and welcoming... And the swaying branches of greenery called out to him in a pleasing whisper. Carrion didn't wait to see how far Sam was behind him. Instead, he made his way into the forest, sniffing inquisitively at anything that dared to hover near him for more than a moment. So much color! So much life! So many tiny, fuzzy animals that seemed just as curious to see him (they never drew too near, but he was positive that he spotted large, dark eyes peeking at him from the shaded cover of the trees).
It was when he spotted a lovely sky-blue orb that Carrion decided to get a better look at one of the creatures tailing him. Never mind that the orb in question was nearly the size of his head. He could just barely make it out, tucked away in the safety of a lush green thicket. The young Ayrala drew near hesitantly, his sharp claws tugging at the grass fronds in anticipation. "You can come out..." He called softly, inching ever closer. When the orb didn't immediately dart into the cover of safety, Carrion felt a swell of pride at himself. He wasn't large or particularly scary, but for some reason, most things seemed to feel threatened by him. That this small, helpless creature hiding in the bushes would dare to stay...
He'd come within scant inches of the thicket. Carrion couldn't help but smother a pleased grin (so as not to show off his sharp teeth, of course) as he lowered his nose to the beautiful crystalline orb's level. "See there, little one? I'm not... going to hurt you...?" He tipped his head as the glorious orb shifted and rolled. Then a thin membranous film briefly covered it before revealing it once more. Carrion shifted back several paces as a large, scaly white head appeared from the thicket, all teeth and snarls...
That orb wasn't a creature! Well, it kinda was, at least, it was a part of one. It was an eye! A beautiful blue eye that happened to belong to a very large, terrifying Aedaun dragon. Carrion shrieked as he whipped around. His claws scrabbled briefly on the ground before he found his footing in the dew-slicked glass and bolted as quickly as he could back the direction that he'd come from. The Aedaun was large and bulky, more so than even his father, so surely it wouldn't have an easy time of getting through these trees...?
For obvious reasons, Carrion didn't want to look back, but he heard a painfully close crashing that suggested the only reason he hadn't been captured and devoured yet was thanks to the lush greenery that provided some minimal defense. At least for a while. Carrion felt that he'd sprinted a pretty hardy distance (but how could he really tell? His mind was going wild) when a hooked claw drove into the scaly flesh at the base of his tail. Another pained caterwaul ripped from his throat as he desperately clawed himself forward to try and get free, but to no avail. He was finished. Why, oh why hadn't Sam managed to catch up with him yet?
He was being pulled backwards, the claw dragging him across the ground before he felt his rump lifted by the tail into the air. He scrabbled desperately, knowing he needed something to cling to. Anything. But the instant his own claws left the safety and security of the ground, he knew he was done for. Any meager resistance he put up would be futile. Carrion curled into himself, tucking his tiny agile body in to the smallest size he could possible be. Then the dragon shook. The claw left his tail, and he was falling.
Falling past those rows of sharp pointed teeth?
No. He hit the ground with a thump and unfurled instantly to see why he'd been spared. The dragon's shaking must've come when the large tree-sized boulder had crashed into it's face, effectively blocking any use of its teeth. And a boulder that large could've only come from... Carrion didn't even have to blink his lovely crimson orbs before a large brown body was hurtling past him, crashing headlong into the beast and tearing it down while it scratched pitifully at the hulking rock lodged in its teeth. The Gaili's resounding roar was low and deep and ringing, sending a shiver of anticipation down the young Ayrala's spine. Sam darted past claws and swiped, driving himself nearer to the beast's neck before he lunged, sinking his very available, sharp, pointed teeth right into the more giving flesh of the Aedaun's neck.
Carrion had only ever seen one dragon battle before, with Levi. But that... Despite the Diabi's much more obvious grace, even he hadn't made a cleaner kill than Samael. As the Gaili pulled his fangs free, a set of two glowing white orbs popped into existence, eager to take the place of the deceased dragon. Sam ignored them, instead approaching his young charge almost aggressively. "You're hurt..." He rumbled out in an adrenaline-infused growl. He leaned down and nudged Carrion around to inspect the wound on the youngster's tail.
When even the Gaili winced at the sight, Carrion knew it couldn't be good... So he definitely didn't want to look! "Come along, son..." Sam rumbled, still perfectly capable of plucking him up as though he weighed nothing. He lifted Carrion with his maw and then tipped his head so that Carrion slipped down his neck and rested awkwardly along his back. "I will take you to the two-legged city. Perhaps we can find a healer there." With that, he launched into the sky, nose angled toward Ashen City.
Current Total Wordcount: 1370 Total Aedaun Slain: 1
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 7:53 am
Chapter 2: The Sky Battle Sam's P.O.V.
Fortunately, the skies were bright and clear, with only the chill whip of winter's wind playing a deterrent. Sam expected the adrenaline-infused numbness his son was feeling would probably start to wear off before they even reached the city, and then Carrion would gripe and bemoan his ails while the Gaili was forced to listen. The cold probably wouldn't help it, either. But for now, he could feel the younger Khehora curled tightly on his back, shivering slightly. If he listened hard enough, he occasionally thought he heard the little Ayrala whimper, but the wind rushing between them was much louder and overpowering.
Sam turned his head slightly to coo back at him. "Don't worry. We'll be there soon." Carrion didn't move or respond as far as Sam could tell, so the Gaili continued. "I've heard that Orderite mages make almost as good healers as Peisios. And there should be all kinds of mages in Ashen City. Maybe we can even go exploring after you're healed." Sam told him with a chuckle, hoping to pull the Ayrala from his thoughts. But hm, Ashen City... Sam himself had never been into one of the two-legger's capitals... He doubted they'd allow him in if he stuck to his Khehora form, maybe not even if he claimed that he and Carrion were bonded to a Magescian that lived there.
He could try to get in while in his two-legged form, but he could easily see things getting ugly if they refused him. Well, they'd probably get ugly no matter what form he was in if they said they wouldn't help Carrion just because he was a strange little Khehora. He'd met some wonderful Orderites, but he'd also met some questionable ones too... There was no way of knowing what would happen until he got there!
The Gaili beat his wings faster, until a shadow shifted across him. A cloud? He was pretty high up, and there didn't seem to be any clouds as far as his eyes could see... He tipped his head up, and there, flying several yards above him was another Aedaun dragon. It didn't stop him or glare at him. Sam doubted it even noticed him. Should he continue on and hope it never spotted him? Or change directions? This was the most direct route to Ashen City, but he couldn't fight with Carrion tucked against him like this...
He shook his head stiffly and fanned his wings to slow himself down. If Carrion was further injured, this whole voyage would seem as if it were for nothing. What kind of awful father let his kid get hurt like this is the first place, anyway? But even as he slowed to turn around, he heard something cutting through the wind beneath him. Whatever it was crashed headlong into his gut, knocking his wings down and pitching Carrion clean off his back. The attack had come from something larger and heavier than him, but the black spots dancing across Sam's eyes, they way he was sure he was falling, and how breathless he was didn't give him much opportunity to see what had ambushed him.
