The Fight for Valeroma IC

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, purple

[dash=limegreen]

Vivian looked at Tysin, when he started talking. Merely nodding in response to his question, and his compliment, she looked around. Valaina was gone. She winced. She was probably too hard on her, as she had a tendency of doing. She made a note to apologize later.
When the seventh one appeared, she tensed, but made no move to show it. Viv smirked as the girl stated the obvious, except for one fact. A name appeared in her head, Colleen. She nodded, and walked up to her slowly, still prepared to draw her own sword if need be. She smelled of something familiar, something she could not quite place her finger on. She smiled slyly, dwarfs. She smelled as if she had been near dwarfs.
She realized that the only one who hadn't shown up is the dwarf from the vision. She looked at the sky. It was beginning to get dark on the second day. She hoped he would show up...for if what the spirit said was true....Valeroma was doomed if they all didn't work together.
She turned and walked into the trees, looking for Valaina. Since she could likely hear her, she just started talking. "Valaina, I apologize for earlier. I was probably a little to harsh, or maybe very much too harsh. There is a reason behind my...coldness, but I'm not going into that right now." She paused as she smelled the food she was eating. She smiled. "Part of it was, I was trying to protect both of us, and what you did, the shield, prevented me from doing that. I assure you, I would never, EVER, shoot at anyone who wasn't a threat. I was just making sure he wasn't a threat...But my reaction was harsh, cold and mean. I apologize." she said. With that done, she turned and started walking back towards the main group. [/dash]

 

[Bitterblue]

The Death of the Leader

[dash=orange]

Vaeros came upon the home of the dragons. Perfect, just what he came to do. He flew down and landed a few miles away, knowing they would have seen him even then at his enormous size once he landed, he shifted into his human form. He started walking towards the mountain range the dragons resided in. Walking in the middle of the path, he came upon people on horseback riding towards him. "Halt!" they yelled. "State your name." they ordered. Vaeros rolled his eyes and continued on, heading straight into the path of the three soldiers. Drawing their swords, the men repeated themselves. Vaeros didn't break his stride. They charged him, hoping to restrain him and bring him into custody. Vaeros jumped in the air, and ran his hands down the blade and connected with the palms of his opponents, breaking their hands. Their swords dropped to the ground, and Vaeros ducked right before a blade swooshed through the air where his head had been. Grabbing one of the dropped swords, he stuck it out and slashed the horses belly, sending both it and it's rider to the ground, and blood splashing on his face. The two men who he disarmed were back for a second round. He ducked under their fists; but as they went by, he reached up, grabbed both of their wrists and yanked down with incredible strength. They both came crashing off their horses, landing in a heap upon the ground.

Grabbing one of the nearby swords on the ground, Vaeros quickly decapitated the two on the ground, and turned to face the third. He looked at his dead companions, and rage filled on his face. He retrieved his sword, and ran towards Vaeros with a scream. Vaeros grinned. He loved dancing, especially when it included death. The two danced for a few seconds, but Vaeros ended it quickly with a clean cut across the neck, severing his head from his spine and sending yet another spray of blood on his face.

He mounted one of the spooked horses and calmed it down. He then took off for the mountains, looking like death. For death is what and who he was. Time to eliminate the Dragon that kept the peace over the world, the dragon who practically controlled the entire race of dragons. Once he was dead, Vaeros would be in control.

Vaeros reached the base of the mountains and plead with the gatekeepers that he had an urgent message for the leader. They refused to take Vaeros in, so Vaeros changed right then and there. No other dragon on the planet could compare to his size. He was almost 200 feet tip to tail, and about 80 feet in height. Roaring, he caught the entire dragon races attention. Stomping on the two guards before they had a chance to change, guts spilled everywhere, with a POP noise. Leaping into the air, the current created from his wings knocked two structures crumbling to the ground.

Dragons started rising in the air to face this unbeatable foe. They rose to defend their family, their supposed king. They would fail. Vaeros flew through these dragons, even as they threw themselves at him. He ripped throats out, ripped off wings, and did horrendous things to anyone who got in his way, which was the majority of the dragons, only a few were wise enough to remain on the ground. By the time Vaeros reached the leaders dwelling, an enormous amount of carnage littered the ground for miles upon miles of mountainside. Blood was seeping into the streams, turning it red, polluting it for anyone to drink. He landed right outside the door, his feet the size of a house, causing the soil to shudder at his weight. Thousands of dragons were dead, and they had only managed to place a gash on Vaeros' left shoulder, and it wasn't life threatening. By the time he was done, only several hundred lived.

Changing back to human, Vaeros walked in the dwelling of the leader. He found him surrounded by 3 small dragon guards. "Leave." he said in a low, menacing tone. The dragons shuddered, but stood their ground. Drawing his sword, he got in ready stance. "Okay then, let's dance." Vaeros launched into action against the three dragons. For any normal human, the odds would be completely against them, they would die within seconds. But Vaeros was no ordinary human. He was the death brought to this world. In a matter of minutes, the dragons lay dead on the floor, leaving him alone with the leader.

He looked up at the old dragon. "You have lived and served well, my lord." he said in a solemn tone. "But your time is up, and it's time for a new ruler to rule the earth. Will you step down willingly?" he asked coldly, hoping for another fight. His hopes came true.
"I will never let a tyrant like you take the seat willingly. Let's get this over with." the old dragon said, knowing this was the prophecy. "You are the fulfillment of the prophecy, but beware the other half. Six united will be your undoing, Vaeros." he added before throwing himself at the unbeatable human. Changing then, Vaeros met the old dragon midair. The fight lasted longer than Vaeros had expected. The leader did manage to wound him, but only a minor wound before Vaeros ripped his throat out.

