C1 Racksom~~~~And then, there was War~~~~(5th Board)

Lotharia made her way through the city, stopping to help whomever she came in contact with and then continued. There was no point in her staying with who ever she saved, seeing as how she had done her job. As she rounded a corner a rather unusual looking human seemed to be staring at her. She tilted her large head and her feathers fell silently to the right. She shouldn’t really be surprised, Lotharia had never seen another one of her kind and she herself did not often leave the forest. Lotharia made note that his mind seemed chaotic, frantic even for some reason.

Moving towards the human man, Lotharia got in close to Atleon and pressed her nose gently against his forehead, she let her healing magic flow into him before stepping back. What is it that upsets you so? She asked taking a step back to allow Atleon room to move once more.

Lotharia’s heart ached, not for just this human but for the entire city. The bloodshed of people and the screams of the earth called me to aid it. She stated simply, eyeing Atleon closely. He seemed tried, despite what she could do for him and the dragon sighed slightly. Dwelling on what could have been done could only make things worse for you and your comrades, little one. She said softly. If you were to try to save every soul here, you would lose yours and perhaps many more. The dragon looked out onto the city with a sad expression. She could weep for this city for days, for the turmoil and chaos it had been through in the last day but her tears would help no one and even she knew that. If she were to weep for every soul lost or hurt in the world, she would never stop crying.

She leaned in to nuzzle in arm in reassurance, some of her feathers brushing along the ground and his legs as she did so. You have done what you could. Lotharia might have just met him but she could easily read someone’s soul, this human was good, she was sure of that and she wanted to help him. Let me know if I may be of assistance to you. I ran into a man, Talos, I believe his name to be a short while ago. They are all well.

((ooc;; sorry if i have misjudged the position of the DDC army, i had no idea where they were, so i guessed from a few previous posts. Will edit if there is a problem))

Seeing no healers, and hearing the bustle from the eastern gate, Jackdaww decided he had better find the rest of the DDC army. He staggered in the direction of the noise, still a little dizzy from the slash on his face, but gradually gained confidence. As he strolled through the streets towards the gate, the general noise resolved itself into the sound of an army. He recognised a couple of voices as DDC fighters, and began to run. He dodged through narrow streets towards the gate, and burst through into the midst of the gathering army. He relaxed a little when he recognised the army, and wandered into the ranks, looking for their leader in the vain hope of finding out what was going on, and if he had any further orders.

Measle saw Jackdaww tearing off, and ambled after him. Much more slowly, he paced through the streets with a grace that his human lacked, but his size took away much of the effect. He laughed – a deep chuckle in his throat, punctuated with crackles of harmless lightning – as he saw the army, and suddenly felt much safer than he had when he and Jackdaww had been all on their own, with no real strategy. He looked for Jackdaww, and slipped through the crowd towards him. When he finally caught up, he asked what he was doing, just to fill the silence between them. Once Jackdaww had told him that they were looking for Zartear, he joined him in searching, and hoped to piece together what was going on from conversation amongst the ranks.

He knew that Lena would volunteer herself for the search party to find their missing prince, and he would welcome her company. Two pairs of eyes were always better than one, and who better to look for the man than a couple of flying units? At least they could avoid unfortunate run-ins with random soldiers throughout the city, unlike those who were on foot whose choices were either to fight or run in a different direction and hope that the enemy gave up pursuit. He turned and briefly shouted orders for civilians to start heading for the East gate, and he was a little disappointed to note that some of the men who had become disheartened went with them, fading back into the crowd of civilians with a disturbing amount of ease. Damn. This had gone on for far too long.

His keen eyes spotted the dragon and rider pair, and it only took a second to see that they were badly hurt. He wasn't sure who they were, but if there were on his side of the lines and not causing distraction, then they were probably friends. Good, because he needed all the friends that he could get at the moment. He grabbed some bandages from a local healer that was doing his best to tie up wounds and headed for the dragon and rider pair, offering the rider the bandages when he got close enough. "Here," he offered, handing the strips of what had probably been bed sheets at one time over to the man. "You look like you need this badly." And indeed, the young warrior did, bleeding from the head and various other gashes. His incredibly small dragon wasn't doing much better, carrying a wing at a funny angle that indicated its brokenness. He was about to ask what sort of foes they had been fighting to damage them so, and then an unnatural stillness broke out over the shuffling band of armed farmers, heads and ears perking up almost as one to catch a faint sound drifting in on the wind.