"Dad!"
He heard Carrion's voice and expected his son was falling close by, squirming and flipping helplessly through the air as he tried to reach the large Gaili. He felt a gush of wind that seemed to be pressing him horizontally, rather than vertically, then his weight crashed into the ground, sliding through the grass and leaving a deep gouge through the earth. But at least he was on the ground, and not dead. Now he just needed a few seconds to orient himself. Just a moment to catch his breath and clench his eyes shut.
"Daddy!"
The call was high and desperate, and Sam knew he didn't have the time he wanted. He rose a bit unsteadily and glared skyward. There was a flash of gray, and Carrion zipped by, tailed by two Aedauns. Sam suddenly wondered if the two beasts had been working together all along. One up high as a distraction, and one tucked below, ready to ambush a passing Khehora. But they were after Carrion, and he didn't have the time to think about it.
He launched himself into the air with all the force he could muster. But it became apparent very quickly that he had no hopes of catching up to the much faster dragons and Ayrala. At least, not without Carrion's help. As he watched, his young companion zipped and glided through the air, throwing out gusts of wind anytime a dragon came to close. The bursts didn't hurt, but they did give Carrion several seconds of reprieve. Sam watched in wonder. The young Ayrala was hurt, but still battling... Sam was suddenly certain that Carrion saved him while he was falling. Saved him from being a pancake on the ground and maybe from being dragon food too.
"Carrion!" The Gaili shouted, hoping his deep, booming voice carried enough to even be heard by the little windmaker. "Over here! Come this way!" He called. At first, he was sure Carrion either couldn't here him or couldn't change course, but after a moment, he dipped, circling elegantly beneath the dragons and managing to get a pretty sizable head start while the beasts were forced to reorient themselves. He darted over to Sam, his slender body perfectly streamlined against the wind. When he looked as if he would stop right in front of Sam, the Gaili shook his head. "Keep going. If you draw them after you, I'll attack them when they aren't expecting it!" He saw what may have been wonder and glee flashing through the Ayrala's red orbs before he sped past. The two of them, working together. Sam usually did much of the battling in his hunts, but if he had an assist, why not use it?
By now, the two Aedauns had regained their wings, and they were charging toward Sam at full speed. He could stop one of them right now and be done with it. He felt the tingling of magic slip through his body. It enveloped him entirely and altered his very bones until he was floating in the sky as a Khehorian. The change gave the dragons pause, but not enough to stop them. They careened toward him at a blinding speed, and only in that split second when they were close enough to touch (without actually crashing into him) did Sam dip to the side a fraction of an inch, raise his arm and slam his elbow down directly onto one of the dragon's skulls. He felt the thick bones and scales give beneath the force of the impact as the Aedaun's skull shattered. And then it was falling. It crashed to the earth before disintegrating into two shimmering orbs. The other dragon darted by, unaware of what had happened so quickly.
One down, and one to go.
Carrion had made it a pretty hearty distance by that time. He'd weaved his way through the sky and was now battlinghigh in the air above Samael, still a long ways off. The Gaili had to reach them before Carrion was injured further... He took off at a diagonal angle towards them, his wings beating furiously. For a brief instant, he caught the Ayrala's ruby orbs. And then, Carrion was puffing out a jet of air that not only knocked the dragon towards Sam, but also sent it's caster hurtling backwards. Sam didn't slow when he came in range of the dragon. And it hadn't seemed to notice him yet. Throwing all the force he could muster into this attack, he crashed his smaller two legged body right into the spine of the Aedaun. He heard bones break, heard a high squeal from the dragon as it realized what had happened. It went rigid. Every muscle tightening before it went down.
The two men watched it spiral to the ground, landing in a plume of dragons dust that merged to become two more orbs. Both tired, both panting. "I think I would like to see that healer now." Carrion murmured.
Current Total Wordcount: 2726 Total Aedaun Slain: 3
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Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:41 am
Chapter 3: The Towers of Ashen City Carrion's P.O.V.
Carrion's ruby red orbs doubled in size as the two Khehora rounded the horizon and got their first glimpse of the Orderite's main city. Never in his young life had the little Nekkora seen anything so... large... and daunting... and swarming with two-leggers. "There it is." Sam murmured softly, sounding almost... awed. As far as the Ayrala knew, his father hadn't ever made it into the city himself. A surge of excitement blasted through Carrion. Something he could see even before his old man! He powered ahead of Sam, using summoned wind for an extra pulse of speed, his nasty wound from earlier practically forgotten. At least until he gave his tail a jarring flap that had him squeaking in pain and diving headlong down before the main entryway into the city.
Sam landed seconds later, strolling forward and laying a soothing hand atop the youngster's head. Carrion watched and tried to keep his whimpers to himself as the Gaili approached the Orderite that was standing guard. "My son has been injured in a battle against the dragons, and I would take him to see one of your healers." He explained. The guard was clearly skeptical, and he glanced around Sam to glare right off into Carrion's direction. The little Ayrala couldn't help but shiver beneath that unfriendly gaze. But finally, the man nodded and stepped to the side. Sam was a two-legger now, so he should be able to enter the two-legged cities.
The big Gaili turned and gave a wayward smile to Carrion, who trotted forward ahead of his old man to see the sights. The little Nekkora should've known that he'd be even more awed once he was beyond the gate. A myriad of strange smells and sounds assaulted his senses, and he was practically blinded by the sheer number of passerby. He even thought he saw a few other Khehora, dutifully following their two-legged masters. It was too much. "How are we even going to find a healer in this mess?!" Carrion demanded, twisting his head this way and that as he tried to take in everything. Some of these buildings seemed even bigger than his mountains!
Sam crouched down to his son's level and pointed to a little wooden board with a white... erm... was that supposed to be a magic cloud, or something?"A healer's shop will have a white cross on it. Just look for that." The Gaili said with a shrug before righting himself and continuing on. How Sam could spot that one board amongst all this chaos was a mystery to Carrion, but he followed along, anyway. If his dad accidentally left him behind, they'd probably never be able to reunite again.
They couldn't have walked those streets for long before Carrion's head started to hurt. There really was just too much happening here. Too many sounds, smells, and activities. Ugh... How did anyone live like this? "Look there!" Carrion's head whipped up so fast, he felt a slight onset of vertigo. But as his vision righted itself... A white Cross! Thank Abronaxus! As much as he wanted to charge forward, he let Sam take the lead, and the two walked into the shop.
Carrion had never entered a two-legger's dwelling before. But it somehow... wasn't what he expected. It was a bit dark, with a glowing fire in the hearth and the scents of herbs and earth hung heavily in the air. And there weren't the carcasses of dead beasts anywhere... For some reason, Carrion had assumed... Nevermind. There was only one Orderite woman in the room, and she was a grisly, old, white-haired thing, with flaps of skin hanging from her cheeks. For some reason, Carrion was terrified of her.
