Tremors in the Earth....C1, Racksom (4th Board)

(reposting better intro)Kono beat his wings slowely, reveling in the feeling of the wind beneath them, filling them like sails taking him high. High into the night sky where he slowely circled letting the drafts take him even higher. The only problem was that up here you could see for miles and what he saw disturbed him. Pillars of black smoke rose from a location in the distance, quinsalla. It wasn't just the smoke of a freak fire either. It seemed like the whole village was burried in it.

Alarmed he flapped his wings until he hung suspended over Racksom, If someone had attacked Quinsalla and conquered it the next logical location in his mind would be Racksom, the nearest city. He folded his wings tight to his body. Dropping like a rock from the sky. The city below rushed up to him, but he didn't make any motion to stop until he spotted the tower (there is one right?) rising up to meet him . He fell past the top of the tower for a few floors until he was satisfied that it was safe.

Twisting in the air he snapped his wings open groaning as the wind strained against his flight muscles. The wind filled his wings with a loud woosh as they filled like sails halting his body in it's rapid decent, though he still did fall quite a few more feet. Flapping hard he brought himself back up to the top of the tower and glided in a quick circle before alighting atop it. Breathing hard he folded his wings slightly. Searching the dark ground of the city below, he beggan protectively scouting for humans aproaching the resting place of the stone. He shut his mouth gathering his breath, though anger still gleamed in his eyes.

Tension lined the air so thick one might be able to slice it with a knife, even she could sense this as she finally awoke from a slight slumber. Her eyes adjusting to the darkness that now coated the sky, the stars even seemed to be hiding from the rest of the world this night. How quaint, she mused as her slender figure stood to her feet and stretched. Eyes wandering about the trees, nothing seemed to be there, so with a final unamused sigh she walked out of the treeline and back onto the dirt road. Her boots lightly kicked dirt as her hips swayed slightly. Her skirt long on one side, while ever short on the other with gold trimmings, however the shorter side was all gold in color. Her top was cropped and showing a well toned middle section. Her top the same creamy white color as well as te gold trim. It had one shoulder-like strap while the other was merely tighter against her flesh. Altogether a simple outfit of sorts. Swords hung easily across her back in their sheaths, the size seemingly unatural compared to her slender size, but this was a mere natural ploy.


The sound of claws soon scuffed beside her signaling her partners arrival from his hunt. Zhylander nudged her with his nose, his long neck extending down to her shoulder with the touch. The two were typical partners, strong willed and able to rely on each other. His strengths balanced her weaknesses while his weaknesses were balanced with ehr strengths. They just fit together perfectly. The night is young and yet it seems as though it is at itsssss end, he stated with a hiss as he walked along her side, ears trained to hear for potential dangers while his senses remained on high alert. He wished she would turn away sometimes, but he knew her far to well, that was simply not done. When she felt she had to go somewhere, she went. No matter the danger.


Korin sighed and glanced at Zhylander, crystalized blue eyes studying his much larger form. A slight smile formed upon slightly reddened lips, "Zhy, we're fine. They need us here. They paid us well. More than the other side did. We'll be fine. Calm down," she stated with a small smile. And with that Zhylander gave a curt nod, she was right... they could do this. He walked in front of her and lowered her shoulder, allowing her to climb on. After this they walked closer towards the town, their pack of extra weapons and armor sitting behind her where it had been tied earlier that day.

He rubbed his eyes as the once beautiful world of night had grown dangerous and full of terrible things. He had been flying high in the clouds when smoke had caught his attention from below. The young avian was not one to let people be in danger, if he could help it. He pulled in his wings close to his body and began the dizzying descent towards the ground. This exhilarated him like nothing else. At the very last second he would pop open his black feathered wings. The rush of wind that hit him was hard to control at first but after doing it for so long he ladened like a pro. After landing, he stood just outside the city to prepare for whatever horrible creatures might be plaguing this particular town.

Kol was an average size Avian. His chest and arms adorned sculpted muscles that were just the right size. He had lightly tanned skin and short, blonde hair, though with his current attire one couldn't really tell. He wore a simple form fitting, white, sleeve-less, shirt with black pants held by a brown belt and black boots. Over top he had a dark cloak to disguise himself if need be.The cloak had been perfect to hide his wings(That were tightly wrapped around his torso) and let him bled into larger crowds. He had been been trained to fight and he was good at it.