At first, Talos wasn't sure what it was or where it came from, but then it became apparent quite quickly. A single voice, the words indistinguishable called something out to which there was a response from many throats, likewise indistinguishable. The noise was coming somewhere from their flank, and in a sudden flurry of realization, Talos grabbed his bow and jumped on top of the nearest roof, his eyes scanning the winding streets. It was just as he had feared, and perhaps worse. A large gathering of Surhinian troops was rallying itself, following along the same path the he and the civilians had taken just moments ago. "Men! Battle stations!" He called quickly over his shoulder, pointing at the large force that was coming for them, suddenly quite fearful for the lives of the men that he was under control of. They had made it so far on dumb luck and help from friends of higher powers but now… Those friends seemed to have abandoned them, and their luck appeared to have just run out, the Surhans closing in quickly on the pocket of scrambling defenders.

~!¡!¡!~

Arasolra snorted at the sudden smothering of the mental link, thinking it quite typical that such a small creature would feel the need to defend it's mental forces so quickly. However, instead of feeling the urge to eat the creature for it's insolence, her curiosity was piqued by the common goal that they seemed to share. Another creature that valued the fun of wonton destruction the same way that she did? Interesting indeed! And in this case, she liked the interesting enough to not want to see the smaller creature on fire. We fly and find a suitable target. She announced, walking the last few steps closer to the fox-woman and knelt down on her forearms, waiting for the thing to hop on her back. This city seems to have many more things to play with than I could possibly choose from. She grinned, revealing sharp white dagger-like teeth, the echoes of amusement coloring her mental voice.

Jackdaww almost gasped in relief when the bandages were offered. He used one long strip to tie around his face, just below the eye, and made sure he could see through both still. They weren’t out of the woods (so as to speak) yet, and he had an awful feeling that another battle may be due to them. The sudden gathering of Sarbanes proved him right. He hurried to tie up Measle’s wing before the attack, and then hurried towards the front of the crowd. He was sure he looked a mess, but as long as there was life in his body he would continue to fight. He checked his hands and legs to make sure they were string enough to wield his sword, and took up a good, fighting stance among the other troops. The shouts of the man who had given him and Measle the bandages seemed urgent, and he could tell that they were definitely no longer hoping for a glorious victory. He was sure that the new objective was just to get out alive.

Measle felt his wing click into position in a grating of bones that made him howl like an animal as Jackdaww ran off, but once the bandages had settled around his newly-tied wing, he was sure that it would heal. They were already stained with a little blood, but the rest of him was fine to fight. He slowly padded to a different place in the ranks, where he could keep an eye on Jackdaww, while still helping the rest of the DDC army to claw back a little land. He would almost have gone unnoticed if it weren’t for his florescent blue scales and spines, and he was sure that the Surhans wouldn’t be expecting another dragon for them to fight.

Seeing the gathering of Surhans, Starling gave up the sport of watching the little battle below her and flew across to join them. She floated to the ground in a flurry of undignified feathers, and landed messily, but she could see the DDC army not far ahead. Struggling to catch her breath, she took her bow from her shoulder and knocked one of her sparklingly fletched arrows. The tiny dagger in her boot itched, as if to remind her of her only close range weapon, but she tried to ignore the idea that she would need to use it. Se set out looking for whoever was leading the charge, before giving up and deciding to just follow suit when the rest began to charge. The scramble of DDC soldiers was enough to make her giggle, and she utterly failed to grasp the reality of the situation. She had never killed before, but this might end up being her first taste if bloodshed.

Of course Lena could come with Talos. She had been bothered to leave him once, not wanting to be separated from her partner in fighting and in life. As much as Talos might fret over her when in danger, she did worry more silently for him as well. Feeling if she was at least by his side she might be able to prevent something. She wasn't going to think about it, but Lena's was more of an do-er anyway. Following his lead to find Atleon, she landed a short distence away. Lena kept her distance as Talos went to help the downed person and was quickly snapped back into attention when Talos suddenly called for men in arms. What happened? She lept up next to him, bow in hand. "What is it?" She asked, not sure if she would get an answer or not.