"How can I help yeh?" She asked, waddling from behind a counter to approach them. She sounded friendly enough, and her hazel eyes didn't appear to have any judgement in them. At least until she drew nearer, then her orbs narrowed and her lips set into a scowl. The spines along Carrion's neck prickled. Had she thought Sam was an actual two-legger until she was that close to him? She must be at least half blind! "Whaddya want, Khehora?" She amended a bit brusquely.
Carrion tipped his gaze up to his father, wondering if perhaps they should just leave before it got ugly... But Sam either didn't notice or didn't care. He scooped Carrion up right around the middle and flipped him around in his arms until his little grey rump was facing the woman. The little Ayrala instantly felt no small amount of resentment for his father. "My boy here received a grievous wound while in combat with a dragon." Sam explained again. "We came hoping you would be kind enough to heal him for us."
If Carrion plastered the side of his head against his dad's chest, he could see the woman squinting at his backside. He had to fight not to squirm beneath her stare. "Is not bleeding, anymore. Why bother? Do you even have the means to pay for my magic?"
He felt the Gaili's body tighten defensively. "He's hurting, that's why I bother!" Sam retorted venomously. "And I've got a few Dragon Orbs-"
"Orbs! Feh! I've got Orbs coming outta my nose! I don't need more Orbs!"
"Then how-" Sam hissed, clearly becoming frustrated.
"You'll have to do some community service. Follow me." She started sauntering out the back, and with a huff, Sam followed her. But not before little Carrion was returned to his own four claws. Hesitantly, he too trailed along. The shop keeper walked out the back door, and when the Khehora joined her, all they saw was more city. But the old woman raised a shaking arm and pointed skyward. "There, do you see that?" She questioned.
As Carrion's gaze followed her arm, he gasped. Dragons! Sleeping up in the high towers of Ashen City! "How long have those been there?" He asked incredulously.
The woman tutted. "Only a few days. A few of the Guards were sent up to dispatch of them, but those dragons seem to have the advantage when they're so high up. There's just too many of them." She turned to Sam. "If you can dispatch of those dragons, I will heal your strange little son."
Carrion tried not to bristle at the insult, and instead turned to see what his father thought of her offer. They'd taken down plenty of dragons today already... Sam's magic was probably not at optimum. But he'd never admit that. "Fine." He agreed tartly. "We'll be rid of them and then return soon for our reward. Let's go Carrion." Sam demanded as he kicked into the air.
The little Nekkora felt a surge of excitement and he followed eagerly. A city battle! It didn't get much cooler than that. Plus, they could ambush the dragons while they were sleeping... Maybe that would give them a one up... "Hey, old man. We should attack separately for now. Maybe we can kill two of them before they even know we're here..."
He could practically see Sam struggling with the decision to let his boy fend for himself, but eventually, he nodded, and the two diverged as they neared the towers. Carrion let his ruby orbs scan the area. One, two, three, four... five...? Five dragons nestled up on their high perches. Already he'd lost sight of his old man. But he couldn't afford to worry about Sam now. The Gaili was much more capable than he himself was. The Nekkora had to watch his own skin for now.
He glided forward silently, coating himself in a protective air-bubble to keep his scent from traveling off to the beasts. He was so much smaller than them... How was he to slay one without it knowing? He doubted that even his sharp fangs could pierce deep enough to kill... No, it would have to be something else... Maybe if he could hold his windy magic firm and steady enough, he could use his protective orb like a blunt object? It would probably take a lot of bashing, though...
It was the best idea he had. He'd need a quick, powerful start, though. He glided off to the front of one of the towers, angling himself directly at his target's nose. Please work. There was no more time to waste. Sam would be making his first attack soon. Releasing a breath of air, he focused on his sphere, tightening it the best he could, and shot off, using all the force he could muster to propel himself forward until he crashed into the beast's forehead. He felt it dent, heard a roar, and then he was tumbling along the other side of the tower. The beast he'd attacked was gone, leaving two orbs in it's place.
He looked around. On the other side, Sam had dismantled one with his claws, but the sounds had roused the other Aedauns, and they were waking with a start. Carrion watched as Sam quickly pounced on another, sinking his fangs right into its spine and ripping for all his tiny two-legged mouth was worth. Carrion didn't get the chance to see if that was enough to finish it. Another of the dragons had let out a roar and was charging toward him with nothing but ill-intent. The Nekkora squeaked and dove straight down.
It took a moment, but the dragon tailing him was able to right itself and follow without too much effort. The two shot toward the ground. For a while, Carrion genuinely believed he could out-speed the Aedaun, but when he felt hot breath against his tail, his hopes sank. He didn't have to make it far. Just down to the ground! Carrion could turn and shift direction much faster, so if he could just make it a little farther...! Teeth snapped behind him. It was too far! He wasn't going to make it! He needed a new plan!
His wind sphere? It had worked once before... He let his magic wrap around him again, tucking his tail into the sphere to keep it from being chomped off. The ground was zooming up to meet him. He was going to make it...! Just as he was fanning his wings to pull up, the dragon's maw bumped heavily into his orb, and during that split-second interim, Carrion's defensive bubble smacked into the ground. He thought he may have screamed as he felt the entirety of the dragon's weight mash into his orb, pressing him into the ground with the force of how quickly they'd been flying.
It was black. His bubble popped. The dragon's body crushed down on him. And then it was gone, leaving its treasures behind. Carrion gasped wildly, too terrified to move and his ruby orbs plastered skyward. He was... alive. Somehow. His magic had been strong enough to support the beast that had crashed into him, though it must've snapped its neck in the fall... It was amazing. he was alive! From the edge of his vision, he saw his dad slam the fifth dragon with all deliberate force into the side of the tower. And it too poofed into nothing.
Then Sam spotted him laying on the ground gasping. the Gaili smiled as he ferried the orbs down to him. "So you did it all on your own, huh?" he asked as he landed.
"Oh, Abronaxus! No healing is worth this!" Carrion replied, still to afraid to move. Sam chuckled and picked him up, hefting the small Ayrala body over his shoulder as they headed back to the old woman's shop. Carrion was going to be so upset if she didn't honor her promise! He'd make sure she paid if there was any more funny business.
But as they approached, the shop keeper cackled. "Ah, boys! You certainly know how to keep things lively! Come, come! Let's see what I can do for this little one!" She waddled over to her desk and beckoned for Sam to lay Carrion atop it. "Ah, someone will have to fix the things you've broken, but the show was quite worth it, I think." She chuckled as her gnarled fingers roamed over the Ayrala's shaking body. She tutted. "And it seems the little one has overexerted himself..." Her fingers started to glow a pale yellow, and Carrion watched and felt in awe as her magic flowed into him. Closing and healing his wounds and even revitalizing him! Not enough that he'd want to go and fight more dragons, mind you, but it was comforting to have some of his strength back.
