Glowing Tree

Though Zahra watched the treeline in the distance in a wary silence, the night remained uneventful. The quiet chatter of the party mates made for a congenial evening. Dinner was pleasant, if strained. This was not entirely unexpected. With such an odd mix of people, Zahra was sure at least one would make a big deal about having to work with creatures or humans. But as for whom..? Only time would tell. A long time ago she learned the hard way that first impressions could be very wrong.

After their meal, Zahra ordered everyone to bed. Rest was a priority, as come morning their journey would truly begin.



CHAPTER TWO; SHADOWS AND STONES



"Tell me you found it."

"We have. But the price was high. Two died trying to acquire it and one is still missing."

"They knew what they were sacrificing for this quest. Quickly, give it to me. We don't have much time."​



PFFFFTTTT! SCREEEEE!

An ear piercing screech shattered the morning silence. A flaming stone went flying, burning through the top of Zahra's tent and pelting her side. The sudden hit sent her leaping off her pallet, patting furiously at the fabric of her robes to put out the sparks. She brushed a hand over what was now a singed hole before she stooped to scoop the rock off the ground. Charred and still hot, it looked like one of the stones she gave Annalaey the night prior. It was completely drained.

SCREEEE!

Zahra exited the tent, casting glance up at the sky. The dawn was just breaking, but that wasn't what caught her attention. Drifting overhead were black winged forms. Huge bat like wingspans, but small misshapen bodies. They looked more engineered than natural. Over a dozen of them circled in wide arcs, swooping lower and closer to the tents below.

"AWAKE!" she shouted, "WAKE NOW. PACK THE TENTS! We need to move!" Zahra herself was running for the outer edge of their camp to fetch the protection stones. Dodging to the side when one of the flying beasts made a sudden dive.
 
They came for us at dawn, as rising sun lent gold to twilight. I thought perhaps I was still in the throes of nightmare, of those dreams which kept me in uncertain sleep. I never rest well amidst new company, and in my dreams I saw her again - the serving girl who suffered for my savagery all those years ago. This time she was wreathed in dragon's scales and swung a spear to ward me off. And to the ravens' song I forced her down. Yet perhaps these horrors were my advantage, for that morning I was most prepared for distraction.

From the Diary of Darius Castablane​


Metal crashed into metal. Darius ran at full force into the creature swooping for Zahra and with his shield ploughed it groundwards. It landed in the campfire ashes and the paladin's momentum carried him onwards. With his shield on the monster's back he rolled up and over, landing in a heap on the other side of the beast.

There was a moment of disorientation for both of them. And then, like clockwork pieces springing into life, the construct shot up again on rustling wings. Darius had time to turn and draw his mace, making a pendulum swing that slammed the tube-like trunk of the creature. The resulting screech sent him reeling as his eardrums almost burst. He staggered and the beast was upon him, razor teeth gaping beneath the trunk. But he kept his shield up as he fell, feet and arms tucking beneath it to brace the creature's weight. With jaws and rear legs it struck at him and all he could do was hold it best he could.

"JOHN! ROVAN! TO ARMS!"
 
Annalaey, you could say was the type to stay away from the group, she wasn't very compatible with any race but her own, it was just how her race was. She was asleep on the tree branch, when her ears twitched and her eyes opened wide upon the horrible sound which had her off the branch and on the ground with a loud thud. Her sensitive ears felt too much from the screeching sound. Annalaey looked up to see bat like creatures, not too different from demons that attacked her village. Annalaey took her stance and grabbed hold of her bow and arrows and aimed at one of them, it hit the eye and the thing lost it's balance and crashed some where near by. Looking to her side she noticed Zahra and Darius already up. Annalaey came into open field to see how many there were but she couldn't count they seemed many. Her ears twitched from side to side trying to tell each pf them apart but every time they screeched, it gave her a headache as she got on her knees and then instantly as the noise stopped she aimed once again at one of them but this one just hit the wing of one of them lightly. "These creatures are worse than the previous demons I've encountered." She spoke to herself getting up.
 
