Some of the soldiers staying behind promise to keep an eye on Chest Thumper--though most of them are well aware the big ape-thing can take care of himself.
Once the party have settled into the saddles on the backs of the dragonkin, they... wait. The signal hasn't yet come to begin their phase of the assault. A few quiet words are shared, but at this point both dragonkin and ryphorians are focused on listening, waiting for the moment to spring into the air. The party members can feel the tension in the dragonkin they're mounted on.
Then the signal comes, and draconic wings snap as one. Soon the group sails over the walls of Spurhorn and into the darkness beyond. To the north, fires burn bright in the overcast night, the battle around the supply depot visible only as slight flickers as something moves in front of one of the blazes.
The party's target, however, is lit by only a few lights at this late hour. No sounds save for the whistling of the wind surround the strike force, even as they close in on the lights below.
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The adrenaline of the flight easily overcomes the anxiety of waiting as Fin feels only exhilaration now. These dragonkin are such magnificent creatures…
As they approach the General, he looks to Sakitu, saying, ”Remember, Hlao-roo, close but not too close…”
As they move into range, Fin draws his longbow and casts Gravity Bow…
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Her insides churn. Despite the cold air flowing across her face, she starts to sweat. Sakitu tries to keep herself from trembling but the anxiety of the upcoming battle is almost too much to bear.
"Remember, Hlao-roo, close but not too close…"
Just the sound of Fin's gentle voice soothes her. She replies, "Don't worry, I'll stay close. And you. You better not get yourself injured or killed."
She turns her focus to the landing point.
Kalchine is no dragonkin rider by any stretch of the imagination. But, everyone stationed at Spurhorn gets at least rudimentary training in case the dragonkin need to be used for evacuation or situations like this.
He does his best to remember that training (it largely breaks down to hold on, stay low and don't help. It's harder for the dragonkin to adjust for someone trying to shift their balance around than it is for them to just deal with a neutral weight.)
His eyes narrow as they get close and he wishes Chest Thumper was here and that he had more time to prepare for this strike. The group is depending on him for healing and he's going to be depending on a wand.
"Woooohahahahaaaaaa!" Maka yelled in excitement as the Dragonkin she was riding launched from the citadel.
And Ironskin as well.
The strike force flies in silence as the lights grow closer, until an alarm cry rises from the camp beneath. The Dragon Legion dragonkin dive swiftly, spreading out as they near the ground. Several attack guards that were starting to respond, leaving those dragonkin carrying the party to drop you off before joining the melee. They are able to open a path through the camp, at the end of which you can see in the flickering light of a fire two dragonkin--one equipped with a glaive much like the others you've seen, the other a silver-scaled dragonkin with a scimitar of ice.
General Malesinder.
Despite his heavier armour Bulvi was able to keep pace with Quasit as they closed on the general.
Maka skated along the frost covered ground as flames propelled her forward. Skidding to a stop, Maka sent a blast of flames towards the general.
All but one of Fin's arrows strike true, as does Maka's fire blast. General Malesinder roars in pain and rage while her bronze-scaled bodyguard moves forward to intercept Bulvi and Quasit, aiming a vicious slash as Quasit.
Selena hops off her mount to float in behind everyone landing, and launches a wisp of smoke that billows up around the guard with an electrifying display.
The Drakelands general charges forward, leaving Quasit and Bulvi to her guard and targetting Maka. She snarls a command word as she raises her scimitar to strike, and the blade glows a pale, icy blue as it slashes toward the fiery monk.
The blade bites deep, but the chill it carries bites deeper, slowing Maka's reactions.
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The speed at which dragonkin could move their huge forms was truly terrifying. In the blink of an eye the general had closed the distance Maka, the glowing blade in her clawed hands biting deep into the fire monk. The icy magic of the blade left Maka partial encased in blood red ice, impacting her movement.
But it was not fear that the general saw in Maka's eyes, but anger and determination. Taking an unnaturally deep breath, Maka's chest ballooned before a gout of blue flames erupted from Maka's throat in a thunderous roar.
Bulvi nods at Quasit before raising his shield and striking his blade against it with several loud clangs trying to get the attention of the draconic creatures as he moves towards the general.
Kalchine hustles toward the fight, pulling out his wand since it seems as though it's going to be needed.
Bulvi looks towards the general but seeing them fall to the ground he begins to circle around the bodyguard to open up opportunities for Maka.
General Malesinder falls to Maka and Fin's assault, her fried scales hissing as they hit the snow and raise a brief cloud of steam.
The remaining bodyguard roars as it swings at Bulvi while he closes.