Carrion sat up, turning his head to stare back at his tail. he gave it a flap. No pain! "Hey, thanks!" the Ayrala chirped, standing and doing a quick turn. "It feels as good as new! Hey, Dad- Dad?!" Carrion had just glanced up to meet emerald eyes when he noticed how the Gaili swayed. Not seconds later there was a thud as Sam crashed to the ground. Carrion leaped from the table. "Dad! Dad! What's wrong?!" Carrion demanded in a shriek.
He turned accusing eyes onto the old woman, who walked to the other side of the desk to approach him. She knelt done and let her magic reach out to Sam. "He's used a bit too much power today, I should think. He'll be fine after a little rest. You and yer old man can stay here for tonight. That seems like a little more equal payment for all the trouble you went to!" She cackled.
Carrion was hesitant, but after all was said and done, she seemed an okay tow-legger. "Thank you, ma'am. I'll try and be good." he promised solemnly.
Current Total Wordcount: 5013 Total Aedaun Slain: 8
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:24 am
Chapter 4: Finding Home Sam's P.O.V.
It was comfortable, warm, soft... Pleasant. Very pleasant... He could guess that he was snuggled into Levi's feathers, pressing his face into the soft fur lining the Diabi's neck, inhaling the sweet scent of... flowers? That was a peculiar scent for Oblivion to be wearing. He usually smelled kind of... bitter? Spicy? Not like flowers. There weren't any flowers near his mountain home, anyway. Even if there were, he doubted the feathered Alihora would go frolicking or rolling through them. When was the last time he'd seen Levi...? Weeks, for sure. Where had he run off to in such a rush, leaving Sam and Carrion to fend for themselves? Hmm... Sam and Carrion... What were they up to again? Hn, if Levi wasn't here, then what was this pleasant thing he was sleeping on-?
Sam snapped awake with a gasp, bolting upright and flinging his arms out before himself, tangling his long golden hair amongst his fingers and yelping as it tugged at his scalp and restrained him. His emerald orbs were wild as he stared this way and that, doing everything he could to gouge where on Magesc he was in this heavy darkness, white-blond strands obscuring his vision. Oh, Abronaxus where was he? Where was Carrion? The dragons? Dead, or, or what was happening again?
"You're awake!"
The Gaili's head whipped toward the sound, though his adjusting eyes still had trouble making out Carrion's bone-covered skull. With his son next to him and sounding so... chipper, oncoming danger seemed a bit less likely. Sam took a moment to orient himself, pushing long blond bangs from his face and rubbing his knuckles against his eyes. "Where are we?" He croaked out. His senses were returning. The last thing he remembered, he was bringing Carrion to the two-legged healer's after slaying a few Aedauns.
Carrion's weight landed near his feet. "The old woman let us stay with her! Aren't two-legger beds nice? I want one at home!" Two-legger bed? His eyes were starting to adjust. Now he could see Carrion plucking at the blankets with his claws, spinning out in a circle to knead the feathery mattress into the perfect position. "You've been out for a week, Dad! And I've learned all sorts of things from the old wom- Ouch!"
Sam's emerald orbs widened in horror. Did he say a week?! He'd slept for a whole week?! "Nonsense, child!" It took Sam a moment to place the voice of the old woman. He could just make out her form waddling across the room after having popped Carrion in the back of the head. "It's only been the night." She informed Sam coolly, pulling back the curtains to reveal the bright sunlight. The Gaili's eyes instantly burned, and he recoiled from the white light streaming into the room with a hiss. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need to regain your strength."
Samael rubbed his eye sockets and inspected this new terrain. Wooden floors, a desk in the corner, homey decorations... A real two-legger home! He was inside of one! Even had slept here! Sam turned back to the old woman. "I'm sorry. Not to be rude, or anything, but... who are you again? Why would you allow us to stay here?" Wait, had he even introduced himself? He didn't think so. "I'm Sam. This is my boy, Carrion." He added, gesturing to the foot of the bed.
"I'm Nystatia." The woman replied. "And you were drained performing a task for me, so it only seems fair that you should be allowed to recuperate in my abode. Now! Rest up!" She turned and strolled her way from the room, giving the young Ayrala's cheek a light smack as she passed. "Come, child! You can help me with my chores!" To Sam's great surprise, Carrion rose from the bed and flounced after her eagerly. What kind of world was this where two-leggers could simply invite Khehora's to stay in their home with them? It was... kinda wrong to him... Even if it was... pretty comfortable. Maybe another minute or two tucked beneath the warm blankets would be alright. He sank back down into the feathery softness, pulling the blankets over his head as he did so.
~~~
The days wore on. Sam rose occasionally to see what the woman and his boy were up to. Nystatia fed them, provided them with all the comforts she could, and even found a few two-legger clothes for Sam to change into. Within the next three days, the Gaili felt better. Recharged. Even kind of... Happy? Which was weird, since he assumed having a two-legger around consistently would only make him weary. The old woman never insisted they leave, despite how Sam was clearly up and about. So, the Gaili decided to take it upon himself.
"Thank you very much for your hospitality." Sam bowed his head to the woman, in a proper display of two-legger appreciation. "But it's time my boy and I are on our way, I think." Carrion let out a gasp of horror, but Sam quieted him with a flick of his tail.
The old woman nodded with a chuckle. "If ever you need a two-legger's assistance, you know where to find me. Now, off with yeh! I've got business to attend to!"
Sam couldn't help but grin. He collected Carrion to his side with a sweep of his tail, and the two departed. Carrion was clearly unhappy about the decision. "We really have to go home?" He griped as they passed through Ashen City's gates and headed into the forest beyond.
Sam shook his his head. "Not quite yet..." He murmured. He'd hate to be the one to admit that he'd really enjoyed sleeping in a two-legger home. Their beds alone were enough to sway him, with their soft mattresses and warm, silken sheets... His two-legged Khehorian body deeply appreciated the way the feather bed molded against all his curves in a way his cave-bedding never could. Not to mention, cooked food! He'd never cared too much about it before, but the old woman had showed him a new way of life! He couldn't leave his clan-life, of course, but maybe if he just had a vacation home... Couldn't be too close to Ashen City, of course. He doubted all two-leggers were like the old woman. So, he'd hunt down his own land. And build using his earthy magic!
But the location had to be perfect. Somewhere nice and quiet. With a river and trees nearby! But not so many trees that it blocked out the sun. And the river couldn't be so close that it would overflow or make his home muddy while he was away. And it had to be a short trip into the city, as well! He didn't want to carry all the supplies he'd need from too far away. Hmm... But where...?
As the trees thinned a bit, Sam heard the calm, peaceful sound of running water. He brightened instantly. This had to be the place! He could always alter it to better suit his needs, but -oh.
As he came upon the scene, he spotted three Aedaun dragons sunning and bathing. Why was it always Aedauns of late...? Didn't they have somewhere else to be? As the Gaili looked them over, he wondered if he could find a new locale. One with less... dragons. But the scene was perfect. Almost exactly what he imagined!