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Rethil had allowed himself to be called away for dinner before he would answer Alla's question and she was frustrated by this deeply. He was so timid and so meek, she could hardly believe that he was a dragon at all. However, this mild little mash of scales was more pureblood dragon then she. It made Alla a little angry and thus, all through dinner, she sat back away from the fire and contemplated the mere-dragon, as he called himself. She sat as far away from the wolf-creature as possible, knowing that her desire to eat him would not be sated by the pathetic foodstuffs that they had prepared for dinner.

Alla had left for a place away from the others to slumber in peace, without the creeping human warmth to keep her awake. Thus, the shrieks were faint at first when she heard them. At first, she held no desire to help the source of those shrieks at all but a moment more on thought led her to leap to her feet and slither through the shadows until she saw the source of the commotion.

The creature was soaring and screaming shrilly toward Zahra. A closer look told Alla that they were manufactured more than born. She had come in the first place because having to fend off a threat without the others to suffer a brunt of the damage was not appetizing. The man seemed to have taken one of the beasts out of commission as it was but there was no telling how many of them there would be.

One of the creatures flew close to Alla, causing her to bristle. As it dove for her, Alla leapt into the air to meet it and raked at it with her claws. The metallic clang and a sound of metal being crushed and ripped met her ears with a sound that caused even Alla to wish to cover her ears. The human male was in trouble, Alla could tell, but he was already calling for allies to aid him.

Alla faced the metal flyer furiously, angered that her claws had not stopped it from flight. Bitterly, Alla swept her claws again, aiming for its face this time, but it dodged her. And she slid through the air awkwardly. Livid at being made a fool of, Alla lunged for the face of the creature and curled her limbs around it. The talons of her feet dug into the lower part of the creature's face and her hands grasped at the top. The proboscis flicked at her and she lurched away, gouging the metal of the creature's face.

Flying over the creature, Alla gripped its wings and pushed it towards the ground.
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Enemies are upon us.

I'm up in a flash as I hear the shrieks of our attackers, and have grabbed my spear and strapped on my dagger belt as fast as I can. As a child I was drilled to ready myself for combat from sleep as fast as possible; such training has served me well yet again.

Storming out of my tent, the two ravens flutter onto my shoulders as I look into the sky to see the creatures that beset us. Bat-like monstrosities, with small bodies but vast wingspans. Strange; I've never heard of nor encountered these beings before.
"Creature or beast?" Huginn caws next to me, before flying off into the trees, "There is only one way you shall find out," Muninn finishes before following his partner. They're cryptic, even at the best of times.

"JOHN! ROVAN! TO ARMS!"

My head snaps round to see one of the monstrosities besetting Darius, who was attempting to beat the creature back with his shield. Cursing under my breath I charge forwards, spear at the ready. The monster snaps around in an attempt to face me in time, but I'm too quick for it; launching myself into the air, attacking it from the angle it wasn't expecting, I bring my spear down into it's neck with deadly force. It lets out a ear-splitting screech as it's neck leaks a thick, oily liquid, thrashing about in it's death-throes before finally collapsing.

I help the paladin to his feet before looking to the sky again, keeping watch upon our attacker.
"We need to rouse the others," I say to Darius, "Before they're killed in their tents. I'll see if I can't catch their attention a little." With a quick smile to the man, I run forwards for the centre of the clearing.

I don't know if these beasts give into taunts and insults, and I guess there's only one way to find out.

Standing in the centre of the clearing, I spread my arms in a challenging gesture and roar at the monsters in the air,
"HELASPAWN! FACE ME IF YOU DARE!!" Several of them let out their horrific cries and begin to swoop down upon me. Grinning, I swing my spear into position, ready to thrust upwards at my attackers. "Guess you monsters do give into taunts after all, then."
 
