The Fight for Valeroma IC

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

"but I shall take advantage of resting while I have it." Valaina's eyes light up when she heard... erm... the tall dward, his name escaped her, mentioned rest. Yes, sleeping was a perfect way to avoid conversation. A smile made its way onto her face, not to mention if she woke up early enough she could easily slip away from the group. The spirit may give her nightmares but that was a small price to pay for a few extra days of life. Right?

At any rate she was in no condition to slip away now, she was tired... "Kolmar's right. We can't start planning until we know more...We will know more come dawn." Vivi moved the trees around so they sort of formed some kind of large shelter. Slowly she stood up and walked to her horse trying to find her heavy quilt blanket that she made for herself from old scraps of clothing and other fabric that she came across on her travels. It wasn't well made, the stitching uneven and sloppy, but it would undoubtedly keep anyone who took shelter with it warm. The blanket itself was large because she liked to wrap herself up in it like someone was holding her close and keeping her safe while she slept, otherwise falling asleep would be near impossible for her.

Pulling her ridiculously large blanket into her arms as if hugging it she turned around and scanned the area. Hesitantly, making her way over to the large shelter created by Vivi. She wasn't sure at first if Vivi was willing to share her shelter but... it was big enough so she could only assume. Her feet had stopped moving as soon as she got to the entrance as if debating walking in or walking away. Scanned the area before looking over her shoulder at her horse whom had already started to fall asleep. Perhaps inviting herself into the shelter wasn't a good idea?

After a second or so, as she was about to back away and sleep by her horse, she noticed Kolmar had already fallen asleep in the shelter, and it seemed he didn't have anything to protect him from the chills of night. She bit her lip and looked down at the large blanket she was currently hugging before stepping inside and walking over to Kolmar. She had enough to share... and she wouldn't feel right letting him sleep with out anything to keep him warm. Even if she was planning on waking up and running away before dawn she didn't want him to become ill. He seemed like a nice enough person and it would just be cruel to let him sleep cold.

After standing over him for a while, watching him sleep, she laid down next to him and stretched her blanket over the both of them. She figured since she was going to wake up before anyone else it wouldn't mater if she slept next to him, right? She would wake up early, put away all her things and leave, and no one would know the difference. Slowly she wrapped herself in the small amount of access blanket and laid her head down on a root. It was uncomfortable but she hadn't brought a pillow with her... so this was the best she could do. She wished Vivi could have made them some kind of bed or something like that. It would have been much more comfortable.

It took a while, what seemed like an endless amount of time, but sleep finally managed to over take her. Her breathing slowed and her once tense body relaxed as some of the most pleasant dreams filled her mind. She dreamed of a lot of things that night, she was staying in a small house that she could call her own, talking to someone she considered her friend about how great her husband was, though later on she would realize she never got to see her dream husband, it was only a long chat with her friend about how everything was great...

Something started calling her in her dream. The voice didn't match the voice of her guest, it sounded like it was coming from outside at first but then her guests lips started to move. "W-what?" She whispered in both her dream and reality as her mind was slowly pulled from her most pleasant dream.

She blinked her eyes a couple of times waiting for her vision to focus as she let out a small grown.

 

[Warenai hana]

Colleen, green

Colleen nodded her head at the mention of rest. It wouldn't do any of them any good to go out tomorrow exhausted because they were up all night talking about matters they know little about. She sighed slightly before walking over to her horse and pulling out a well made blanket and small mat. Setting her mat and blanket down at her feet she quickly walks into the woods and brings back a small amount of forage to feed her horse with. She noticed Vala hesitating at the entrance of the shelter that Vivi had made for them but she didn't pay too much mind to that. Vala had forgotten to feed her horse so... Once again Colleen made her way into the forest.

Finally after feeding both horses she picked up her blanket and mat and made her way into the shelter. She looked around before setting out her mat towards the back of the shelter and laying down covering herself in her long warm blanket. Before going to bed she looked around at everyone. For a second she thought about taking Tyson up on his offer of food but... she decided against it. In the morning perhaps she would see if the offer was still open but as of right now she wasn't hungry.