He had gently touched the hilt of his sword that hung by his hip. The comforting action helped keep him focused many times in the past. Someone really wouldn't understand unless they themselves had been a warrior. His sword felt like an extension of himself. Shaking his head of the memories of the past, Kol walked into the city. He drew his hood up and began searching for signs of life.

Slumber, such a troublesome thing, and yet he had been snared in its infernal grasp. A low echoing snarl rumbled through the trees, his tail lashing to the side as his wings pounded through the night sky. Eerie irridescent red eyes scanned the lower grounds, soemthing was pulling him in this direction, thus him coming here. If had not been for this, he would not be here. Another gutteral growl escaped from agape jaws, plumes of shadowey smoke lifted through his mouth and nose.

Yes, the battle Blood dragon had arisen, his power shuddering through his larger form with each passing beat of his wings against the air. It had been awhile since this... chaotic monstosity had been loose to wreak his havoc. Somehow someone had managed to place him under a spell... too bad it broke too many years before it was supposed to ease away. A low rumbling chuckle resounded deep from within his large chest as his tail whipped against the black ink that was the starless sky. The sound a mimick of a strike of thunder, echoed by a resounding roar. A roar so unique to such a monstrosity that was this dragon. Ahhh, it feels good to be free... Damn that creature, he growled inwardly. He had not yet known who had commited the deed to him being trapped, little did he care. He had broken the spell, proving he was stranger than what the insolent human could have ever hoped. What any could have hoped.

He shook his head as the outer-city lights began to show up in the distance, a smile creasing against his dark lips as the bloody tribal markings echoed across his obsidian black scales. Tonight they would bathe in blood.

Kono growled protectively but was distracted by a strange sound he heard farther off. It almost sounded like thunder, but within that thunder came a dark chill. One he hated from the first second. He felt that whateve had made the sound was dangerouse. Almost as dangerous as the ones who caused the burning of Quinsalla. Kono leaned closer to the tower lifting his wings and arching his back aggresively. He let out a threatening growl inot the sky hoping for two things. One to scare off whatever was coming, and two, to get the attention of possible help for a battle he felt was most likely coming.

Looking down to the ground below once more. He clawed at the edges of the tower.People seemed to suddenly appear from the edges of the town. He curled his tail around the edge of the tower. tensing his muscles. With his instincts already of the full defensive his mind was thinking any of these eoople could be allies. His mind only contaiined one thought. 'Protect the stone'

(sorry thats all I could think of)

Deos looked quickly to the sky as that terrible sound washed over the city, her heart hammering against her chest at an elevated place. Short clips of the vision that she'd had flashed before her eyes, accompanied by new snapshots of flying blood, broken bodies on the streets, and a bright arc of terrible flame in the darkness. Tonight seemed to be quite the active night for her seer powers to be kicking in. She nearly lost her balance, and leaned against the nearest wall, holding her head and closing her eyes against the flashing visions, taking deep breaths until she could stand on her own once more. Her suspicions were all but confirmed now; something terrible was happening in Dragons Cove. The responding roar had her looking up to the guard tower, to see the dragon that was stationed there. She hadn't noticed the creature before, having not been awake for it's decent upon the town. Having no inclination to see what the roaring dragon had it's scales up about, she headed in the opposite direction, toward the edge of town instead.

She had no knowledge of the others passing around her, and was hardly aware of the nightlife until she heard a slight hiss. Deowynn looked up as she turned a corner, and saw before her a woman and dragon walking casually down the street. Her first impression of the woman was that she was somewhat pretty, which immediately made the noble-born dislike her. The second impression she had of the two was that the dragon, if indeed that's what it was, was not something she'd like to cross in a dark alley way. The way that it seemed to disappear in the darkness of the night unnerved the seer, and she cautiously bowed her head in a submissive way, hoping to provoke no violent action. That would be hardly pleasant, having to surrender to a couple of thieves, only for them to find out that she carried no valuables on her person. Perhaps, her unkempt appearance of a simple wandering gypsy would protect her from such an outcome.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Vann had practically reached the bottom of the tower the dragon had been perched on by the time that it had roared out in response to the thunderous sound that had boomed out across the sleeping city. Many children would be having nightmares this night, it would seem. He was busy examining the tower entrance, wondering if he should climb the stairs to meet the dragon and see what it was making such a fuss about. Then again, he didn't really want to climb all those stairs. Instead, he cleared his throat and mustered his voice, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Oi! Dragon! For what reason do you crow?" He yelled up the side of the tower, hoping his voice would reach the beast. He knew very well that some dragons were dangerous for humans to confront, but this one didn't seem the type to go rampaging around the city killing folks. If that was its intention, it would have done so already.