Arothi awoke with a start as a loud screech filled the air, followed by the yells of Darius and Zahra. All the hunting from the day before, as well as the task of making the evening meal, had left her less alert than she usually was, making the morning wake up call an even more unwelcome surprise. Hopping up from her mat with as much grace as a centaur could spare, she grabbed her bow and arrows and slipped into the action without much of a second thought, all that matter was making sure no one died before this damned adventure actually started.

Arothi trotted back out of the way of John's skilled killing spree and kept her eye on the ones in the sky, planning on grounding them for the warriors who were unable to make it into the air. Soon her arrows were flying with deadly accuracy toward some of the strange monsters, aimed at one of the main places that she usually used to take down flying animals. With three small 'thunks' one creature went down, one arrow sticking out of a makeshift eye while the other two hit his wings at the joints, locking them up and making them useless. The beast was still alive and kicking though, screeching and shaking it's wings as much as it could afford. She moved toward the creature and aimed at it's neck, shooting an arrow into it's jugular and silencing it for good. She retrieved her arrows from the unmoving body and repeated her attack on another monster, knowing that pausing now would only leave her open to attack.
 
After finishing her conversation with the cat, Jair had slept a little, off and on, as usual. She had curled up in wolf form, much as she had been before, and like most nights had nothing but the grass for cushion and sky for canopy. It was how she had been raised, and it was how she preferred it; so she had slept as peacefully as possible for one used to the dangers of wild lands. If there were dreams in that night's slumber, she didn't remember them.

The noise of the attack had wakened her almost as soon as the party's leader, especially since she had declined sleeping in a tent. She shifted to human form, standing up on two legs, and looked around for a second to see many of the others going to arms and fighting back. Any animals nearby had already fled, and her fighting abilities would not be of much use against unnatural creatures of the skies, so instead she ran to the nearest tent and set to work on it as swiftly as possible. Just as the tent she was working on went down, one of them dived, trying to snatch Jair up like an eagle does a mouse; she dove to the ground and felt the air displaced by the enemy exactly where she had been a second ago. Just as quickly, she got up and went back to work, eyes and ears alert for another attack.

On the thing's next pass, Jair dove to her left, rolling on the ground a bit, and then watched its talons rake the ground while she got up, dusted off, and went back to work, putting down a folded tent and holding on to two of its pegs. It was making a third pass now, and she watched it come closer and closer, until she finally threw the pegs forward at it and ducked aside again. It started to turn after her, having learned its lesson about assuming prey would stay still, when the pegs met its side and, thanks it its own momentum, stabbed it straight through. It landed on her, and said landing was still quite heavy enough to hurt. However, the creature itself was already too damaged to attack; she threw it off to one side so she could get up. Then she pulled the pegs back out, placing them next to the folded tent and moving toward the nearest one that was still set up.
 
"...to arms...! ...To arms! ...TO ARMS!", a disembodied voice repeated in his ears.

Rovan's eyes flicked open the moment he heard recognized those words, like any good soldier he was used to being awoken at the first hints of trouble, and he knew trouble when he heard it. The clash of metal and the unnatural cries of something other than his travel companions told him most of the story, stepping out of his tent, with the First Spear in hand, told him the rest.

Creatures of unknown make circled above, some clashing with his fellow warriors, a few still lay in heaps on the ground. Glancing over at John, he witnessed the man bravely taunt the creatures into a fight, focusing a good majority of them on him. Without hesitation Rovan began to run toward the clearing, arriving just as one of the winged monstrosities was at John's flank. Bellowing a battle cry, Rovan charged at the creature with spear held high, striking it through what looked like its ribcage, forcing it into another of its kind, and all three to the ground. He barely flinched as their combined weight caused his spear to snap along with the creature's wings. With half of his weapon still inside the creature, Rovan pulled back and stabbed the creature through its neck with the splintered end of his broken shaft, twisting the wound open as best he could. The monster twitched and bucked, forcing Rovan off of its body as he fell onto his back. The monster's companion rose up behind its other, giving off a hellish cry that reverberated within his ears. Its wings were broken and was incapable of further flight, yet it made the creature no less deadly as it hobbled toward him, claws and teeth gnashing at the promise of flesh. Rovan answered with a snarl and pulled his long knife from his belt. He charged the creature, dodging its claws only enough to not receive major wounds, slamming the blade into its neck where it met its skull. Using the handle as leverage, Rovan twisted and torqued the blade to and fro, forcing the point of entry open further and thick, oil-like liquid out of the wound. Shrugging off scratches and near misses from its wicked teeth, Rovan eventually began punching at the creature's head and arms, deflecting further attacks and attempting to wind it down further, he didn't know how it would die and his only logic lie in causing it enough damage to cease it from functioning. Fist bruised, body covered in cuts both deep and shallow, the creature held onto life for an inordinate amount of time. Rovan began to wonder if the fight would ever end, though he knew he had probably only been fighting for a few moments. Feeling his own energy begin to ebb, he finally gave one final wretch of his long knife before the monster fell with it's entire weight on top of him. It was over.