Vaeros roared with triumph. His voice rang clear throughout the mountain range, heard for miles upon miles upon miles. Jumping in the air, he hovered several hundred feet over the ground. He was visible to every dragon still living. "You're leader is dead! He died with honor! I am your new leader. Anyone who wishes to protest, come forth now and we will battle to the death." he roared, his voice scratchy in his dragon form. No one rose to fight him. He smiled his toothy smile. "Leave the carnage where it is, I want everyone to remember this day. The day when Vaeros came to power." [/dash]

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

"Valaina," She was starting to enjoy her meal, her mind finally wondered away from what had happened earlier, but when Vivi spoke her content smile turned to a frown. She still wasn't happy with Vivi, rather she was still very upset with her. "I apologize for earlier. I was probably a little to harsh, or maybe very much too harsh. There is a reason behind my...coldness, but I'm not going into that right now. Part of it was, I was trying to protect both of us, and what you did, the shield, prevented me from doing that. I assure you, I would never, EVER, shoot at anyone who wasn't a threat. I was just making sure he wasn't a threat...But my reaction was harsh, cold and mean. I apologize." She did not speak for a second but finally stood up. Looking past the tree she was hiding behind she watched Vivi starting walking away. Just as Vivi was almost out of sight she spoke up, "It's ok... I guess I over reacted a little too... I'm just not, well a warrior so I don't understand how the rest of you think." Though she still wasn't happy with any of those she had already met. It's no secret that she was no soldier/warrior and she still didn't understand why they were so cautious... but perhaps one day she would understand. Finally sighing she figured she was stuck with them whether she liked it or not and started to walk out of the forest with Vivi after packing away her leftovers.

Making it through the clearing she eyed the newcomer before walking over to her horse where she traded her pack of food for her staff. She sighed slightly before turning around and sitting. She rested her staff in her lap and looked around at everyone there, however she made no attempt to start conversations. They had spoiled her first impression and she was afraid they would do the same for her second. All in all she didn't really trust any of them.

 

[Lady Alainn]

[dash=grey]

Just as he'd predicted, [indeed, how could it have been otherwise?] the burly dwarf found himself approaching the familiar landmark from his dream of the Forsaken Grove as the sun sank below the horizon. Trees, a boulder, a small pond. He could just make them out in the dimming light. He was here.

His trudging pace slowed as he uncoiled his muscles and allowed them to truly breathe for the first time since he started this run yesterday morning. They awoke with a vengeance, nerves tingling like little daggers all throughout his body and each consecutive step grew more and more painful as his muscles doubled over from pure exhaustion. How long had it been since he had pushed himself like that? Years. His entire body shook, forcing the great dwarf to tumble to his knees, his hands reaching out and catching the brunt of his fall even as his elbows buckled underneath him. Unable to do more than gasp for breath, the dwarf lay there in a heap, limbs trembling from the exertion.

How long he laid there, Kolmar did not know, but it was dark and his sweat had dissipated when he opened his eyes. Letting out a quiet groan, the dwarf bent his arms at the elbows and heaved his massive chest off the ground. The clearing, he had to get to the clearing before dawn. Though it was only a few meters away, it seemed like such an immense distance considering the state of his muscles. But he must make it there, he must. Kolmar forced himself to sit, then into a kneeling position, and then to stand. His step wobbled a bit, but gradually it grew confident as the sore muscles shifted back into place and toughened up.

And then he heard the sound of water splashing. Surprise flitted across his face as his brain registered the shallow waters of the pond lapping against his boots. Suddenly his throat felt parched, very parched, and Kolmar took a few steps back to kneel down next to the cool liquid instead of in it. Dipping his hands into the water, he scrubbed at his palms and fingers to make them at least somewhat clean and then scooped the refreshing liquid into his mouth. One scoop, then another and another. Pure, sweet relief slid down his throat and into his empty stomach. It didn't take much more than a thought to convince Kolmar to stick his whole head under water, sucking the water through his mouth to drink and swirling his hair around to wash away the grime of hard travel.

He drew his head up, panting, and flung his wet hair away from his face. Refreshed, invigorated, and alert once more, Kolmar heaved himself onto his feet and proceeded through the trees to get to the clearing.

As was to be expected, there were already people there. In fact, probably most of the party if not all of them. Kolmar halted next to a tree close enough to those gathered for them to see him but far enough away to not pose a threat. Drawing his hammer from his back, he slammed the shaft into the ground and leaned on the head with both arms.

"We're all accounted for now, I'm assuming? Let's get this quest underway with some proper introductions, shall we?"

His eyes travelled to each face, studying, staring, assessing, noting which ones raised heads to meet his gaze boldly and which ones shied away. What assortment of troops had the spirit woman thrown together for this escapade? A faint light of recognition entered his eyes as he took in the beautiful human woman's face, but he did not let them tarry there long and shifted them onto the next person. After a few seconds of careful contemplation, he gave the faintest of smiles, his eyes resting on the smallest, shy looking elf in a kind gaze.

"My name is Kolmar of the mighty dwarven clan of the Longlegs. And this is Ikspar, Mighty Fist, Slayer of Trolls. We are at your service."