Closing her eyes she let sleep take over. She had a dreamless sleep that ended as a voice called her out of her peaceful sleep. She laid where she was before groggily sitting up and letting the blanket fall to her waist. Who thought it would be a good idea to wake them up so early?! She was not a morning person...

When she caught sight of Nym she calmed down a little, Nym had warned them that she coming at dawn... Though she wished Nym decided to wake them up closer to nine or ten. Finally sighing she stood up and started to roll up her mat and fold her blanket while waiting to see what Nym was going to say. She was hoping for some good information and answer to questions but she hadn't a clue what Nym was going to say. After all she hadn't dealt too much with spirits before.

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, green

Vivian awoke instantly at the sound of the voice. She hadn't been sleeping to soundly, it was her training that did that. She was never unprepared for an attack. But she did need sleep, like any other creature. That was the closest time she came to vulnerability.
Starting to sing softly, Vivian had the trees and the vines return to their natural form. She looked towards Nym, a wry smirk on her face. What seemed to be power, was probably just a show off. Looking around, she saw a scroll not a few feet away from the entrance to the shelter. She smirked again.
Not impressed, Vivian was the first to begin walking towards the spirit guide. "Well, we're all here. Congratulations, you managed to stir up enough curiosity to bring six creatures to a grove hundreds of miles from home." she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
But if they were indeed the chosen ones, they would need some answers. "Why us? Two puny dragon shifters, an archer, a quickfoot, a healer, and a dwarf? Where do we even know where to start? What direction do we even go towards?" her voice carried an unusual amount of authority, even for an arrogant elf like herself. She was just taking her natural role as leader. If the others didn't like it...well they could challenge her and they would duke it out.
She took a step back, and looked at the apparition. She was tiny, ginger, and had a sly looking smile planted on her full lips. She stared into her green eyes with her own blue eyes. Viv's eyes held a determination, a stubbornness that would not back down without some answers.

 

[poisonbite01]

Tysin's offer went unacknowledged. Oh well, more for him. He ate slowly, savoring every bite and drink from his water-skin, watching as the paltry band lay down to sleep. The human male walked off somewhere and made a big rustling in the woods, but Tysin cared not for that, watching as everyone got ready for bed. The shy elf lay down next to the dwarf and covered him with a blanket, so the monk figured the two knew each other, or the elf was interesting in the dwarf. Odd, she didn't seem the type. Then the human female walked out, then in, out, then in again, and only then did she set up her own camp a short distance from his own. She seemed a sensible traveler. Bedroll and blanket, not some odd quilt or sitting up against a tree.

Once everyone had drifted off to sleep and he'd eaten his fill, he put his bags of food back in his pack, and lay back comfortably on his own bedding. He almost immediately slipped into a near sleep that his order, and many others, taught to elves. It allowed him to rest his body and mind while remaining quite alert, so when the scroll came rustling into the grove, his eyes snapped open and he sat up, quickly blinking away the post-rest disorientation. By the time she'd manifested, he was already getting up and stretching out slowly, easing his muscles into a relaxed state.

Then she spoke, and the rest of the party awoke and began milling about. The bossy elf waltzed right up to the ghost-human-paper-thing and began asking questions.

"I too am curious," he said, beginning a series of stretches and light warm-up exercises, not bothering to keep eye-contact with the woman. "I'm assuming you have a plan, human. Something dashing and epic and dangerous, that will bond us as a group and give us the powers to defeat Vaeros?"

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

Niklaus heard the voice of the spirit from where he was resting. He knew that, if he hadn't sleep in his dragon form, he would completely ignore it and miss the morning talk. Besides, that way, he didn't even need to stand up to perfectly hear their conversation. Anyway, a few minutes after waking up, he decided it would be better to show up with the rest of the group. He stretched, making a sound that came out as a low growl, and stood up.

He walked towards the rest, still sleepy, and, as soon as he joined them, he realized he was still a dragon. He backed down a little and turned back into human. He showed once again, in the right shape this time. Most of the group was already up and paying attention to the creature that lead them to that place. Niklaus just leaned his back into a tree and heard the conversation. Why did she choose them and how on earth would they get enough power to defeat Vaeros... it seemed that the main important questions were already covered by Viv and Tysin.