Rovan could barely move, he was too tired and these creatures had taken more to kill than he thought. If he survived this night he would eventually get better at dealing with them, but he placed that worry for another time. Around him his friends still battled the few that remained. He heard more death cries from the monstrosities than from companions and he smiled at that, which turned into a laugh, and then a ragged cough. Attempting to use whatever strength he had left, Rovan twisted and pulled himself out from under the creature's dead weight, but only managed to get enough of his body free to see more of the action. With a relieved sigh he watched as the last remnants were dealt with handily. He smiled again before laying down and resting his eyes.
 
The monsters dive.

I make ready with my spear.

The first two soar overhead, just out of reach of my spear. The third banks too low and I impale it with the blade of my weapon. The force of it's dive knocks me to the ground, however, and my eyes fall upon Rovan, who has tackled one of the creatures that had moved in to attack me from behind. Making a note to thank my fellow warrior for his aid when we are finished this battle, I leap back to my feet and natch up my weapon once more.

The trio that attacked me have returned to the air, but are banking round to make another attack. The third is leaking a black, oily liquid from it's partly metal body and it's wing-strokes are becoming somewhat irregular, but it is still clearly a threat. Realising that staying in one place is rather foolish, I begin to run towards the trees, ready to launch an attack if any of the monsters get too close.

This is a move that, later on, I will view as very wise.

From the mouths of the bat-like monstrosities, billowing flames suddenly lash out at the ground where I stood as they swoop in; I am running just ahead of the fire, feeling the heat sear my back. They pull out of their dive just in time, and I roll out of the way. Realising that I am in need of a plan to get them out of the air, I think quickly and glance around for available materials.

My eyes fall upon a reasonably long stretch of rope sitting outside one of the tents.

I smile.

Dashing over, I snatch up the length of rope and tie one end to the bottom of my spear before quickly affixing the other end to a sturdy-looking tree. The monsters have finished their turn and are just about ready to go into another dive when I turn to face them, a grin on my face. This they will not see coming.

As the first creature dives towards me, I hurl my spear at it with all the force I can muster.

The weapon drives itself into the bat-like creature, and with a horrible screech it attempts to pull out of the dive. However, the rope pulls tight and pulls it back to the ground; taken by surprise, it plummets to the ground, glancing against the third monster as it falls. It hits the ground with a crunch of flesh and metal, yet still manages to pull itself up to face me as I charge into it, dagger at the ready.

I drive the knife into the creature, yet the blade is not long enough to pierce the thick metal that protects the monster's more important body parts. This gives it a chance to retaliate; I only just duck a swipe of it's claw as I glance around desperately for my spear. Catching sight of it on the other side of the bat, I throw myself towards it as the beast attacks again. One of the talons slices down my back, managing to just pierce through the leather and draw blood. Snarling in pain, I manage to grab the shaft of my spear and pull it free from the bat.

With a roar, I spin the weapon around swing it for the bat's neck, the spear extended as far as it can. It's long blade slams into the metal-plates of the beast's throat and leaves a thick cut in it. With a screech, the bat rears it's head back to let loose another salvo of fire, and I spin to the side to evade this attack, bringing the spear round with me.