Kol drew his hood closer to his body as he felt a warm wind blow past him. As he looked up, a dragon came into sight. Upon closer inspection he noticed that there was a human attempting to speak with the dragon. He decided for the time being, it would be best to hold back and find out what was going on. Kol didn't really like surprises especially ones that could involve death.

As he took another look around he saw a women skirting around, as if she was avoiding something. She didn't look like much a treat but if she were to be harmed it wouldn't sit right with Kol. The dragon didn't look like it was going anywhere so helping this woman out, or at least getting some information but be helpful.

Kol let down his hood but kept the cloak around his body. Keeping his wings hidden but to look less threatening to the woman. In his youth he learned the hard way that woman tend to run in fear at a cloaked man staggering up to them. He shook his head at the silly, yet distant memory. Kol slowly walked up to the woman and stopped to give her plenty of room if she felt uncomfortable with his presence (either that or he would find out if she were a danger to him). "My lady...Is there something I can help you with? ...Or perhaps, do you know what happened to this city?" He tone was even and cool.
As he waited for her reply, he noticed another woman walking along side a dragon. So that is what this woman was attempting to hide herself from. Dragons were not creatures to mess with and from his experience their riders were no joke either.


*cough* It was pointed out to me that No one would know who Kol is talking to...He is talking to Deos.

Kono's eyes focused on a man as he heard someone shouting up to him. Kono flicked his tail again letting the tip of his tail rest on the sill of a tower window. He blew out a puff of smoke through his nostrils, "I roar for help, and to protect these people from...something." He responded looking back inot the clouds for a second, "From something I fear will be too much for me to handle on my own." He finished and lifted his wings as if to take off then a thought hit him. He abruptly turned to the human, "Where do your allegences lie?" He asked. If this man was part of good clan he may be able to rally up others who were willing to help, maybe even get the attention of a few other dragons, but if he alligned himself with neutral or the terrible evil that seemed to be coming, Kono couldn't trust this man and leave to take the fight away from the city. The stone was too important to leave unprotected in a time of crisis. So he waited watching the man, waiting for his reaction.

She was so caught in trying to avoid trouble, that she didn't even notice the second figure in the street, approaching her directly. At the sound of his voice, she looked up, a little bit startled, and inwardly cursed at the show of weakness. Deos examined the man closely, taking in his features and cloaked figure quickly, determining that he wasn't about to rob her. He looked... kind, which was a trait she was personally unfamiliar with, but recognized in other people as a chance to control a persona more easily. Recovering herself, she lent the man her best smile, though was careful to continue to look a little shaken by his sudden presence. Kind people always felt the need to help out the frightened and meek, neither of which she actually was. "No, good sir, I don't believe that I'd need any assistance from you, I am just taking a walk around the streets." Her voice quivered slightly, and intentionally, trying to convey her false fear. Deos had become an excellent actress in the years she had been separated from her family, though she'd always been an astonishingly convincing liar nearly from the day she could speak. "And this city... It's state has been declining for quite some time, good sir. The sickness and poverty have long been coming."

*~*~*

Vann considered the dragon's words for a moment, wondering exactly what he meant by sides. He assumed that the dragon meant that there was some kind of battle going on, but as far as he knew, Dragons Cove hadn't known war for hundreds of years. Again, he cupped his hands over his mouth so that his voice would make it up the tower. "I claim no allegiance, dragon. I don't know to what sides I would even be able to join. What are you calling help for? Or what from? Is the city under attack?" That alone would have worried the man. He had no interest in war-making, and even though he spent practically every day of his life as a murderer, he had no interest in killing if it wasn't for the soul purpose of pleasing the voices in his head. The last thing the serial killer wanted was to be drafted to the side of some battle or another and be in close contact with tons of other men on a daily basis.

Kol took in the features of the woman. She looked unharmed for the most part but seemed a little shaken. "It is not safe, my lady, to be walking out here alone. There are beasts among us that even I would not dare approach. May I escort you back to your home?" He had a worried look on his face. He knew that he had seen a dragon coming into the city and now there was another one along with its rider. He did not want to tale the chance of leaving this woman to have to defend herself against the creatures.