[/dash]

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

"We're all accounted for now, I'm assuming? Let's get this quest underway with some proper introductions, shall we?" Vala was sitting with her legs pressed to her chest and her forehead resting on her knee's when Kolmar showed up and made his booming entrance. She was slightly startled but when she realized who it was she quickly calmed down. She watched curiously as he scanned everyone else but when his eyes fell to her she looked away and pulled her knee's slightly closer to her frame. She waited to feel his gaze leave her... but it didn't seem to be moving anytime soon. "My name is Kolmar of the mighty dwarven clan of the Longlegs. And this is Ikspar, Mighty Fist, Slayer of Trolls. We are at your service." After he spoke she looked back up only to see his eyes were still trained on her, but once again she could not fully meet him. Was he expecting her to go next? Oh he clearly didn't know how much he was truly expecting form her.

She cleared her throat slightly to speak but was cut off. "I am Colleen Highgreen, archer, traveler, and daughter of the renowned knight Sir. Highgreen. I look forward to working with all of you." She sighed a little and got up only to move closer to her horse. She turned around, placing Kolmar behind her, to readjust her horse's saddle. While she worked she continually glanced at Colleen trying to make it seem like she was paying full-attention to what she was saying, though honestly she was busy worrying about many other things. The look she found on Kolmar's face gave her chills... it wasn't that she didn't like Kolmar, in fact she was rather fond of him. He showed up with out drawing his weapon and startling everyone (minus her) and kept everything short and to the point. He had an air of dominance surrounding him yet it was easy to see he was no threat, unlike Vivi who had an air of dominance, the voice of a beast, and the tendency to pounce on the unknown...

Honestly though she half hoped Vivi would take the initiative again and introduce her as well. It was much simpler to nod her head or give a little curtsy than to come up with the words and speak for herself. However as soon as Colleen finished speaking she felt a gaze return to her. Slowly she peeked over her shoulder and met his eyes for but a moment before she turned from what she was doing, to face the others, and dropped her head. "I'm, my name is, I go by... um Valaina." She looked up at the others thinking she was done before realizing they were all expecting more, "I... can heal." She turned away, once again pretending to 'readjust' her horse's saddle, hoping someone would take the hint and start their introduction.

Colleen, green

Colleen had dismounted her horse and tied it up near Valaina's. She walked away from it, to the other side of the clearing, looking around for any signs of the spirit that had told them to come here. She didn't find anything but that was only to be expected. After all she didn't even know what signs she was supposed to be looking for. How does one track down something that is not of this world? Did the spirit even leave anything here or did she just ask them all to meet up? What sort of guidance would she get, would the team get?... and how were they ever going to take down a beast that could burn down an entire village only using its breath?

"We're all accounted for now, I'm assuming? Let's get this quest underway with some proper introductions, shall we?" She looked up at the dwarf and placed a name on his head before he even spoke it. Honestly it wasn't very hard at all, Kolmar was the shortest of the group and the only dwarf after all... plus she could have sworn she had seen him before... "My name is Kolmar of the mighty dwarven clan of the Longlegs. And this is Ikspar, Mighty Fist, Slayer of Trolls. We are at your service." She turned to face him, no longer looking around aimlessly, "I am Colleen Highgreen, archer, traveler, and daughter of the renowned knight Sir. Highgreen. I look forward to working with all of you." She announced. "I'm, my name, I go by... um Valaina." She could tell this elvish woman was fairly nervous. She almost felt sorry for Vala. Honestly she knew the feeling of being caught for words however that rarely happened anymore. She learned to keep quite when she was unsure of something. "I... can heal." She nodded before looking around trying to figure out who would go next.

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, purple

[dash=green]
Vivian smiled, and walked with Vala back to the group. She saw the newcomer, and tensed slightly. Her hand automatically went to her sword, but she forced it away as she recognized the face from the dream. Colleen. "I assume we are waiting on two others?" She shook her head, and started to introduce herself and Vala, when a dwarf showed up at the edge of the clearing and confidently introduced himself. She was honestly at a loss for words for a moment...leaving Colleen and Vala introducing themselves. Poor Vala was so nervous and shaky, it made her smile slightly.

"My name is Kolmar of the mighty dwarven clan of the Longlegs. And this is Ikspar, Mighty Fist, Slayer of Trolls. We are at your service." "I am Colleen Highgreen, archer, traveler, and daughter of the renowned knight Sir. Highgreen. I look forward to working with all of you."

It takes a lot to get Vivian speechless, but this did. She looked around, at this mix of humans, elves and dwarf. Races that didn't normally get along joining together to fight an enormous dragon. At the call of some spirit. Sir Highgreen? Her eyebrow rose slightly.

As the three stopped introducing themselves, she shook herself out of her stupor. I am Vivian Alae, a dragon shifter." she said. Looking around this group, she looked each member of their group in the eye. "This is Niklaus, and Tysin. You've already met Vala," she stopped, giving Vala what she hoped was an encouraging look. "Kolmar, Colleen, it is nice to meet you both. I think we should all take some time to....get to know each other. If we're going to fight this, we need to know who our partners are, and our strengths and weaknesses." she stopped. Vala had already admitted she was not a warrior, she may need to learn how to fight.

She looked around once more, awe filling her once more.[/dash]

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

Niklaus looked closely at the newcomers. A human woman and a dwarf concluded the group as a certainly interesting one. He was a little glad that he wasn't the only one of his specie in the group. Even if there weren't many conclusions he could make out of his new comrades yet, they all seemed pretty tough. With the exception of Valaina, who made clear she was no warrior, the rest were probably great fighters. That made Niklaus wonder why he had been chosen; of course, he was a dragon shifter and he had always believed he was a strong one, but in his human shape a blink from Vaeros would probably take him down. Still, he was exciting for being part of something as big as that.