With the momentum from my spin, I swing the spear up a second time at the beast's throat. This time, the spear cuts through the metal and into the flesh underneath; fire suddenly billows from the monster's throat and begins to set it's own skin alight.

Bringing my spear down to the ready position and removing the rope from it's bottom, I watch as my adversary is consumed by it's own fires.

Two down, just a few to go.

I hope the others are making headway against these monsters.
 
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Blood and chaos. The smell filled the air with a gruesome familiarity for Zahra. She didn't pause to watch or see how her companions were doing. Her objective was to fetch the stones and not see herself flayed in the process. Three stones, four, six... Each one she snatched up was drained. No hint of glow or energy. They disappeared in to the folds of her robes.

Soft annoyed curses hissed through her clenched teeth as she made a sudden dive to the side, avoiding one of the swooping monstrosities that had broken away from it's flock. Zahra flicked two fingers in it's direction, a quick and precise motion born from instinctual habit. No result followed, not that she seemed to expect one. When the beast folded it's wings and dove at her again, this time a knife was removed from her belt. Holding her ground until last moment, the creatures trunk-like nostril nearly had itself wrapped around her neck when she stabbed. Using it's own momentum, the blade hit deep in it's throat and she pivoted on her heels to send it sliding feet away across the ground.

Hands now covered in black ichor, Zahra didn't waist her time in checking if it was dead. She was running again, collecting the last of the stones. The final place she came across was empty. Just a deep, burn area over the ground. That was the stone knocked loose when the circle was breached.

"Some are missing. Where is the boy!?" Zahra suddenly shouted. For the first time looking concerned. Not everyone in camp had risen, and Lahras was no where to be seen. She moved quickly back towards the center of camp to help Arothi pack up the rest of the tent and supplies. While over head there were a few more of the creatures still circling.

"Take everything and head towards the forest to the west. If we cannot kill them all, they will not be able to follow us there." she spoke to Arothi, leaving her to finish the rest.

She had to find the boy. Out of them all, he was the one they could not leave without.
 
After picking off as many as she could, the other creatures being far to close to other members of the group for her liking, she was quick to start taking things down and packing like Zahra wanted. She wrapped up her mat and items first, throwing and tying them onto her back with ease, before moving on to other tents that were still standing. She checked the tent to make sure no one was in them before she tore them down and wrapped them and tossed them on her back with her own items. When Zahra arrived she did not have a chance to get in any words, only able to nod her head at the demands that the woman made. She was them gone as quick as she had come and Arothi was left to finish with the camp on her own.

Now more determined than ever to get the camp picked up she was working at top speed, collecting any stray bits or items to be returned to their proper owners later. Before long she had most, if not all, of the supplies on her back, the rest being carried in her arms. She glanced back at those still fighting and said a small prayer in her head before heading toward the west as instructed.
 
On my third year with the Knights of Endril, I received a gift. A half-elf, by whose side I carried wounded from the Battle of Thornecai, bestowed on me my falchion blade. Not quite sword and not quite axe, the half-elf thought it fitting remembrance of his own dual nature, of the need to marry power with finesse and embrace all elements from which we are mixed. With that falchion I reclaimed the balance I had denied myself in penitence. I learned the line at which the brutal blow becomes the subtle strike, and how each may carry the day.

From the Diary of Darius Castablane​


Rovan had brought down two, and another pair had fallen to John's ingenuity. With Jair and Alla each claiming a kill and the arrows of Arothi and Annalaey felling three, less than half the beasts remained.

Back on his feet, Darius was running across the camp as he tried to keep Zahra in sight. He had thought at first she was fleeing, but their leader seemed to move with purpose towards the camp's perimeter, stooping now and then, and the paladin's only recourse was to protect her as she fulfilled whatever task she had set her mind to.