(Wow...Serious writers block, sorry...but at least I posted. =D )

Kono looked to the sky then returned to looking at the man gripping his claws against the hard stone of the tower chipping the stone slightly and sending a spray of dust towards the ground, "I fear it might be soon. Our neighbor Quinsalla has been burned to the ground. I fear what will happen to the cove with this city in the hands of whatever is coming." This man didn't allign himself with the guardians than he couldn't chance leaving the stone unprotected. He hissed at his horrible luck, "Why tonight?" He mumbled to himself.

Kono heard a faint rapping on the gates of he city. He looked towards the wooden gates and squinted. He could just make out a figure on a horse and it seemed to be yelling to him, but he didn't want to leave his position so he just wiggled foward slightly and beat his wings in a large sooping motion while cocking his head. flicking his tail like a cat. Hoping that whatever it was would uderstand that he was confused.

(uuhhhh yeah)

He wanted to take her home, eh? How startled would this Samaritan be to learn that she lived in a makeshift tent in an alleyway behind some businesses just off the main street? She almost smiled at the thought, and changed that grin of sarcastic humor into a sweet smile of denial. “Your words and offer are very kind, sir, I am grateful that you would extend your services to me, a stranger… But I must decline. Home is but a few houses away, so I feel safe enough to make it the rest of the way.” It didn’t take the powers of a seer to be able to predict that the man would argue with her reasoning, so she began to come up with a counter argument in the case of his persistence to try and escort her home. Perhaps she could play the pathetic card? Break down into a wash of tears when her pitiful excuse of a home was revealed? Well… he looked like a traveler, so that chances of him having enough money to support her boarding at an Inn for the night were probably slim…

However, before it came to that point, she raised her eyes to the horizon, hearing somebody yelling and banging at the doors of Racksom’s city gates that closed at night. Offering the man an apologetic smile, she picked the pace of a fast walk toward the sound of the knocking, and heard clearly the voice of a woman pleading to be allowed access to the city. She looked around quickly, excitement building in her blood for some inexplicable reason, and found the gate guard, asleep at his post. Walking briskly toward the man, she rapped twice on his helmet with her knuckles, waking the man from his stupor quite effectively. “Guard, there’s someone pounding at the gate. Perhaps you should do your job and let them in?” She asked, her voice laced with sweetness that she didn’t mean at all.

Suddenly woken and confronted with what appeared to be a gypsy, the guard leapt to his feet and immediately went to the gate, listening to the desperate woman on the other side for but a moment before lifting the heavy latch that held the gate closed, swinging one side of the heavy doors open to allow her entrance.

“What news have you, night rider? What great emergency is it that beckons you to rouse us all from bed?” Deos called toward the mounted figure before the guard could, and the man shot her a glare that she studiously ignored, far more interested in the rider’s reply.

*~*~*~*~*

Vann had to raise his arms to guard his face when the dust and chips of tile started to cascade around him, and he took a few cautious steps back so that he wouldn’t get pelted by the fragments of roof descending upon him. The news of Quinsalla’s fall took him by surprise, and by the tone that the dragon was using, he didn’t suppose that the bad news was going to end there. “Was Quinsalla invaded, then? Any by whom? How are you so sure that Racksom will be next?” Tons of questions began to fill him up, but he knew he couldn’t ask them all at once and still be coherent.

His eyes traveled to the edge of the city when the dragon above him had directed it’s attention that way, doing some sort of dance on the tower that he couldn’t quite comprehend. But of course, because of his proximity to the ground, he couldn’t see whatever it was that the dragon was looking at. “What calls your gaze, dragon?” He called up to the beast once more.

Kol did frown at her refusal to let him help her, but if what she said was true, then it should be fine. As he was about to depart to further investigate the dragon he saw earlier, he heard someone banging on the gates to get into the city. Before Kol could say anything, Deos was already on the move to the slumbering guard that was obviously too far-gone to hear the poor creature at the door.

He walked over with the young lady he was speaking with to see what was pounding at the gate so furiously. As the gates open and the rider swiftly came in, he took note of her appearance. She seemed rather discombobulated or frantic. Her looks were only justified with the news she had given them. Quinsilla was burning down?!