Niklaus stood up and shook his clothes a little to remove the dust. Unlike everyone around him, he didn't have any weapon with himself. He probably looked as a simple farmer from the view of everyone who didn't know him. He stayed quiet and slightly smiled hearing that Vivian was a dragon shifter. He knew there was something interesting about her, but he had no idea it was that interesting. As he spent his whole life surrounded by ordinary humans, he had never met another dragon shifter before.
"As Vivian said, my name is Niklaus." told them. Even though it wasn't necessary, it seemed as a cordial way to start talking. He skipped his surname because it wouldn't be relevant. His last name originally belonged to his mother, who used to be a prostitute, and, even if he wasn't even slightly ashamed of it, it wasn't something that the daughter of Sir. Highgreen or Kolmer from the Longlegs would care to know. "I'm a dragon shifter, too." stated, with a smile that probably reflected that he was proud about that fact. "And I'm glad we are all finally here."

Afterward, he watched Vivian. It seemed like a good idea to talk about their strengths and weaknesses if they were going to work together. Knowing each other would be vital in a task as important as theirs. "I'm mostly useless as a human. Anyway, I may be helpful in combat using my dragon shape. I can breath fire and I'm not hurt by it." said, realizing that there wasn't much he could say about himself. He frowned a little; he didn't even know his strenghts and weaknesses. He never had a chance to fully test his potential.

 

[poisonbite01]

Tysin listened to everyone talking, listening intently to what they said from his position leaning against one of the trees. There were a few elves, it was true, but one of them was strangely shy and didn't seem like she'd be at all useful in any way, and the other was a bossy sort with a bow. Typical of his kin. The humans were, well,human, with broad, unattractive features. Typical of their kin. And the dwarf. He had less of the normal animosity that elves showed towards dwarves since he had trained with them before. The Order of the Pounding Wind was a perfect marriage of agility, evasiveness, sturdiness, and strength, and thus was a good way of teaching elves to stand their ground and to get dwarves to loosen up enough to maneuver, so the mix had been pretty decent.

But still, this dwarf was smelly, and his features were even bulkier and round than those of the humans. He would have lumped him in with all the others of his race, if not for his ridiculous height. Granted, he was still shorter than just about everyone there, but he was humongous for a dwarf.

However, his attention was drawn from his companions physical aspects and to their story and abilities, when the human claimed to be a dragon shifter. Interesting. Could he turn into something that could destroy the dragon, then? Most everyone else's introductions did not phase him, or interest him, not even the mention of Sir Highgreen, whose exploits even he was familiar with. Not taking his blatantly curious stare from the human, he decided to toss in his own introduction.

"I am Tysin Iron-stance. My skills focus much more heavily on unarmed combat than the rest of you seem to care for. While my skills are quite useful, I'm not entirely sure what use they will be against this dragon. Do any of you have anything that might be able to hurt this creature, this beast that burns cities in one breath and is as large as a mountain?"

 

[Warenai hana]

Colleen, green

"Kolmar, Colleen, it is nice to meet you both." Colleen nodded at Vivian. "I think we should all take some time to....get to know each other. If we're going to fight this, we need to know who our partners are, and our strengths and weaknesses." That was true, if they were going to work together and get along they needed to know who could be trusted in what situations and considering what they were up against... well they needed a solid plan before jumping into battle. Unfortunately she didn't know much about dragons... "I'm mostly useless as a human. Anyway, I may be helpful in combat using my dragon shape. I can breath fire and I'm not hurt by it." She smiled slightly, it seemed she didn't need to worry about her lack of knowledge on dragons. With two dragon shifters in the group she was sure she could find out all that was needed. "I am Tysin Iron-stance. My skills focus much more heavily on unarmed combat than the rest of you seem to care for. While my skills are quite useful, I'm not entirely sure what use they will be against this dragon. Do any of you have anything that might be able to hurt this creature, this beast that burns cities in one breath and is as large as a mountain?" She wasn't sure why they would need someone that doesn't use weapons. She figured that meant the only way to beat this dragon was to ground it or somehow get him to change forms to better utilize their more melee sided partners. "How we fight the dragon can come later. Right now lets get to know each other." She said looking over at Tysin. She had a lot of questions to ask, but she wanted to start out with how they could survive an encounter with Vaeros, not how they were going to take him down.

"I am a good strategist and archer. I prefer to not charge head first into battle, rather stay further away to analyze the situation and assist those who need it." She was already starting to make connections, hopefully Niklaus's dragon form was large, because it could be used to block the devastating flames... "Niklaus, are you certain you aren't effected by flames? Could you confidently say, If Vaeros were to swooped down right now and released his fiery breath upon you, you wouldn't be the least bit effected?" That was important and a great advantage against Vaeros.

Colleen was ready to get started on this mission, her mind was going a million miles a second while she worked out a plan to take down this monstrous beast. From what she heard and saw she could sort of tell what almost everyone was good at, and good for. Vivian and Niklaus were both dragon shifters, Kolmar seemed extremely strong and Tysin was both strong and agile. Unfortunately she couldn't really understand why Vala was here. Healing? That would be useful but someone that can only heal would set the team back. She wouldn't be able to carry her own weight in battle and burden everyone else. Still if they hid Vala in a cave or something they should be fine. The rest of them at least seemed trained...

Her next step would be talking to Vivi and Niklaus to find out more about dragons. She assumed they would be both be experts on the topic since half of them was a dragon. That talk could take forever but she wanted to limit herself. She would only ask what was absolutely vital. After all the more time they wasted here the more towns were burned and people were slayed. She would give herself until the spirit came back to gather information and designate a leader, which she rather hoped wasn't her. She may be good at strategies but leading... well, she can make a plan but implementing it...