Its swing goes wide, but it reverses direction more swiftly than seems possible for a creature its size and swings at Quasit as well, who narrowly dodges underneath the swing and stabs it. Snarling in rage it drops the glaive and attacks Quasit with claws and teeth.
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An eruption of flames shattered the ice around Maka and sent the fire monk racing towards the remaining dragonkin. Small explosions from her hands and feet made her movement erratic, looking to avoid any counter attack from her foe. Though her arms were covered in wounds from fire, ice, and halberd, that did not make the fiery flurry of her attack did not waiver.
The dragonkin guard staggers as Fin's arrows impact it, then Maka's fire blade takes it right in the chest. With a hissing gurgle it topples to the side and lies still.
Seeing their General slain, the remaining Drakelands troops start disengaging from the Skyfire forces and retreating into the night. For their part the defenders of Spurhorn do not give chase.
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Fin silently pumps his fist in the air as the dragonkin bodyguard drops…but to be sure, eyes the camp cautiously to make sure there are no more surprises awaiting them…the other enemy dragonkin fleeing the fight confirm it for him and walks over to Sakitu and grins sheepishly. ”As you requested, Hlao-roo, I did not die. That went better than I expected…no bloody dragon’s breath and no charges this time. We should go check on Quasit though; that dragonkin hit her pretty hard…”
When they get to her, Fin hides the wince he feels from seeing the gash in Quasit’s side, presenting her with a courtly bow. ”That was a bold move, m’Lady, and well-struck…you’re braver than I, Q…after the beatings I took from those dragonkin, I wouldn’t have tried standing toe-to-toe with ‘em. How are you feelin’? I know they pack a punch and that wound looks pretty bad…Kalchine, have you got your wand handy?”
When Maka lands, he gives her a high 5. ”Well done, Mistress of Fire…you were downright lethal up there. Wouldn’t surprise me if these Triaxians name you ‘Dragonslayer’…but then again, probably not, as the friendly dragonkin might not cotton to that. Any way, well-earned hot baths await us all of at Spurhorn tonight…”
Fin searches the corpses of Malesinder and her bodyguard, in addition to their camp…
After the search, he’ll anxiously await their return flight to Spurhorn…
Maka roared in victory as flames erupted from her throat. A long day of battle had finally come to an end. The challenge had been exhilarating and hard fought. Every part of her ached from overuse and injury. But victory was theirs and all her friends remained standing.
When Maka lands, he gives her a high 5. ”Well done, Mistress of Fire…you were downright lethal up there. Wouldn’t surprise me if these Triaxians name you ‘Dragonslayer’…but then again, probably not, as the friendly dragonkin might not cotton to that. Any way, well-earned hot baths await us all of at Spurhorn tonight…”
Clapping Fin's hand sent a shock of pain running up Maka's arm, but she did her best to grit her teeth and bare it. "That would be nice, but I'd prefer food. I've used a lot of fire today." As if on queue, Maka's stomach growled almost as loudly as she just had.
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Fin nods. ”Aye, indeed you have, Maka, you saved our butts today. Without the ring, I’d be much the same,” he says as he holds up his left hand before quipping, ”while it sates my hunger and thirst, it does nothing for my appetite for a hot bath…”
Turning to Sakitu, he smiles. ”Saki, it’s been a long day, you need to eat as well…I can wait till after we eat…I can drink more of that fermented lichen while you eat, it’s growing on me…”
Fin nods. ”Aye, indeed you have, Maka, you saved our butts today. Without the ring, I’d be much the same,” he says as he holds up his left hand before quipping, ”while it sates my hunger and thirst, it does nothing for my appetite for a hot bath…”
"We all saved all of our butts!" Maka said with a thumbs up and a toothy grin.
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”That was a bold move, m’Lady, and well-struck…you’re braver than I, Q…after the beatings I took from those dragonkin, I wouldn’t have tried standing toe-to-toe with ‘em. How are you feelin’? I know they pack a punch and that wound looks pretty bad…Kalchine, have you got your wand handy?”
Quasit is busy wrapping a makeshift bandage about her midsection as Findurel comes up to her.
"Yeah, he got me good a couple of times. But I'm so numb from the cold that I barely feel it." she says, not quite truthfully.
"C'mon, let's search that big tent. Let's grab anything that looks like maps or communications, and anything obviously magical. Search the body of the general and grab something off her too, as a token. 5 minutes and then we're outta here."
"Yeah, he got me good a couple of times. But I'm so numb from the cold that I barely feel it." she says, not quite truthfully.
"Why didn't you say so? Here give me you hands." Maka replied as she took Quasit's hands into her own. Giving her friend's hands a quick squeeze, Maka released them to reveal a small ball of fire hovering in Quasit's palms. "There, you get warm and we'll look around."