It just seemed like one thing after another tonight. Though, the only thing he could do about the burning town would be to help its inhabitants get to a safe place. He frowned at the thought of the forest burning, not only was it a loss of a beautiful part of nature but the fire could spread into other towns if it was not stopped.

Kono snorted, "Someone is at the gate. That is all." He looked back to the sky warily, he unfurled his wings letting them dangle over the edge of the tower. The stone walls of the tower pulling on the leather between the fingers of his wings. He wanted, almost with every fiber of his body, to launch into the air and go after whatever had made that horrible noise earlier but he couldn't he knew he couldn't. Not with this human around

Kono shook his head, "I'm not sure weather it is actually coming towards us, but I don't see why it wouldn't. This is the next closest settlment and it harbors a stone." He hissed audibly again. He no longer heard the sounds of... thunder, but he suspected that whatever it was, was still in the clouds. He looked down at the human thoughtfully, then towards the base of the tower. "Human. May I pick your brain?" without waiting for a reply he continued. "How best do you think, one would go about blocking off a door from outside said door, which might or might not open inward?" Kono hoped his question hadn't been too confusing, but he looked on quizzicaly, waiting for an answer.

(lol Kono's never used a door before. XP)

A lance of adrenalin spiked through her entire being, and she struggled to keep her face in a shocked expression at the news. So, it was Quinsilla that she had seen in her dreams? It helped to know, and already she was planning her next course of action. The conquering army would be moving this way, then. It only made sense; if her impression was correct, then the leader of the army wasn't going to be happy just keeping hold of the tiny town of Quinsilla. Oh no, he would want to move on and take out bigger and better things, and anybody in the know knew that Racksom had one of the precious magical stones. Legend held that they kept the world in balance, but it had been so long since the theory had been tested, she personally was under the impression that these "stones" were just an excuse to build a fancy tower and remain the root of children's stories to scare them into being good kids. Without thinking, she looked up to the tower where she knew the stone here to be kept, and was a little surprised to see that a dragon had perched there, flapping it's wings awkwardly in some sort of strange display.

She spared the avian at her side a glance before leveling her eyes on the horse mounted woman again. "Then we need to do something!" Deos replied after a moment of strained silence, doing her best to try and look like she was on the border of hysteria. Inside, however, she was all but bursting with elation. Warfare was one of the simplest ways to gain rank, respect, and recognition, all three of which the fallen heiress craved with every fiber of her being. The course that would lead to her return to power seemed a simple one; join the invading army and use all of the skills at her disposal to try and rise in the ranks. It was getting accepted that was going to be the hard part.

"The guard has to be sent out, right? Try to stop that fire..." Her voice was airy and came quietly, her mind on a much different subject than what nonsense was coming from her mouth. Who cared if the forest was razed? Certainly not she, who could only see the open ground between Quinsilla and Racksom a tactical advantage for the advancing army. "Well, what are you doing, just standing about? Alert the guard!" She practically screamed at the lone gate keeper that had just been standing around this whole time. The man jerked to attention, deserting his post in favor of rousing his comrades to the danger. Maybe in the confusion of the mobilizing of the guard and the inevitable panic of the common folk, she could escape into the forest and attempt to join up with the invading forces. For now, however, she had to keep her wits about her and act like a concerned citizen.

*~*~*~*

It took Vann a couple of minuets to figure out what the dragon was trying to get out of him, first having to decode the cryptic question. "You're trying to block a door?" He asked quizzically, hoping that he got the gist of it right. "If it opens toward you, you should put something heavy in front of the door so that it can't be opened. If it opens out, then you'll have to build a wall of some sort. Either way, if you're wanting to keep somebody out, you should just keep the door locked." He couldn't much imagine a dragon needing a door, especially one Kono's size. His next question, therefore, was rather obvious. "Why do you need to keep a door closed anyway? Surely, you could just sit in front of one and block it yourself, right?" He looked around and noted that there was a door at the base of the tower the big dragon was guarding. Could that be it, then?

Static dismounted slowly, her long, curved sword clinking at her side. Steadying her balance against her horse and swinging the reins over his head, she ignored the screaming of the other woman, letting her complete her own actions before she began to speak. She stood close to her horse as it snorted in alarm at the sudden movement of human guards, running from their posts and clanking their armour. The road started to fill with bleary eyed guards, yawning with sleep and quietly talking amongst themselves. On the wall, the dragon still sat, talking to a man in the road below, gently silhouetted against the black buildings.