~*~*~*~

If that is what you so wish. Lotheria said kindly. The dragon figured that Talos was no longer where she left him and closed her eyes for a short moment. Talos. She extended her mind to the man and felt total resolve or some reason. A man, Atleon, wishes to find you. She relyed to him and waited for an answer. I believe him to be in battle. She told Atleon. If he can not answer me I will sense him out. She reassured.

"The enemy is on us." Taos told Lena grimly, nocking one of his arrows, feeling a sense of desperation begin to swallow him up. They weren't quit outnumbered by the force that was approaching them, but the armor clad infantry would definitely win this skirmish. He didn't have to be a tactician to know that unless some miracle swept down on them, then he would be lucky to leave with the majority of his men alive. A figure fell from the sky, and he immediately recognized the creature as being some sort of avian, and what's more was one with a bow. His eyes went hard as he drew back the arrow, aiming for a kill when at the last possible second a voice breached his head, throwing his aim when he released the arrow, the deadly projectile flying off course but more or less into the surge of Surhinians that were rapidly charging for his front lines. The archers around him took it as a signal to fire as well, the few dozen men stationed on the roofs letting loose a barrage of arrows into the charging infantry. Some went down under the rain, but most either kept their feet despite being struck or else armor or shield deflected the incoming projectiles.

"Lotheria?!" He called back, looking for the dragon. When he didn't see her, he sent out a thought instead, wondering if such a thing would work despite the fact that he was sorely lacking any psychic abilities. Tell Atleon that we're under attack. Panic colored his thoughts, watching as the front lines clashed, a wave of chaos ensuing afterwards, filled with the battle cries and death screams of men as they fell upon each other's blades. The barriers of carts were holding up against the invaders, but that wouldn't last for long, he knew. Already, one measly barrier comprised of barrels had simply been kicked down, letting a surge of enemy soldiers into their area of defense, steaming in like a leak in a dam. If he can help, get him here, if he can't, flee the city. We can't risk him! He's too important! Talos turned his fire on the Surhinians that were flowing through the breach, hardly even bothering to aim as he simply fired into the crowd, striking flesh wounds more than mortal ones, but it was all he could do until the defenders got on their feet again and had the situation under control. "Atleon is look for us." He called over the noise of battle so that Lena would know that he wasn't simply going crazy and calling names to the sky.

*~*

The small weight of the fox girl was nothing to Arasolra, who hardly even noticed when she had lept onto her back. Crouching, she spread her wings and leap into the sky, her wings beating down with a powerful stroke, lifting her massive form into the air. Once she was airborne she glided, taking quick stock of the city since last she had seen it from this height. It looked like there was a fight breaking out near the burning gate, the Guardian that she had spotted before still lingering there. A splotch of blue detached itself from the wall, and she quickly recognized the figure as the blue dragon that she had spotted earlier. A growl rumbled in her chest and she pumped her wings, heading for the dragon as it flew over the city, apparently taking stock of things as well. I wish to play with a creature of my own size. She said simply to Kumiko, gaining altitude as well as speed as she flew unwaveringly on a direct crash course with the blue dragon. A roar issued from her throat and she snapped her wings closed, fairly falling out of the sky toward the blue dragon when she was close enough, spitting forth a bright well of fire aimed at the fellow flying beast.

Starling loosed her first arrow ahead of the charge, before leaping back onto one of the walls for a clearer view. The Surhans were charging with such force that she almost felt that she wouldn’t be needed, but she still continued her stream of arrows. As the first one fell harmlessly in the mud between two of the Defenders, he made a mental note of where the glittering feathers had been last, so she could collect it after the battle. The glory of her first battle was getting to her a little, and all she could think was that it would be grand to be recognised afterwards. She never thought about the consequences of the battle. She loosed another three arrows into the mob, spreading her wings behind her for balance. They were dark against the pale, bloody sky, and glittered like a starry night. She could see a very brightly coloured blue dragon near the middle of the army, but it took her a moment to realise how small it was. It must be little more than a hatchling. She thought, making sure that she didn’t stop her stream of arrows. Most of them had missed, but some were starting to head towards their intended targets nicely. She didn’t watch to see if they hit – just in case they did.