Carrion slunk up beside him and muttered, "Let's go, Dad... Before they notice us..."
Sam graoned softly. "No." He hissed out. "this place is amazing. I can't give it up to some dragons who'll be bored with it soon enough, anyway! Let's finish 'em off! Then I can build my own two-legger home."
The Gaili charged without another word, diving wholeheartedly into the throng of dragons, with Carrion tagging along behind. He swept his arms up as he planted his feet, calling forth a spire to impale a snoozing Aedaun right through the gut. It's eyes popped open in alarm, and it choked out a surprised sound as its claws scrabbled against the rocks. But there was no way for it to be saved now. After a few seconds, its life drained away, leaving behind nothing but an orb.
By now, the other two beasts had taken to the sky. One of them did a tight circle, then dove, hoping it's superior speed and weight would be enough to fell the two-legger Khehora. Carrion leaped over Sam's head as the dragon came down, landing squarely on its skull. It squirmed for a bit before turning upside down to flip him off, but Carrion clawed his way around the dragon's head and then down to its belly in only a matter of moments. As it glided over the spear of earth Sam had made earlier, the little Ayrala summoned a burst of wind from above, shoving the dragons wings out of the way and sending it crashing down onto the very Sam spear its companion had died on only moments before. One left.
And Sam was out for blood. The last dragon wanted nothing to do with the ground. The two-legged Khehora was clearly a Gaili. A powerful one. The farther Sam strayed from the ground, the less power he'd have. At least, that's what the dragon thought. But Sam didn't give a fudgecake about what the dragon thought. He crouched low. The very earth shook, then bolted up to launch him into the sky. The force rocketed Sam up, drawing nearer and nearer to the beast with each passing heartbeat. Until all Sam had to do was reach out and touch it... He grabbed the end of its tail as he shot by, still flying upward. It let out a roar as it was yanked about into a flip.
Sam fanned his wings to break then hurled the beast over his head and toward the ground. He spotted Carrion slipping out of the way from being mauled on the dragon's way down. the smaller Nekkora landed on it briefly and kicked off to send it down with a bit more force. Sam dove after it, making sure the Aedaun didn't have a chance to right itself as he crashed into its chest and slammed it into the dirt. There was a gush of blood, the sound of ribs cracking, the smells of a dying bowel movement being forced out. And then Sam was on the ground, laying in the mess.
"Ugh, dragon remains!" Sam griped, shaking a bit of popped dragon from his hair. Carrion joined him in the mess with a squeak of excitement, rolling about for a moment until the smell caught up to him.
"Ew, you need a bath, Pops!"
Current Total Wordcount: 6806 Total Aedaun Slain: 11
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:09 am
Chapter 5: Bath Time, Baby Carrion's P.O.V.
Carrion hated to admit that he kind of... enjoyed the way the last dragon's remains felt against his rough scales. It was thick and clingy like syrup, still warm from the dragon's body... But the smell. The little Ayrala had no problem rolling around in blood. But fecal matter and the remains of stomach contents were a completely different story entirely. It didn't even feel the same. All chunky and... rough, and... Carrion was suddenly overcome with the urge to vomit, himself. He scurried away from the mess, slipping slightly on a clod of dark brown ooze as he made his way to the river that was, thankfully, blissfully, right next to them.
Usually, Carrion enjoyed baths. He appreciated the cool water after a day of sunning, however... At this time of year, the water was like ice, and the Nekkora barely had a single claw submerged before he gave a shiver. He knew that if he only took the time to get used to it... He glanced back at his pops, only to see the large Gaili rolling about desperately in the grass, doing everything in his power to get clean without getting in the water. It was futile, of course. They both knew that... With a resolute sigh, Carrion wadded into the water, right up to his chest. His claws scrabbled at the pebbles at the river bottom, kicking up a small plume of mud from beneath them. Oh, the mud beneath the pebbles at the bottom of a river was always the softest, smoothest, slickest... Mm, maybe he should give himself a little reward for enduring the cold?
Ducking his head beneath the surface, he scratched away the layer of pebbles and debris that protected the cold, slick, thick mud just beneath them. It was difficult to see with the murky water and mud cloud obscuring his vision, but he knew what he wanted, darn it! He went up for another gulp of air before diving back down, smashing his skull directly into the cold mud and sliding it across the ground until he hit pebbles, then scraped back across the other way. By the time he resurfaced, the whole top of his skull was covered in greyish brown murk. It leaked down into his eyes and blurred his vision beyond what he was used to.
He dipped under and gave his head a shake to clear the mess away. Already, he could feel his limbs starting to go numb from the chilled water. He wouldn't be able to stay in much longer, at least... not without hurting himself. He resurfaced with a pleased gasp and turned his head to where Sam still sat on the bank. "C'mon, Old Man!" Carrion called back to him. "You aren't getting any younger, and the sooner you get in, the sooner you can get out! Besides, you definitely got the worst of the stink... Much worse than me, I'd say..." He added in a mutter as he slunk back out of the water.
When Sam huffed in annoyance and shook his head, Carrion scowled. Who was the adult here, again? he knew his old man abhorred baths, especially in water that went higher than his chest, but that was no excuse! He stank of decaying dragon innards! It was filthy, and Levi would never let him get away with it! The Nekkora turned to face his stubborn old man, then glanced back out to the water. He hadn't gone in very far, but he was sure if he did the liquid would envelope him entirely. Maybe a little scare would get Sam into the water... Carrion could swim well enough, so he wasn't too concerned about that... But the chill was starting to creep into his bones... Well, whatever. He wouldn't be out long.
He waddled out as deep as he short legs could carry him, before giving himself one final nudge out into the deepest part of the waters. And oh, it was cold. He dipped his head under and bounced, reaching out desperately for the bottom, but he felt nothing. He poked through the surface again. "Look, Dad! I can't touch!" He called out, as he floated farther away from Sam.
The Gaili raised his head from the grass and looked out toward him then, a ripple of golden hair cascading around him. His emerald orbs popped wide, and he was on his feet in only a second. "Carrion?! You come back here right now!" He demanded, already starting to tail the youngster from the bank. But Carrion floated on, carried along by the river. He could practically see Sam's frustration oozing around him like poison, but maybe that was just the cloud of stink from the mess he still hadn't washed off? Carrion ignored his commands and dog-paddled even farther away. "Carrion!" Sam warned, his voice rising. "If you don't return to me this instant, I'll-!"
Carrion stopped trying to escape as Sam cut off. He glanced toward his old man to see that he had ceased trying to chase him, and was now standing on the bank, staring up at the sky. Carrion followed his gaze. Flying just above him were two Aedaun dragons, beating their wings as they contemplated how best to scoop up the small Khehora splashing about in the water. The young Ayrala hardly noticed that Sam was calling out to him again, and running to stay near him. After only another moment, the dragons dove for him from two different angles, forming a 'V' as they shot down toward the water.