"I can heal, create barriers, slow everything in an area, and manipulate the weight of a target. My healing abilities are great but it requires a lot of concentration and time in order to just stabilize someone that is on death row and if it is interrupted I will have to start over again. Most of my abilities require concentration, actually..." She was not expecting Vala's sudden outbreak. She looked over at the girl she had previously classified as shy, with a bit of a flustered look. She could see the blush creeping onto Vala's face as she attempted to continue but it seemed whatever had suddenly come over her left just a quick, "I am also... good at avoiding troublesome situations..." She didn't know what to say so she simply didn't speak.

Valaina, blue

I think we should all take some time to....get to know each other. If we're going to fight this, we need to know who our partners are, and our strengths and weaknesses." She frowned a little at Vivi's comment. She did not want to continue speaking and Vivi was suggesting they share more... "I'm mostly useless as a human. Anyway, I may be helpful in combat using my dragon shape. I can breath fire and I'm not hurt by it." Multiple dragon shifters... She frowned a little more finding she didn't like shifters either. At least judging by the only two she had ever met... Though she was probubly being a little harsh with them, perhaps she was relying on first impressions too much. That must be it, the spirit wouldn't put her in a group if they weren't all going to get along right?

"I am Tysin Iron-stance. My skills focus much more heavily on unarmed combat than the rest of you seem to care for. While my skills are quite useful, I'm not entirely sure what use they will be against this dragon. Do any of you have anything that might be able to hurt this creature, this beast that burns cities in one breath and is as large as a mountain?" She was starting to lose faith in this spirit that brought them together. They had an archer but what good are arrows against a dragon? They had two powerful looking melee specialists, but if the dragon was in the air how could they help, what could they do? Then there was her, she was nothing special... The only two she thought were good choices were the Dragon shifters, but even then wouldn't actual dragons be better? It seemed like a rather sloppy choice and she knew they didn't stand a chance."How we fight the dragon can come later. Right now lets get to know each other." It seemed even Colleen Highgreen agreed with her. There was no point in talking about how they were going to fight a dragon.

She was rather upset now, the entire world was practically on their shoulders and she could already feel them getting crushed. She replayed the image of Vaeros flying through the town leaving only fire in its wake. She cringed a little at the thought of such a beast coming after her. The fire engulfed her image and she quickly shook it out of her head. She had come to understand what Vala was trying to do, if they could all get to know each other they could, at the very least, have a chance to save the world, literally, and though she didn't have anyone special she knew others did and could imagine what it would be like to see a loved one go up in flames. They had too do something, they had too, they had too! Working up some righteous courage she spoke at a rather quick pace, "I can heal, create barriers, slow everything in an area, and manipulate the weight of a target." Her own voice seemed to startle her at first but she persisted. "My healing abilities are great but it requires a lot of concentration and time in order to just stabilize someone that is on death row and if it is interrupted I will have to start over again. Most of my abilities require concentration, actually..." When she first started speaking her eyes had fire behind them, but slowly as it faded away and she realize all the attention she had drawn. A light hint of pink started to show across her face and she closed her eyes as she continued to speak, "I am also... good at avoiding troublesome situations..." Her face had started to darken into a small hint of red before she looked around at everyone. They probubly thought of her as a child. She wanted to hit herself, getting herself so worked up... they probubly didn't know why she got so worked up... Oh she hoped she didn't just make everyone think ill of her.

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, green

Vivian listened to Tysin, Niklaus, Colleen, and Vala. She had an idea concerning both training with Niklaus and Colleen. As well as Vala and Tysin. Nik could breath fire....she did water and ice....interesting mix and a dangerous combination. Arrows are made of wood, and she could manipulate anything plant based, so she would be able to help with that. She looked at each member of the small group again, a look of determination in her eyes. "I am an expert archer and an okay sword fighter in my elven form, and can manipulate anything plant based, including arrows, when I sing. When I'm a dragon I am very fast and agile, but not very big. Maybe 50 feet tip to tail. I can breathe both water and ice." Vivian looked at Niklaus, they would have to train together. She wasn't used to fighting with another dragon around. And Vala, she could teach her some things too. But as Colleen and Vala said, they needed to focus on getting to know each other first, including their disabilities. Her instincts screamed at her to keep them to herself. To not let them know she was weak at all. She swallowed her pride and started speaking. "I am strongest on my right side, so if my right side gets hurt, I am at a disadvantage. I can fight with my left, but I am seriously hindered. I am also, unlike most of my kin, a clutz. I lack the strength many have as a dragon because of my size, but I make up for it with my speed and ability to turn on a dime."
She would bring up training when Kolmar had spoken.

 

[poisonbite01]

Tysin figured that they all seemed powerful enough. When the other elf, the bossy one, revealed that she was also a shifter, Tysin let out a quiet grunt that could have been anything from intrigue to scorn. In truth, it was somewhere in the middle. His thoughts were quite similar to Valaina's, though he did not know this. He was quite confused as to why this particular group had been called together. Three archers, a brawler, an armored warrior, and an uncoordinated human, two of which could turn into dragons the size of their foe's foot. And, as far as he could tell, no real magical power behind them. The only ones with any spell-work, as far as he knew, were the two elf females. One could manipulate plants while singing, and the other could heal and slow people down. What use was all that?