As Zahra turned to battle one of the creatures, Darius almost caught up with her. But then a flicker of shadow across the rising sun foretold the next attack. Darius pushed himself into a sprint as another winged beast swooped into pursuit behind him. He heard the screech and knew what was coming. Vaulting atop a rock, he twisted with his shield as the creature belched a gout of chemical fire. It struck the shield and sent the paladin flying from the rock, past Arothi, and crashing inside his own tent. He landed amidst his backpack and chainmail, his back scraped by his own possessions. And for a moment he lay there, stunned and awash with pain, before he realised that his enemy was upon him. Landing in a crawl, the monster came scuttling towards the opening of the tent and over his smoking shield.

With a wince Darius sat upright, elbowed the tent-pole out of its hole, then braced it to his stomach. The creature lunged and impaled itself upon the shaft, immediately twisting and thrashing and bringing the tent down around them both. In the commotion Darius rolled out from under the flysheet and his hand snagged one of his possessions as he got clear. Out in the open once more, the man stood and looked down at the winged creature writhing beneath the collapsed tent. Then he raised his falchion in both hands, the top-heavy blade slamming down onto the mound. More squeals... more convulsions... but he did not let up, hacking through canvas and metal alike till both lay still.

And then, at last, his knee gave out. With a gasp the paladin dropped and landed with one hand clutching his knee and the other gripping the falchion now bloodied in putrid grease. He put his back against the slain monster and panted for breath as he watched the others do battle.

He was exhausted. Now, more than ever, the old paladin would depend on his allies to carry the day.
 
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With a bemused expression, Alla watched as the man who'd yelled for the aid of the rest of the group tumbled and rolled into his tent while under attack from an enemy. He achieved killing that one but he seemed weak and weary. An easy target for the creatures that could dine of his soft organs or who wanted some other evil with his body, depending on their intelligence.

Alla picked herself up from the ground where she'd fallen after taking down the first enemy. She'd found a weak point by fighting and watching the others fight, the face seemed to be a very vulnerable spot for the creatures. With that in mind, she skimmed the air just above the ground to get to the man faster. He seemed very beaten up, especially from so close.

"Fool, you got yourself hurt" she scoffed, though not meant as anything but a form of greeting. She reasoned that having one less member of the group, should the beasts decide to pick his weak form to attack, would be a liability to all of them. Especially her. He seemed decent at fighting and she'd hate to have to become some sort of reliable defense for everyone. By this reasoning, it was only logical to protect him.

One of the few enemies still swooping around this massacre of their kin saw the small young woman and the wounded man on the ground and directed its assault toward the pair. Alla turned a dismissive look toward Darius and lunged for the face of the creature with her claws outstretched.
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Underneath the trees and in between the foilage of the forest, Lahras stepped around with care and consideration. He had followed the song away from the campsite towards a small clearing not far from the edge of the woods, and had rested there, his head against a mossgrown trunk and his arms wrapped around his slender body. Something had awoken him though, not a sound, but an eerie feeling nudging at the edge of his mind. As he tracked his way back to the camp site, he hummed an energetic song. Not a happy tune, but an urgent one full of rapid series of low pitched tones, like running feet, or battle drums.

As he cleared the the forest line the tune matured into a crescendo and his panicky eyes quickly took in the chaos at the camp site. Lahras ran towards the camp as fast as his slightly awkward long legs could carry him. He could see the horse-lady packing tents, and the man-with-the-birds was watching the... the... the angry-birds up in the sky. But he wasn't looking for them. A quick turn to the right made sure he found who he was looking for. He stopped his humming and walked over to the woman, who seemed perhaps in a little more distress than the rest of the party.

"Lady Zahra..." He began and he tugged on the back of her sleeve to get her attention. "...I don't understand..."
 
I'm covered in the sticky, unpleasant-smelling substance that bursts from the creatures when they are wounded and my own blood, spreading from the cut on my back.

I stand on the corpse of one of the dead creatures, aware that there are still more to come.

My companions are hurriedly packing their tents, Zahra is calling for the young boy Lahras, and Darius lies slumped before the corpse of his latest kill, the old paladin spent. Only three of the monsters circle overhead now, but they are moving for those still attempting to save their tents and equipment.