Static coughed quietly, the ash coating her cloak stuck in her throat. She brushed the dark emerald fabric, sending twists of ash into the air, like a dark cloud surrounding the woman. Normally she would be fascinated by what was happening in Quinsilla, but right now she felt ill with the soot from fire and tired from her flight through the trees. Maybe she could find a bed at the local inn and find out in the morning?

((Eww, sorry for the short post ))

Kol, being rather unsure of what to do at this point in time. Torn between staying here and going to the aid of the burning town. But his attention was caught by the weary looking rider, covered in soot and ashes from what he could only guess was the fires of Quinsilla.

“Miss, do you wish for a drink of water?” He offered her the pouch on his side. A small leather bag filled with water was the only thing he could offer her at this time. Perhaps it would help her.


((…..omg….XD Writers block is fail. At least we can keep moving now. ))

(I guess this means that it's my turn again since shadowslove hasn't really been on since she said she got back. So onwards we go!)

Kono snorted "I cannot block the door if I am not there." He looked at the stones sitting around him atop the tower. Some were just set up to make the tower look more menacing than actually being usfule. Thanking the man He kicked the large blocks of rock down to the ground, some of them broke when they hit the ground but they would still be useful. After he had knocked down what seemed to be enough stones he lifted his wings and decended from the tower, landing carefully next to Vann. "Sorry, but I one cannot be too careful when it comes to protecting something." Carefully he pushed the stones against the door. Making them inot both a wall and a heavy barricade. He gave a satisfied snort before turning to Vann once again. "Do you think that will stop someone from breaing through to the door...for at least a while?" He asked bringing his wings in close to his body.

He heard the stone cracking before he saw it falling, and luckily a life's-worth of listening to one's internal instincts saved Vann from being crushed beneath a ton of rocks. He dove out of the way as the first one plummeted to the ground, shattering into a hundred pieces with a deafening crack, the spray of the shattered stone whizzing past his head with deadly precision, nearly colliding with his face. Luckily, he ducked behind the corner of a house to avoid more than getting pelted by a couple of pebbles, and only came out of hiding when the dragon landed, deeming it safe to show himself again without fear of being squished.

Patting the dust off of his shirt, Vann looked over the pile of rubble with a critical eye, wondering what all this was about. Something had obviously crawled under the dragon's scales to make it so agitated, and why this door? Looking up at the tower, it dawned on him that it was one of the great spiraling shrines in which the elemental stones that held all of Dragon's Cove together was placed. Looking again to the dragon and its makeshift barrier to the door, another realization came to him. Somebody, or something, must have wanted the stone. Legend had it that they held some sort of great magical power, but that removing one would also throw the world into chaos. So anybody that wanted to get their hands on one couldn't be up to any good.

"Yes, I think that'd do in a siege, or if someone on the street were to try and break in. It would take a few men and their oxen to drag away the larger pieces." Or a dragon could just sweep it all away. He thought with a bitter smile, deciding not to inform the dragon of the gaping hole in its plan to defend the mystical stone at the top of its tower. There was still a question nagging him that simple reason could not deduce. He was missing a part of the puzzle; what had prompted this sudden need to barricade the door? The dragon said that Quinsilla was in flames, and an unknown terror lurked in the clouds, but what were they fighting? Man, beast, or some combination thereof? What's more, how much did he really care? He was not a part of society in the normal sense. He was a wolf lurking on the skirts of a flock of sheep. What then would he care if this town and all the others like it were burned to the ground? He could think of no immediate feeling toward the matter, positive or negative. This could be a battle to ride out, then.

*~*~*~*

The racket that Kono was making was not confined simply to the square. The crashing of the stone onto the cobbles below had probably waken most of the neighborhood by now. More importantly, the thunderous noise reached to the gates, which had Deos looking up in alarm at the dragon as it swooped down from the tower, apparently content now with the damage that it had caused. She had disregarded the beast at first, because it apparently had no malicious intentions toward the town. Now that it was wrecking things, she had a new opinion of the creature. An advanced scout, perhaps? Was there some sort of magic on the tower that prevented one to enter it by aerial means?

This would be important to know, of course. If she wanted to gain a higher rank and the trust of her superiors, she would have to come with information to bargain. This seemed as good as any an opportunity to do just that, and perhaps even talk with this dragon if it were capable of speech and an advanced scout of the conqueror of Quinsilla. Shooting the other two in the square what she hoped was a wild and panicked look, she pointed towards the tower. "They're attacking already! Run!" She said, her voice breathy. Then, without waiting for a reaction from either, she took her own advice and ran, her mind working in overtime as her feet guided her toward the hovel that she called home.