Granted, plants were useful, he supposed, in the right environment. Healing was always valuable, but no amount of skilled casting could bring someone who'd been crushed to a pulp or incinerated in lava-hot flames the size of a house. Then there were his own unique abilities. Yes, he could move quickly, and could probably avoid blows from the mountain of a creature, and if he was in human form he'd be a much more simple foe. Despite his gripes, a plan began to form, and he felt a smirk crease his face. He had a plan, but he wasn't sure it would be able to work. It would require abilities and magic they probably didn't possess, and who knows WHAT their foe was capable of. For all they knew, he couldn't be killed. He had to speak, but he figured he'd at least wait for the dwarf to ramble on about whatever he would ramble about before bringing to light his concern and possible idea.

 

[Lady Alainn]

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Everyone seemed much more willing to talk than Kolmar had supposed they would be-- after all how many people love divulging themselves to complete strangers-- and he soaked in the proffered information as each member listed strengths and weaknesses at the request of the female elf called... Vivian, hadn't it been? This one he'd need to keep an eye on, he figured. She seemed like the type to gravitate towards leadership roles, but was she capable of leading? That was the question.

The male human, Niklaus, seemed particularly useless in his talents, but Kolmar knew from years of experience on the battlefield that these were the types to throw a battle in one's favour. They held the element of surprise for not even they knew the great things they were capable of. Yes, they would find themselves depending on the uneasy dragon-shifter soon enough. His eyes roved onto the next person to speak.

Ah, so the massive elf was a fancy-footer. That would explain the familiar looking tattoo. While the elf seemed completely oblivious as to how he could be of use against a dragon, Kolmar imagined him as live bait dangling in front of the dragon's snout. With his quick reflexes, he could pull off any sort of diversionary tactic. Kolmar gave a grudging grunt of assent and moved on to the next.

Colleen, the female human. A strategist and archer. Good, they needed one of those as well. Valaina, the other female elf. Healing and manipulation. That was vital in a team. Kolmar gave her a nod of approval before turning to Vivian again. A second archer and sword-wielder. Also a dragon-shifter. Her skills seemed... redundant or unimpressive, but her inner strength would more than make up for that.

A surprise element, a diversionary tactic, a strategist, a healer, a jack of many trades, and brute force-- the essentials of any successful team. While the others may not see it, may not believe it was there, Kolmar saw the worth in each individual and nodded with satisfaction. This would do. It may not be ideal, but it would do.

"Well, we're a motley crew then, aren't we?" Kolmar chuckled after everyone had finished speaking. While he did not want to over-inflate anyone's ego or speak a falsehood about their talents, he knew it was important to give some kind of moral support. Something encouraging. It was evident by some of the other comments and expressions on faces that there were doubts as to their ability to succeed in this mission. In truth, the dwarf had a few doubts himself, but he would not let that show. No, he must have faith in those of his team. There was no use in sinking into discouragement before the quest had even begun. "But at least the spirit maiden gave us decent material to work with. We have the basic necessary components for a coordinated team and that can make a significant difference between victory and failure."

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[Bitterblue]

Vivian Alae, green

Vivian had many ideas. Training, fighting, hunting, how to carry supplies....but the fatigue from the journey was starting to get to her. Maybe it would be best to get a good nights sleep before they set out....She shook her head slightly. No, they needed to get started as soon as possible. After listening to everyone's abilities, she noticed Kolmar answered, but didn't share. She frowned. Sure, she understood why he wouldn't want to. It was in her instincts to hide her own abilities, but to work together you have to know how each member of the team works...it's like a body. Each member is an organ, and if an organ refuses to cooperate, or is out of sync with the others, the body dies.
She turned to Niklaus and smiled slyly. "I have an idea as to how we can train....fire and ice don't mix well. But say I changed and froze this apple." she said, as she pulled an apple from her pack. "And you then consumed it in fire. If it didn't completely burn to ashes, it would have been boiled to death if it was a living creature." she stopped talking. Waiting for what she was saying to sink in. Turning to Colleen "As I said, I can manipulate anything plant based, so that and your archery could make for an important mix." Turning to Vala she smiled. "Vala, you are probably the most important one here right now. What would we do without a healer?" she said, still trying to make up for being so harsh on her earlier. Yes, she was normally unfriendly, but this would have to be the exception. Turning to Tysin and Vala, she thought of something that could work exceptionally, but decided to bring it up later. "Tysin, the one who can dodge all blows. You and Colleen and Vala together could wreak some havoc."
She was finished. She had done her part for now, so she shut her mouth, and awaited their reaction. ​

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

No one commented on her sudden outburst, though she could feel eyes staring at her for a second... she wondered if they secretly thought ill of her? Were they like the humans she would pass on the street? Did they secretly hate her for who she was? Or were they planning on using her for her skills? Were they more like her 'parents' or were they simply more kids from the orphanage? They must be one or the other... those were the only two kinds of people that she had ever met.

Despite being taken by a holy rage she still lacked confidence. What could they possibly do against such a powerful foe? "But at least the spirit maiden gave us decent material to work with. We have the basic necessary components for a coordinated team and that can make a significant difference between victory and failure." For some reason the Dwarfs comment made her angry. Why did he have to do that! Every time she was doubting something why did he have to come around and say such believable words? They weren't even believable! Its just... the way he said it, she wanted to believe him. She closed her eyes and tightened her fists before sitting down again. She didn't know, she really just didn't understand where he got his confidence from, where any of them seemed to get their confidence from. Did they really expect to take down this dragon? Though she wanted too, with everything inside of her, to help slay a god like dragon she just didn't see any possible way for it to happen.