The Nekkora didn't wait to see which of them would hit him first. He ducked below the surface, paddling down for all he was worth. But the chill was setting in, and his limbs felt floppy and weak... Even with water clogging his ears, he could still hear the commotion from above, but he dared not look and see what was happening. Instead, he could only jolt in surprise as something breached the water near him, sending up a spray of bubbles. He hesitated for only a second before he summoned his magic around him and collected the tiny air droplets into one great-sized bubble, large enough to cover his maw and give him an extra gulp of air.
Whatever had landed near him was now thrashing, shoving Carrion this way and that with a heavy claw. If it was his Dad being held under by a dragon, then he'd need to breath! But if it was the dragon, then Carrion couldn't risk helping it and hurting his old man. With one powerful flap of his tail, he surged closer, reaching out to brush against heavy, thick scales and snapping teeth. The dragon! It batted him down harshly, and he spun through the water before righting himself and summoning up all the strength he could muster to force any remaining air from the dragon's lungs.
He heard it gasp and heave beneath the surface, felt it thrashing desperately before, finally it was still... Despite the ebbing danger, when Carrion tried to swim back up, he found that he could not. When he tried to call his magic forth, nothing happened. He only sank... Deeper and deeper into the water... His chest tightened, and his limbs refused to move. The edges of his vision blackened. His body twitched and jolted as it begged for air, and every muscle in his body burned desperately. But the pain subsided slowly, and then... he was ascending...
Dead..?
He gasped and spluttered as his body was dumped on the bank, choking and coughing as he forced all the water from his lungs. Despite being alive, fear engulfed him, and he looked around desperately for his father. When his eyes landed on a sopping golden sheet of hair, he knew they were safe. Both of them. "The dragons?" He croaked out curiously.
"Gone." Sam answered breathlessly. "I stopped one of them before it even touched the water. I don't think they knew I was with you. The other... well, I expect you helped with it a bit."
Carrion figured he probably should've replied. But he could only find it in himself to nod and flop back down against the cool pebbles. The sun still shone on his skin, helping (if ever so slightly) to warm him. He cracked open a ruby orb to peer at Sam again. Well, at least his old man had been forced in the water too. Maybe now he wouldn't stink so bad...
Current Total Wordcount: 8226 Total Aedaun Slain: 13
Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 7:29 pm
Chapter 6: The Scythemeister Sam's P.O.V.
Their ongoing adventures with the dragons only served as a slight deterrent in Sam's eyes, and actually made him love the location of his planned home even more. Yes, it did seem dangerous to be creating his own two-legged nest near so many powerful dragons, but he was doing Serenia a service by clearing them away. So, in that respect, he deserved a bit of their land, didn't he? It didn't look like anyone else was using it, after all... So he and Carrion spent the better part of the next week clearing out the perfect space. Any creatures that fluttered by were instantly dispatched and, if the two Khehora happened to be hungry, eaten. Brush was cleared. A small moat was carved from the river to prevent flooding, if it should ever happen. And finally, Sam started to build his walls.
He didn't have much to go on; just what he'd seen of the outside of the few two-legger's homes he visited. But for Samael, that was enough. He didn't need the fancy stone and marble walls of Ashen City's residents, or the glassy windows, or even the doors that swung open so neatly. After all, he'd lived in a cave for his entire life. These four stone walls were already much more sophisticated. At least... Sam thought they were. Although, as he and Carrion stepped back to survey the "home," he doubted any of the two-legger's would be...
"Er, Dad... It's just a box..." Carrion grumbled as he stared at the four straight walls, topped with another slab of straight brown stone. Sam frowned. It was probably pitch-dark inside, too... As the young Ayrala gazed skeptically back at him, Sam sighed. It was boring. It was dull. It was... not what he wanted at all.
The Gaili shook his head. "It just... Needs a few add-ons." In insisted wearily. And... maybe a window. And some decorations.Grumbling a bit, Sam set to work again, bending the earth and stones to his will. He wanted more than a box to live in! He wanted a home away from home! It was impossible to have with just four walls... So, he expanded, even if he wasn't entirely sure what he would do with the space... He was careful to leave a few holes on the outer walls, for nice daytime light, and even went so far as to turn his roof from a slab to a very pointed cone, perched atop his few new walls. It still wasn't as big as other two-legged homes he'd seen. But it was certainly more space than he needed! As he stepped back, he turned to his son once more. "How's that?" Sam asked curiously.
Carrion only shrugged as much as he could. "Better, I guess." Tch. Such a difficult child to impress.
The Gaili flicked his hair over his shoulder. "Whatever. Let's head back to the city. Maybe we can find a few things to fill it with." He snorted, kicking into the air without waiting to see if Carrion was behind him. His Ayrala son was a faster flyer than him, anyway... And he caught up easily. The two headed back toward Ashen City, barely speaking since the wind had a way of carrying their words away. Rather than pause at the gates like they had the first time, the two glided overhead and landed safely tucked away in a back alley. They emerged onto the busy street as if they belonged there, and Sam did his best to blend with the crowd of Orderites. With the Gaili in the lead, they headed off to peruse the wares.
Sam observed the shop signs carefully. What did he need in his home? What had the old woman had in her house? A bed, a table, a source of light, a kitchen...? Did he really need those things? The bed had been wonderfully comfortable against his two-legged skin... Maybe he should find one of those first. He ambled through a few shops, finding stores that sold textiles and some that used woodworking to build the frame. That's what the old woman's bed was made out of, right? But he didn't really need a bunch of wooden posts to hold up his cushions. He could easily make one of earth... With that in mind, he only purchased one long, soft-padded cushion: a cot, that could be easily rolled up and transported if that's what he needed. He also hunted down some soft bedding materials. The thin sheets and heavy comforters that had kept him warm and bundled up during his stay at the Orderite healer's home... He didn't have an ample amount of coins... But he did have a few, from a time when he'd raided an abandoned caravan. And the buys he'd just made ate most of them right up.
At this rate, his home wouldn't be furnished for quite a while... With a sigh, Sam tucked his new things away in a canvas sack and slipped it over his shoulder. Looks like they were heading back to the box already... But as the two stepped outside the door, the Gaili noticed a small crowd gathering nearby. "What're they doing, Da?'" Carrion questioned, having noticed the same thing. The Ayrala leaned precariously close, not taking a step without Sam's consent, but still helplessly curious.
The Khehorian rolled his eyes. "I guess we'd better go see..." Not that he was lugging a heavy pack of cloths around, or anything. But Carrion skipped ahead gleefully, easily, shoving his way through the crowds toward the front. Sam moved a little slower, gently coaxing his way through the mass. But as the sounds of a tussle reached his ears, he surged forward to see the commotion.