With practiced hands, she removed her gaudy jingling mess of an outfit and scrubbed off the paint and grease that she used to further disguise herself as a typical fortune teller. Tossing the garments into a corner, she pulled on her other outfit, one that she kept clean and neat, away from the filth of her life as a gypsy. This one did not have any outrageous adornments, the material thick and soft blue in color, fitting so that it was loose enough to move around in, but not so baggy that it hid her curves. It was slit up to her hip on both sides for easy maneuvering, the front a simple rectangular piece with a concave cut on the bottom. The back slit in half-way down the back of her thigh, the two free pieces of material vaguely reminiscent of a swallow's tail. The top half of the dress did not reach high enough on her chest to be practical, and only had one sleeve which covered her right arm, the left bare save for a thin strip of curved metal that molded to her arm, which was surprisingly muscular for a woman. To make up for the lost practicality, a vest of darker blue and more strict material was buttoned on. A pair of knee-high boots completed the outfit, and her prized treasure was belted on; a sword.

She had saved it from the raid on her family's compound, but only just barely. It was truly a magnificent sword, crafted in far away lands and had an elegant and complex hand guard and hilt. It was beautiful and at the same time practical, the flowing curves of metal built to slid over the tip of an opponent's sword and capture it to be flicked out of their hand and leave them defenseless. The blade itself was slim and lightweight, thin enough to slip between a pair of ribs and sturdy enough to parry all but the heaviest of broadswords and axes. The metal it was made of was slightly blue in color, the result of having been folded over many times while being made. Taken a moment to marvel at the simple beauty of the blade, she shoved the weapon in its scabbard and left her tent, heading toward the center of the noise and chaos with a determined stride, a regal air about her. No longer would she pretend the helpless act. She was Deorwynn Xerceis, a woman of strength and to be respected, lest her blade find your throat.

*~*~*~*

She had arrived long after the time that it would have taken the others to get there, and observed the square with cool gray eyes. The dragon from before appeared to be prowling about the only door that she could see which lead into the tower. With some curiosity, she noted that great big stones had been pushed in front of that door, and now realized that the dragon was not, in fact, an advanced scout like she had hoped. It was one of the defenders of the fabled stones. It was a makeshift defense, but effective against anything smaller than a dragon for barring the doorway. Something to be considered upon trying to break in, if she had to report the triviality of the door. Her eye was next drawn to the others that had collected, some sleepy-eyed but terrified civilians, others looking more like mercenaries or thieves that had been drawn to the commotion.

In specific, her gaze wandered to a man that was around her age, perhaps a bit older, with the look of a vagabond. He was more in the front of the crowd, signifying that he had probably arrived before they had gathered, and wondered why. There was just something about him that sparked her curiosity. Apparently, he noticed the attention he was getting, and turned his eyes on the woman, piercing blue meeting cold gray, and in that moment she could have sworn she saw something in the depths of those eyes. Something dark, and not entirely human. Curiosity roused, she got behind and around the crowd, pushing her way forward toward the man, and tried to appear as if it were completely by accident that he now stood at his side.

"Pray tell, good sir, what is going on?" Deos asked in her most beguiling voice, fluttering her eyes at him in the way that she knew all men adored, and reached out, briefly touching his arm.

That simple touch was enough for her to see beyond the human mask, her ability to search souls kicking in at the brush of her fingers. What came into view, however, was not some demonic visage or other otherworldly being lurking behind the human mask. Instead, she saw women, all of which looked fierce and battle ready. And with a lurch deep in her stomach, she realized that they could see her too. They were all leering at her with fire in their ghostly eyes, fingers reaching and clawing toward her, and then one touched her hand.

Ah, sister kin... A voice whispered, the tone both melodious and malicious, a mixture that was frightening and intoxicating. You have the same darkness as we... there is vengeance in your heart, longing, desire... Welcome, sister...

And then the voice was gone, the ghostly remains of the women floating silently around their host, small white dots like fireflies darting about him.

"You see them." The man said, brushing aside Deos' hand and the white dots disappeared from her view. She noted that he sounded utterly bewildered, the look on his face conveying his confusion. "What's more... they like you."