"Vala, you are probably the most important one here right now. What would we do without a healer?" What good was a healer if they were smashed or burned to ashes? She could perform miracles, bring someone who was on the verge of death back to live, but she certainty couldn't revive them. "Tysin, the one who can dodge all blows. You and Colleen and Vala together could wreak some havoc." Maybe against a band of thieves or common bandits... but that wasn't what they were up against. Why didn't any of them see this! They were up against something that could crush them like ants.

Once again she bulled her legs up to her chest and rested her forehead against her knees. She wasn't ready to die, she was so young, she may not like the world but that didn't mean she was ready to leave it. Of all the people the spirit could have picked, why was she in the bunch? Honestly she would much rather be running with the rest of the world. At least then she would have at least a little extra time on this earth...

Colleen, green

"I am an expert archer and an okay sword fighter in my elven form, and can manipulate anything plant based, including arrows, when I sing. When I'm a dragon I am very fast and agile, but not very big. Maybe 30 feet tip to tail. I can breathe both water and ice." A Small dragon? She was hoping for two larger dragons but an agile one would help when trying to knock Vaeros out of the sky. A small but precise movement was sometimes stronger than a large and wild one. "But at least the spirit maiden gave us decent material to work with. We have the basic necessary components for a coordinated team and that can make a significant difference between victory and failure." She nodded with a smile, indeed, they had all the skills to become a feared team, but they did need a lot of work.

Colleen listened to what Vivi had to say and nodded, those tactics would work on a normal opponent however if Vaeros was anything like Niklaus, seeing as they both breathed fire, only the ice would work on him. Of course Vaeros's flame was probably much stronger than anything Vivi could produce. She didn't realize Vivi could manipulate both living and slain plants. They would have to play with that a little to see just what could be accomplished with that combination.Though she still doubted any of it would have a huge effect on Vaeros, unless he became over confident or they got really creative, it still was worth consideration. Say Vaeros wasn't their only opponent? Sure Vaeros could concur this world single-handedly, from what she had seen, but what fun is that? If she was as powerful as Vaeros she would want people under her to do what she was too lazy to do herself. It would make for a much more fun... game.

"We still don't know much about Vaeros, and I don't know much about dragons. We clearly come from a lot of different backgrounds, which is good and bad, so we should learn how to work together and figure out just how far we can push each others abilities. We have a lot of work to do. I know the odds are stacked against us, but we have a fighting chance..." She was trying to give a motivational speech, like her father had done so many times before but she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say. "I mean, we still... if we work together..." She looked in between Vivi and Kolmar as if asking one of them fore help. She should have just stopped talking...

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

Niklaus paid close attention to everyone's speeches. He memorized theirs strenghts and weaknesses because they would surely be useful when they start working together. He realized that, even if they all seemed great fighters, they didn't have many outstanding skills. That made him stop thinking that he didn't belong there and start thinking about strategies too. They would need a lot of training in order to accomplish their mission, but Niklaus was still optimistic about it.

Firstly, he looked at Colleen to answer her question. "Exactly, as long as it is only fire, It can't affect me. I could definitely prevent some attacks. So I guess I could be useful as a shield." told her, realizing that she was thinking about something similar. A slightly smile crossed his face hearing the words of the dwarf. They really were an interesting team.

Later, his smile stretched a little more at Vivian's plans. Most of them were already thinking as a team and that looked as a good thing. "It could actually work. Vaeros would probably laugh at my fire, but, who knows, boiling water may be different." answered her, deducing that being resistant to fire was probably not an exclusive ability. He frowned, trying to remember if he had ever been burned by boiling water. "We should try it on me, to see if it has any effect."

He heard Colleen's last words. The mixed feelings that everyone, including himself, had about that mission were strong. So it was a good thing that someone tried to make them feel better. "We can do it. We can defeat Vaeros." said, somehow finishing her phrase when even Colleen herself started doubting. "Why would anyone have chosen us otherwise?" added, sounding pretty sure about it. His optimism might had sounded pretty stupid, but it was everything he had in that moment.

"So, when do we start training? "

 

[Lady Alainn]

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Kolmar shook his head, his mane of dark tresses tumbling about his shoulders as laughter burst from his gut in a warm but powerful rumble. They were all so eager in their own way, like a fresh batch of recruits. Ah, those were the days-- turning bright-eyed dwarven boys into hardened dwarven men. How he missed them. But in every batch there had always been the skittish one who would either run or grow a backbone... his eyes fell upon Valaina once more in contemplation before flicking towards the male human.

"Aye, aye, laddie, there will be time enough to figure out training and strategies!" the large dwarf chuckled. "All of us now know our strengths and weaknesses and we can rest easy in knowing that our peers are capable, though maybe doubtful. The temptation to plan and strategize until our throats grow hoarse is great, I know, but in the end it will accomplish nothing unless we know exactly what we are up against. And we will know more in good time, I am sure, when the spirit lass comes to greet us again at dawn."

The dwarf paused in his monologue long enough for a yawn, the first sign he'd shown the company of the toll his long hustle had taken on him. "In the meantime, we should prepare ourselves for the journey by getting rest. Dawn will come soon enough, and I have a feeling we need not fear missing our fair lady's entrance." His eyes twinkled at his last words, enjoying his little joke even if the others did not. Heaving Ikspar onto his shoulder, Kolmar trudged over to the nearest tree and slumped his back against it, sliding down the rough bark until he came to a halt on his rump.

"Carry on with your conversation if you feel like it," he said with another little yawn and a wave of his hand, "but I shall take advantage of resting while I have it." Settling Ikspar across his knees, Kolmar leaned his head against the trunk and in seconds it lolled forward again, sleep claiming him amidst the low rumble of snores.