Jackdaww howled a battle cry as the Surhans charged forward, and swing his blade between his fingers. He had grown used to the bloody tint his wound had given the world – in fact he thought it was rather fitting for the battlefield – and was back to his usual air of overconfidence. He ran up into the attacking line of infantry and swung his sword in a low arc, catching a couple of legs as he did so, tripping the soldiers momentarily. Then, he dashed back to the DDC front line, and continued in this looping, erractic style for a while, simply so he could strike a few blows before the line caught up.

Lena had no idea what was going on, none, and what made it worse was that as she was setting and arrow off into the crowd, she saw Talos be struck down by something. She stared wide eyed at his limp form for several seconds before dropping her bow and going to his side, roughly falling on her knees. Tears formed in her eyes and spilled over before she could even think to cry. "Talos. Talos, stop trying to move. Oh god..." She tried looking for a wound on his front and saw that she could find nothing. His back. Slowly, and with so much gentleness, Lena lifted his side and there is was a dark and ugly looking scorch mark. "No..." She wiped at the angry tears falling from her eyes and hovered defensively over him. Nothing would hit him again. "Talos, stay with me, okay?" She knew he had talked to the Euphorn not long ago. She could only hope that the dragon would get here soon and none of the army though to climb to the roof tops.

Lotharia looked to Atleon. They are in battle. She reported to him, And does not wish you to come alone. She stopped then, she felt something terrible. Pain, sharp and clear pain. He is downed. The dragon turned and quickly started making her way back to where Talos was. If she had to jump on the roof to get to him than so be it.

Lena wasn't sure what to do, what to say, here was her husband downed by some electric attack. Someone had handed her some water and to keep him awake and get him to a healer. Of course she knew that! Rage coursed through her veins that she could do nothing about. "The Euphorn will be here soon...." She could hardly talk with the tears choking her. She kept an eye out for anyone stupid enough to come up to the roof top and attack. She would gladly welcome the kill at the moment.

He could only just vaguely make out what was being said around him, his hearing having gone strangely quiet after getting blasted, but slowly the ability to hear was returning, though the ability to breathe was not coming back quite so quickly, his heart still fluttering erratically in his chest. "Lena-" Talos saw her face clearly, though speaking was still a difficult task and he coughed, trying hard to catch his breath. Pain bloomed in his side when Lena moved him, the area where he had been hit by the shock stinging with every breath he took. "I'm not leaving…" He managed to whisper through clenched teeth, able now to feel his hands and right side, though the left below the electric burn was still strangely numb. "Not yet, anyway." He tried to smile, clenching his fists slowly with the newly regained movement. Another flash of light crossed his vision and he tensed, expecting to be shocked again, but the ball of light burst before it could reach them, noticing for the first time the man that had stepped up to defend him, the two avians surrounded by men on horses.

*~*

She hardly even noticed when the fox-woman leapt from her back, sending her very temporary passenger a brief thought of acknowledgment of her departure, spewing forth a short burst of flame of her own. The two streams of fire collided and she closed her eyes briefly, simply driving through the flash of heat in pursuit of her target, skimming the tops of the low-lying human dwellings with adrenaline singing in her veins. She used the speed of her dive to pull up into a sharp bank, her lithe body more agile than the faster blue dragon and so turned fasted toward the sky in their bids to gain height over one another. She wanted to laugh for joy of the thrill of the chase, and another burst of fire flared from her jaws, hoping to catch the dragon in the surge of fire.

Lena looked down to see Talos trying to talk. Her heart contracted painfully. "Talos..." She put a hand on his face. She looked up only to see a flash a light that was blocked by the man who had given her the water. She wasn't sure who he was but she would have to thank him. Her thoughts turned back to Talos as she took one of his larger hands in both of her, bringing it to her chest. He had to live. She had no idea what she would do without him.

~*~*~*~

Lotharia had to go to Talos, had to help him she was covering ground quickly before something flashed in front of her and she stopped, digging her claws into the ground. Her ears flattened on her head, taking a step back. This dragon looked curel, evil even. I am, now please move. She had a bit of a growl to her voice.

Talos, if you can hear me, I will be there soon...I've run into something...hang on. She had to inform him had to make sure he was still alive. Her mind touched Lena's lightly and she wanted to sigh, the woman was a mess. She wasn't thinking clearly with the male avian only on her mind.