My eyes narrow; I recognise the movements of that dive, having seen it before only moments before.

With a curse, I dart forwards with my spear at the ready, hoping to head off the lead creature before it's dive reaches its fiery climax. As it swoops low I leap, spear thrust forwards, driving my weapon into it's side. It emits a terrible scream as we both crash into the ground in a confusing tangle of metal and flesh. Knowing that removing the spear would take too long I abandon the weapon and grab at a large stone lying near to where we fell, flinging myself at the creature again before it can take off.

It snaps at me with it's vast maw, filled with sharpened metallic teeth, but I pull myself out of harm's way just in time and bring the rock down with all the force I can muster. With a sickening thud it smashes through the metal plates that cover some of the beast's head and into the flesh and bone underneath. It howls and attempts to bite at me again weakly, but I bash it's attacks aside and continue my onslaught, caving the creature's face in with the rock.

Satisfied that it is well and truly dead I rise to my feet again, covered in the thick oil that burst from the monster, and fling the rock to the side.
"Go back to whomever sent you, óvættr!" I roar with furious intensity to the last two creatures, who are already flying away, "And tell him that John of Ravens comes for his head!!"

With a few tugs, I manage to heave my spear free from the fallen beast, spitting on it's broken face as I move past and make for Darius. The two ravens appear from the trees and flap down to land on my shoulders as I approach. I must look like a strange sight; a bloodstained young man with a pair of ravens on either shoulder, walking from the battlefield that was our campsite just the night before.

"Are you hurt, my friend?" I ask, offering the paladin my hand to help him back to his feet, "I wonder what manner of creatures those were? I have never seen nor heard tell of such things before… and that worries me."
 
"Lahras." His name came out as a relieved sigh. Zahra rest her hand on his head gently, turning him and nudging him to follow in the direction that Arothi and most of the others had already fled. By this moment John sent the last of the beasts fleeing.

With a quick count, no one had lost their life in the skirmish. Though more than one seemed to be sporting a new injury. "Help Darius and Rovan." she called out to John and Alla. "We'll see to wounds under cover of the trees before we move on."

When Zahra caught up with Lahras she rest her hand at the back of his neck, a firm but nonthreatening squeeze. She spoke low as she chided him. "It's not wise to leave the safety of the camp. Stay within the circle and within sight of someone."

* * * * *

None of the wounds in the party were serious. The only thing required were bandages here and there, as well as the chance to rest. Though Zahra was restless to continue on as quickly as possible, she allowed ample time for people to get what they needed. Once they continued on, everyone was tensely aware of their surroundings. With a warning to be vigilant, it was hard not to watch the canopy of the trees for more signs of flying monsters. Or cast wary glances behind them to see if they were followed. Even Zahra watched the forest around them.

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The morning light shifted to late afternoon by the time they reached their first destination. After winding for hours through thin forest trails, the trees broke to reveal the rocky beachline of a lake hidden at it's center. Dark blue and perfectly still, there was no telling how deep the waters were. For the magically intune, there was a strange aura to the place. Something about it seemed to "vibrate".

Zahra didn't show any fear as she walked towards it, but stopped just shy of the waters. Her head turned this way and that as her eyes scanned the area around the lake. Finally, she took a step backwards and turned to face the others. A hand rest on her hip as she gestured towards the lake with the other.

"At the bottom there is a stone. It's very large and much like the ones I used to circle the camp. You'll know it by the carvings. A tree surrounded by small birds. I will need two volunteers to dive in the waters and find it. It will be deep and I am not sure what else you will find..."
 
Word had gotten round, as whispers do. The mistake had been Annalaey's. The girl had placed a warding stone incorrectly, and through that breach the monsters had surprised us. I knew there were some in the group who resented the girl, but they were ever the weaker voices. On our trek through the sodden forest we remembered, as all fellowships must, that we learn from these moments. I thank the gods that no one was hurt, as I thank them for the lesson we were taught that night.