Two Orderite girls were brawling in a makeshift rink. Both wielded bladed weapons that seemed far too heavy for their petite bodies, but neither seemed to notice. One of the girls hefted an enormous double-handed sword. It had to be bigger than she was. She was noticeable slower, though her defenses seemed very impressive. But it was the other girl that caught and held Sam's attention. She had long, soft-looking mint hair, and three sets of dappled, tri-colored: golden, cream and bronze feathered wings that only managed to accent her luminous hazel eyes. She wore shimmering armor that seemed far too thin to do her any good. Not that it mattered. The other girl couldn't even land a hit on her.
But, most impressive of all, was her weapon. It was smooth, elegant... And despite its size, the hazel-eyed girl whipped and swirled it about like it was nothing. The sound it made, as the blade sliced through the air was like music, and it whispered to Sam in such a way that he was instantly mesmerized... "Who is that?" He whispered in awe, as she flipped through the air, slinging the golden-hilted scythe down with a delicate flourish.
A man standing near him heard Sam's uttered question and turned to gawk at him. "You don't know Rinza? She's like a goddess in her own right! Look at those wings! That body! I could just devour her!" He seemed to be drooling a bit...
Sam was instantly perturbed. Grabbing Carrion by the tail, he scooted them away from the questionable man. But the woman, Rinza, as he'd come to find out, was miraculous. Another sweep of that glistening golden scythe sent her opponent sailing backwards, crashing into the wooden fence unceremoniously. When it became clear that the other girl was incapable of further combat, Rinza hefted her scythe over her shoulder. "Well, anyone else?" She questioned. Her eyes and feathers were warm, but her voice was like ice. And as those hazel orbs found him in the crowd, Sam hopped the fence, leaving Carrion behind to gawk.
"I'll take you on." Sam volunteered as he entered the dirt patch. His emerald orbs were wide and curious, despite the slew of skeptical and annoyed stares he was receiving, from both the crowd and Rinza herself.
She tapped the butt of her weapon against the dirt. "What brings..." She hesitated, and the Gaili had the sensation that she was fighting not to use any offensive words. "A Khehora to Ashen City?" Rinza finished finally, locking her hazel orbs on him.
She may've expected him to say her name, but Sam was no liar. He grinned a little and swished his hips to the side, golden hair cascading around him. "I'm building a house down the road a little bit. I came only for supplies. But instead, I found... Something better." He smirked. Even as he did, a dull hum of disapproval radiated from the onlookers at the stranger's emboldened attitude, but Rinza returned the smirk with one of her own. Sam was delighted to see that she wasn't as icy as he'd originally thought. Above all, she was even bright.
The blade of her weapon crashed into the ground, sending up a spray of pebbles and debris. "You mean this, huh?" She asked cheekily. With a flick of her wrist she dragged the scythe free, flipping it around her with practiced ease. "Her name is Lumina, and there is no other like her." Rinza told him, reading his thoughts. At Sam's frown, she smiled waywardly. "No one can even forge a blade of this caliber. But... if you win, I'll tell you where to obtain something as close as a Khehora could possibly get." She didn't hesitate after that, and her scythe lashed out with brutal speed and accuracy, sending a barrage of Sam's on earthen element hurtling at him.
But he regained himself quickly, using his Gaili magic to surround and defend him from any further gritty onslaughts. He tried to capture her or render Rinza immobile with a jet of well-timed rock, but it became apparent very quickly that she was too agile to be caught in his traps or stalled by quicksand. At the start, he would've been certain that range was the only way to win against her. But as Rinza constantly evaded and deflected his attacks, Sam became positive that she would wear him thin before he could say the same of her.
The Gaili wasn't as fast or agile as Rinza. he had the earth on his side, but it seemed like the woman was just as capable of using her scythe to conjure up anything she may need to deter and stall him. As Sam launched a heavy boulder at her, she flipped over it, landing atop it as it sailed by. The Gaili let his magic envelope it, grinding the top edge to quicksand. But before it even had the chance to hit the ground, her scythe was smashing into it, splintering the boulder for the split second to free herself before Sam reformed it and chucked it at her again. But she was already on the ground and moving away, dodging all his attempts to stop her.
But Sam waited. It wasn't enough to attack her and hope he succeeded. He needed to anticipate her movements. It was a bit challenging when she was so... flighty, though... And as far as he could tell, he hadn't really had an opening so far. He needed to move in. He crouched low as a resounding wave from her scythe slashed overhead. With a powerful burst from the earth, he lunged forward. She skittered back, skipping out of his range. She flipped her weapon around to attack him. And Sam saw it. The blade coming toward him. He doubted the woman meant him any harm. But in the heat of battle, it was easy to get carried away sometimes.
For all that he'd watched that edge sheer through earth and rocks, he wasn't afraid; didn't try to dodge. This was his opportunity! His opening! As the blade sheered through the scales at his shoulder and cut deep down along his arm, he grabbed the pole. She was still just a small girl. Scythe or not, Sam's strength was superior. He yanked the weapon toward him. If she'd released it, she may have been okay, but, as Sam expected, she didn't.
He flipped her around, dragging Rinza through an ark across the sky. Without hesitation, he slammed her back into the ground. A pained grunt of surprise slipped from her lips, and then her grip around Lumina slackened. Sam stomped the ground, and in that instant that she was stunned, encased her in earthen restraints.
It seemed painfully quiet for several... minutes? Seconds? Sam could even hear the girl breathing... When her gaze finally looked up to find his, she smirked. "Alright, I guess you won that one."
~~~
Apparently, her special smith lived, not in Ashen City, but out in the wilds, in a direction opposite of Sam's own new abode. Rinza insisted on walking. She said it was better for them, though neither Sam nor Carrion agreed... The trek was long and arduous, and they all had wings, for Abronaxus's sake... But whatever. Rinza regaled them with tales of her battles, and Sam was quite pleased to see that he had an equal number of stories of his own to tell. Carrion listened to them with wide eyes. He was too young to add much, but he did mention the few Aedauns he'd battled so far...
At the mention of the light dragons, Rinza paused. "It's good to know that you can take on such powerful dragons. At least I know I won't have to defend you."
Sam tipped his head. "Defend us? Doubtful. But why would you think...?" The words hadn't even slipped out of his throat before he heard a nearby roar. In only seconds he was greeted with teh gnashing teeth and furiously beating wings on not one or two, but six Aedaun dragons.
Rinza beamed at him. "This pass is full of Aedauns! That's half the fun of walking, you know!" The mint-haired woman gave him a wink, then she charged ahead, her boots kicking up plumes of dust as she darted toward the nearest dragon. Lumina flipped free of its holster, then the scythe was arching through the sky like the reaper's edge, slashing heavily into the dragon's neck. Rinza kicked from the ground, flipping solidly around it and shearing neatly into the beasts's flesh. When she landed, the head of the Aedaun crashed at her side, before disintegrating into dust.