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[Bitterblue]

((I changed Viv's size, she's about 50 feet tip to tail))

Vivian, green

Viv nodded in acknowledgment to everyone's speeches. Giving a wry chuckle at Nik's statement of laughing at the boiling water. "When do we start training?" That brought out a smile in her. "We begin tomorrow, after we have a sense of direction." At last, someone eager as her to start getting ready."Aye, aye, laddie, there will be time enough to figure out training and strategies!" the large dwarf chuckled. "All of us now know our strengths and weaknesses and we can rest easy in knowing that our peers are capable, though maybe doubtful. The temptation to plan and strategize until our throats grow hoarse is great, I know, but in the end it will accomplish nothing unless we know exactly what we are up against. And we will know more in good time, I am sure, when the spirit lass comes to greet us again at dawn."
Vivian looked at him. The Dwarf seemed to like to lead as well. But he was right. To take on this dragon giant, they would need rest. It was then that the fatigue and exhaustion of the trip, and the stress of the meeting got to her. "Kolmar's right. We can't start planning until we know more...We will know more come dawn." she said.
When she finished speaking, she started singing in the archaic language. The trees around them came to life. They bent to form a shelter big enough for them all to sleep, and to keep in warmth as the cold night air was frigid.
When that was done, she laid down, and fell asleep.

 

[poisonbite01]

Tysin knew where he stood as everyone said their peace. He would be, apparently, the sense of realism and, to some, pessimism. He was not the least bit confident in their abilities, since he was a firm believer that not every prophesied group of heroes succeeded. After all, how many terrible events had occurred in this world's past? He'd lived through the last one: the fall of the Drahoole Empire. Had their been a group of heroes destined to save the moderately-sized country from destruction at the hands of rampaging demons? Probably. Had they succeeded? If the bleak wasteland filled with abominations far on the edge of the civilized world was any indication, they had not. So while the spirit maiden had gathered them for reasons that he did not understand, he would maintain his skepticism until they defeated this Vaeros creature or were burned to a crisp.

Some of the comments almost made him laugh. Boiling water? Really? That was so silly Tysin almost thought it might work. It was one of those silly loopholes in ancient myths that just might work, but would most likely be met with a backhand that would hurl a shattered corpse through a mountainside. Then the comment about him being able to dodge all blows had him roll his eyes. He had scars all up and down his body and limbs from failed attempts to dodge a blow. In fact, he found it more likely for him to deflect a blow than dodge one. And deflecting would not work against a dragon, of that he was certain.

When the grove warped and adjusted to form a crude shelter, Tysin quirked an eyebrow. He too was a bit tired, so he said "Ah yes, perhaps this spiritual guide can tell us how a paltry band of mortal strangers can defeat this entity of fire and destruction and theatricality." He then strode back to his pack and untied his bedroll and set about preparing his camp. After a few moments, he felt a he should at least be a touch polite, and said "I have some dried jerky and hard-tack if anyone wishes to have some." He pulled out two bags from his pack, and untied them, setting them next to the bedroll he lowered himself on to.

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

He smiled at the statement that they would start tomorrow. The sooner they started, the greater would be their chances against Vaeros. Besides, he was somehow excited about the situation. Even if they had a good probability of dying, he enjoyed being part of something as big as that.

He glanced at Tysin when he spoke, and, even if he sensed sarcasm on his comment, it made him wonder what would she actually tell them. He was really curious about it, but for the moment, he just hoped it to be something useful. Seeing everyone preparing themselves to sleep made him realized he was actually tired, so it sounded good to do the same thing.

Even if Vivian and Tysin offered alternatives that seemed pretty comfortable, he had to reject them. It wasn't that he didn't trust them, but he would feel completely exposed sleeping in his human shape in the middle of the woods. He did not exaggerated when he said he was actually useless. Without giving any explanation, he separated a little from the group and changed. Not far from there, he simply laid on the floor. It didn't take him long to be deep asleep.

 

[Lady Alainn]

In the wee hours of the morning, before the sun's rays had even started crawling over the horizon, a tattered old scroll rolled silently into the middle of the grove and halted. Despite the dew-drenched grass, the parchment remained dry and sat patiently for the first glimpse of light. When it came, the scroll rustled and quivered as if it had a very bad itch it just could not scratch. Back and forth it rolled, jerking and shaking like a leaf until it flattened into an unwrinkled sheet.

Curves and lines of an ancient dialect scrawled across the page in shaky penmanship. As the light peeked over the horizon, various letters glowed and twinkled across the scroll. A hazy mist settled over it, swirling tighter and tighter into itself until it pieced together the body of a young, red-headed woman. For a few moments nothing happened as the mist dissipated, then suddenly a gasping breath filled her lungs with air and her green eyes flew open, alighting upon each form in great astonishment.

They were here, they were all here! The spirit maiden barely succeeded in containing her squeal and only managed to keep herself from clapping by locking her hands together and jumping up and down. Let's see, that one was definitely Colleen. And that one Kolmar. Tysin, the big feet had to be Tysin. Vivian, Valaina, and that dragon... wait, dragon?!? Nym did a double-take as her heartbeat picked up by a million. No, it was way, way too small and too docile to be Vaeros. It had to be little that cute little human shifter, Niklaus. Awww, so he slept in his dragon form. How adorable!

An impish grin spread over her lips before she cleared her throat and marched east to the edge of the glade, whirling about on her heel when she felt she was far enough away from the group so they could witness the full effect of her performance. "Rise and shine, Chosen Ones!" Nym cried, lifting her arms in a semi-circle in a way that made it look like she glowed with light. "Today we begin our task of conquering Vaeros!"