From the Diary of Darius Castablane​



The paladin's knee was freshly bandaged, a tight and padded dressing that relieved the strain on his damaged joint. As the party came to rest it was Darius's breath that raced the most. The trek had been demanding, a twist of forest trails over river creeks and long-fallen boughs of ancient trees. With each day he was growing fitter; but it would take time.

Knowing his woeful swimming skills would not be called upon, Darius moved ahead and stood beside Zahra at the bank of the lake. He could feel the energy of this place - a force of neither light nor darkness - and could not decide whether to be disturbed or in awe of what resonated from the waters. Turning to the others, he caught the scent of the woman beside him. Even after days in the wilderness, Zahra had a smell of exotic spice about her, foreign and utterly unusual. For all his travels he could not guess the birth land of this woman.

"I shall keep a watch from the far bank. This place is exposed and ripe for a second ambush. Should we be attacked, we should fall back to this beachline."

With that, he began circling to the left of the lake, taking slow and measured steps as he skirted the waters.
 

The verdant forest surrounding them did not instill any sense of peace in Alla, rather she felt enclosed. The chirping of animals around her made her hungry but the darkness and unknown territory warded her away. The trees seemed to have secrets that they whispered only to themselves. Needless to say, it was a relief when the group emerged from the trees and saw a lake right before them. It was far more comforting to Alla, until Zahra tried to insist that someone go down and get her a rock.

"Swimming is not my cup of tea" Alla beat her wings together once and her tail flicked around. "It weighs my wings down. Large surface area, thin membrane. Why don't you go get it, misssss?"

Alla tried to keep her tone pleasant, her talons clicking against the stones beneath her feet as she stepped a little back from the water. Swimming was not made easy by the wings, which did not fold well enough to not be sacs full of water. Plus, it felt unnatural and she did not like that feeling. She was more incased by the water than she had been by even the trees. She'd prefer a good mountain peak any day.
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"I would go swimming for you but I'm not built for anything where I can't touch the ground. I will join Darius and offer my bow as backup for his sword. I'm more help on solid land than I am in water." Arothi said calmly to Zahra to before trotting off toward Darius.

She walked near him for a moment in silence until they were out of hearing distance of the others. She knew from before that he was a man of pride and as such would only offer her help when the other's could not hear or see it. Unfortunately they would have to see it this time if he would want better relief than the simple bandages allowed him. She watched him quietly as he took slow steps toward his destination, thinking of what to offer him for her joint.

"Darius, do you need anything for you knee? I have more of the salve If you wish to slip away and apply more to your knee." She offered softly to him as she kept his pace.
 
Lahras kept walking besides Zahra for the entire walk through the forest, though he kept gazing longingly at the surrounding trees and the occasional small animal zipping away through the underbrush. He did not speak much during the trek through the forest, but when he did speak he would point out weird looking roots on trees or flowers he found beautiful to the woman next to him. The journey so far seemed a wonderful adventure to him so far, and he seemed entirely unfazed by the whole battle against the flying monsters from earlier.

When the group entered the area around the lake, Lahras' eyes grew big and his mouth went slightly ajar as he took in the scene. A delighted sound of approval quickly followed and his movements became excited, his feet lifting from the ground one after another in quick succession as if he was sprinting in place, and his hands were balled into fists and held against his chest. He closed his eyes and took in the supernatural aura that hung over the lake with all remaining senses, while softly humming in tune to a song that perhaps only the mages in the party could decipher amidst the vibrations caused by the lake.

Lahras stopped and opened his eyes again, however, when Zahra began to speak. He frowned and watched the old mister and the horse person walk to another place somewhere around the lake, and he tilted his head at the lizard girl when she refused to volunteer as well. Quickly glancing at the two warriors who were the most likely candidates for the trip down, Lahras excitedly drew attention to himself by waving one arm high in the air.

"Lady Zahra! I will go swim! Can I go swim, pleeeeeaaase? I want to go swim in the pretty lake!"
 
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