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Quasit is busy wrapping a makeshift bandage about her midsection as Findurel comes up to her.
"Yeah, he got me good a couple of times. But I'm so numb from the cold that I barely feel it." she says, not quite truthfully.
"C'mon, let's search that big tent. Let's grab anything that looks like maps or communications, and anything obviously magical. Search the body of the general and grab something off her too, as a token. 5 minutes and then we're outta here."
Fin nods. ”Roger that…I’m ready for a short rest before we make for Ivoryglass and the second key. Here, Q, let me help…hold the bandage tight and I’ll tie it off for you.” He tries to cause Quasit as little discomfort as possible, though tying it securely so it won’t unravel, before he starts to search…
"Before we go rushing off. I've been dead a few times and I'd rather not see enemies copy that feat. Grab the head and burn the rest to ash and send it off into to the wind." Selena remarks, eying Maka and the dragons in particular. Then she looks for any sign of a familiar or signet.
If she finds a signet ring or similar, she'll make a tombstone of ice with it.
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"Why didn't you say so? Here give me you hands." Maka replied as she took Quasit's hands into her own. Giving her friend's hands a quick squeeze, Maka released them to reveal a small ball of fire hovering in Quasit's palms. "There, you get warm and we'll look around."
Quasit regards the swirling ball of fire in both her gloved hands in much the way she'd act if Maka had just dropped a large spider there.
"Oh. Oh wow. Um--hey, I don't think I can...oh geez. Ooh, ok..."
She cautiously moves a cheek toward the little fire ball, not quite certain what to do with it. She turns and begins to move slowly and rigidly toward the tent, carrying the spinning flame like a cup of hot liquid in a cup full to the brim, but then soon stops, grimacing under her scarf.
She tries to slowly move one hand away, and hold the fire in only one hand, and is able to do so. She then carefully moves the fire back and forth between her hands, rapidly gaining confidence in her ability to handle it effectively.
"You know, I used to juggle for coppers sometimes when I was a kid." she says, tossing the little fire into the air. But that release bursts the little bubble of fire and it whizzes off into three directions with a sharp hissing pop causing Quasit to squeak in alarm but otherwise harmlessly dousing itself in snow.
"I'm all right. I'm fine." she assures the biting wind.
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”Roger that…I’m ready for a short rest before we make for Ivoryglass and the second key. Here, Q, let me help…hold the bandage tight and I’ll tie it off for you.” He tries to cause Quasit as little discomfort as possible, though tying it securely so it won’t unravel, before he starts to search…
Quasit at first seems a trifle impatient when Findurel comes up and starts fussing with her bandages. The elf won't need to be a healer to see that the wound is deep and still seeping a fair amount of blood through the linen cloth, and she winces noticeably as he tightens the dressing, but she otherwise hold still and lets him help. "Thanks." she says quietly. "I wouldn't say no to a good long nap myself. This has been a long day."
She looks around, taking a quick inventory of her group, then looks down again at her wounded belly.
"Another scar, I guess." she says. "I feel like I'm using up my nine lives."
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"Another scar, I guess." she says.
Fin nods. ”Aye, and one you can brag about at a pub over a pint of ale; I doubt many humanoids have survived a straight up fight with a dragonkin. Those glaives they use leave a nasty mark…they carved me up like sliced turkey on Archerfeast. At the baths tonight, I ‘spect the marks on my chest and back will make me look like a refugee from the slave pits in the Darklands…”
"I feel like I'm using up my nine lives."
Fin grunts, then says in a somber voice, ”I know what you mean. Seems like ages since we were in Heldren…Yu Khan, Alexia…they only got the one life…never thought we’d get this far with how we started…been through so much now though, I can’t see us not finishing it…”
He ponders just a moment, before his somber look turns to a smirk. ”Oh well, no use thinking on that, might give me bad dreams. Just think, if we’re lucky, we can show off our scars tonight and maybe they’ll give us a lifetime supply of fermented lichen, in addition to the key…”
Kalchine gapes at the corpse of Malesinder then the group who so easily brought her down for a long time.
"If you would have come earlier, this war would have ended years ago," he comments to no one in particular.
He hurries to catch up to Quasit. "Scars are just lasting signs of bravery," he comments. He has his wand ready and begins a liberal application of its magic.
His ears flick and he can't quite meet her eyes as he slides the bandage away to examine her stomach. The place on her stomach where the wound was.
"You are a spectacular leader," he says, looking up at her face then giving a little cough and turning to Malesinder's tent.
He draws up the power of the land to search for auras of magical disruption.
Selena has a sudden thought and asks Kalchine, "Do you think they might sign, and honor, a peace treaty to get their general back?"
"No witchity witch stuff!"