Sam couldn't help but smirk a little himself. He'd already bested this girl once. It wouldn't do to be outshined now! He dove ahead, running for all he was worth until a claw came out and slashed at him. He slid underneath it, landing beneath the Aedaun's belly and in range of all four of its powerful limbs. But it would never get the chance to launch another attack. With a wave of his arms, he summoned forth the ground beneath him, it careened around him to stab into the dragon's fragile underside. Although, he was sprayed with a slew of blood for his efforts. Though that body too, vanished into naught but an orb.
When Sam rose back to his feet, he turned to see Rinza fighting to remove the end of Lumina's pole from a third dragon's eyesocket, while it roared and thrashed and slung her around to try and free itself. Carrion had leaped aboard while it was distracted, and sank his fangs into the dragon's neck to try and still it long enough for Rinza to shove her weapon in a bit deeper, deep enough to pierce its brain and send it to oblivion.
Before it vanished completely, they both kicked away. The mint-haired girl flung herself directly into another dragon, splicing through its gut, but not before a heavy claw could slam into her, sending her sprawling backwards. Sam dove toward it. Despite the wound, it still trudged forward, following after Rinza as she quickly righted herself. But Sam threw his weight into it, sending it to the ground. With a mighty kick, he hefted a boulder up, then slammed it against the Aedaun's head. And then repeated it again, just for good measure. It didn't stand a chance.
When Sam turned, the fifth dragon had Carrion pinned to the ground, nearly crushing the small Ayrala with just its forelimb, and the only thing keeping it from digging its jaws into him was the constant gush of strong wind hurtling at its face. It twisted and snapped as Carrion writhed to free himself. Sam moved in, going with the force of the earth propelling him, and drove his claws into the dragon's neck. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly he was grabbing, but he latched onto something in that slick mess and pulled. The Aedaun jerked like it was on a leash, and went down without much more of a fight.
When Sam turned back to look for Rinza, he spotted her wiping blood from her scythe, and the sixth dragon had already fallen behind her. She inspected the weapon for cleanliness, then flipped it around and tucked it away. With a loud huff, she dusted herself off and walked toward them. "Well, let's continue on our way, shall we?"
Current Total Wordcount: 11099 Total Aedaun Slain: 19
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Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:30 pm
Chapter 7: Farewell Carrion's P.O.V.
When all was said and done, Carrion was pretty much certain that the hoard of dragons they'd faced on the way to Rinza's friend's house, had in fact just been another test of sorts. He didn't mind too much. More orbs for him, but what if they'd all really been in trouble from it...? He tried not to dwell on the thought, especially now. It had happened a few days ago, by this time. Rinza had already departed, just leaving Sam and Carrion to wait for his weapon to be finished. The little Ayrala would've demanded one of his own for all the trouble he'd been through, except... Well, he didn't have hands. It wouldn't be particularly useful to him now. Maybe later... Once he'd transformed himself... But his Da's specially-made scythe was supposed to be done today, and Carrion couldn't help but be a little excited to see it...
As the smith emerged from his workshop, carrying something long and heavy-looking, wrapped in cloth, Carrion perked up. He still wasn't near as quick as Sam was to rise. The Gaili bounded over, his emerald orbs bright with excitement as the man passed the bundle off to him. "Why don't ye go and try it out? Ye can come back if there's something you don't like about it." The smith said. Before Sam had the chance to peek, they were both being bustled back out into the forest.
Sam hardly stepped off the threshold before he was tearing past the cloth to reveal his new weapon. It wasn't as shimmery as Rinza's, Carrion noted as he leaned back on his haunches to observe. But it glistened in it's own right It had an almost glassy look to it that Carrion couldn't identify the substance of... "Well, it looks nice." The young Orakovan commented as Sam pressed the blade against his palm. Carrion gasped as an oozing trickle sprung forth, a testament to the steel's sharpness.
"Do you think I can handle it like Rinza can?" Sam asked. And Carrion could see clear as day that his father was... somewhat smitten with her. She had been a pretty lass.
Nonetheless, Carrion shook his head. "I doubt it." He admitted. "Ya'll are nothing alike." He tried not to shake his head at the obviously offended look Sam was sending him.
Sam spun on his heel, putting his back to the youngster. "We'll just have to go hunting, then." He snorted, flipping the blade over his shoulder in what Carrion figured was how Sam thought Rinza looked. He stifled a chuckle as he followed his Old Man.
His Old Man... Sam was kind of old... in Carrion's eyes, at least. I mean, the little Ayrala was an adult, and he'd known an adult Sam for his entire life. That had to make Sam... old. Maybe too old... Maybe so old that Carrion should head out on his own, and let Sam and Levi be... whatever Sam and Levi wanted to be. He sighed, and Sam hissed out, "Sh!" As he poked his head between some branches, to spot a single Aedaun resting in the grass.
Sam hefted his scythe, crouching low like he knew what he was doing with the strange, new weapon. Carrion could only smirk. This would be good no matter what the outcome was... He was sure of it. Taking a breath, Sam dove from his cover, swinging around the weapon with no grace or poise at all. Carrion actually felt embarrassed for him at the strange sight he made, tossing his whole weight forward and whipping the blade around like someone who clearly lacked skill.
The dragon jolted as the sound of what easily could have been a stampede reached it, and it sat up just in time for Sam to crash into it and to start hacking away like a madman. The dragon flopped about only briefly, aiming an already weakened claw that Sam easily bypassed as he repeated forced the sharpened tip of his blade down into the dragon's hide over and over again.
Carrion winced as he watched the horrors unfold. Watch his Da be spattered in Aedaun blood as the beast crumbled and shriveled to little more than bloody ooze pulp on the ground. Still grimacing, Carrion walked forward. "Maybe a club would've been better for you." He commented, as Sam took to wiping his blade off on the grass as he'd seen Rinza do previously.
"Oh, quiet..." Sam scoffed, clearly realizing that he'd only succeeded in making a terrible mess. It wasn't anything like Rinza could do. "It'll just take practice." he retorted, trying his best not to look miffed.
Carrion snorted in amusement, then tried to choke back a bit of laughter as a scowl was sent his way. "You'll have to ask Rinza to teach you. You obviously can't learn all by yourself! At least, not if you hope to be as good as her before you die!" Die... That wasn't funny. It was kind of mean, actually, and Carrion frowned a bit at his own comment. The Gaili still had plenty to learn. And he'd need to devote his attention more readily to these new things. And not worry... about showing Carrion the ropes any more. The Ayrala tipped his head. He'd already had an amazing amount of luck taking on so many Aedauns. Maybe he could even defeat Oblivion... But that didn't matter. He did want to explore on his own for a while. Maybe scour out a home of his own.... A home that wasn't directly under his Da's wing... Carrion's ruby orbs turned to meet Sam's. "Dad... I think... I'd like to explore for a while." Sam's emerald gaze was soft, and without a doubt Carrion could see that he was about to agree, so he added, "Without you."
Current Total Wordcount: 12070 Total Aedaun Slain: 20
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