 

[Lady Alainn]

[dash=grey]

Not accustomed to sleeping with much but his armour for protection while on the road, Kolmar grew increasingly warm and restless as the night drew on until his dreams took a turn for the worse. Gone was the forest around him, the gentle rise and fall of breath from numerous bodies. In front of him stood an enormous dragon, one who easily dwarfed the largest dragon recorded up to date, one who stood head and shoulders and girth above the rock dragon he had slain last year. Vaeros, it had to be. The dragon laughed, flashing its large teeth, displaying the glow of magma in the back of its throat as fire roared and shot out towards the dwarf. Swinging Ikspar over his shoulder, Kolmar struggled to turn around, to run, to flee the burning arrow racing towards him.

"Oh no, no you don't! Ye can't kill Kolmar this easily!" he cried out as the flames engulfed him...

Kolmar awoke rather quietly for such a start, his body tense and alert for any sign of the gigantic dragon. He was definitely sweating-- a sensation he could do without for a good long while after that run-- and wrapped up in a blanket? Blinking against the darkness of the night sky, the dwarf lowered his gaze to his side and a slight smile settled on his lips at the sight of the little elf lass curled next to him. Had she grown frightened over the course of the night? Was she looking for a safe place to sleep? But of course she could have found no better place to rest her head in complete safety. Not wanting to disturb her, the dwarf merely stuck a leg out from under the blanket and tugged it down from his chest to let his skin breathe before drifting off to sleep once more.

He did not stir again until the sound of footfalls on the forest floor echoed in his subconscious and tugged at his eyelids. By the time the clear voice rang through the trees, he was pushing the blanket back and heaving himself onto weary feet with a groan. Muscles protested as he stretched, the ache and stiffness from sleeping in one position a right bear. The others were waking, too, one of them even showing off in a morning warm-up. Kolmar growled under his breath. He could never stand show-offs, especially those of the male elven variety.

Vivian was clearly the arrogant one of the group as she sauntered towards the spirit maiden demanding answers. Her tone of voice grated on his nerves and he found a flame of indignation stirring within his breast as her words drifted back to him. Another growl worked its way from his gut, this time alighting his eyes with a careful fire. He intensely disliked show-offs and what respect he had for the elven warrior maiden was quickly diminishing as she in turn displayed a lack of respect toward the spirit maiden. Kolmar had little tolerance for those who had no tolerance for someone they just met. He moved far enough away from the blanket so as not to pin the little elf underneath it and planted his hammer in front of him to lean on its head, his eyes glued to the shifter.

"What folly!" he murmured in an aggravated tone not meant for anyone's ears. "Our position is so fragile, can she not see this? Her self-importance and sarcasm will be the blade that cuts the fraying thread and we will fail before we have even given this spirit a chance to prove herself. How can she justify antagonizing our only hope for this task to succeed?"

[/dash]

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

She jumped slightly as her blanket was disturbed and opened her eyes to find Kolmar standing up. A light blushed formed on her face as she wondered what he was thinking... She hadn't meant to sleep for so long, he wasn't even supposed to know she had decided to share her blanket with him. For a second she wanted to explain the situation. She was afraid he was going to become ill from the cold and decided that since her blanket was so big she could share it with him... but she heard a deep growl come from his throat and before she knew it he was walking away from her. Was he mad at her? She bit her lip a little puzzled but finally decided to slip out from underneath its warmth. Everyone else seemed to be getting up so she figured she should as well.

Valaina stood up and raised her arms far above her head as she stretched slightly before crouching and folding up her blanket as she occasionally glanced up at Kolmar. Honestly she was still worried he was upset with her and when she caught bits of an angry sounding grumble she realized he must have been talking about her. Did she upset him? Perhaps he didn't like the fact that she covered him with her blanket? Did he think she was babying him? Did she hurt his pride? She knew she should have just left after everyone else was asleep! Then she wouldn't have upset anyone!

She stood up with her blanket wrapped up in her arms and took a look around. Tysin was exercising, he must have felt stiff or perhaps his legs were still asleep. Vivi was talking to... the spirit!? That's why everyone was awake. She hadn't even noticed Nym had shown up! Though... it would explain the voice that woke her up. It had to be Nyms. "Good morning." She said quietly not aware of the barrage of questions that had already been directed at their spirit guide.

 

[Lady Alainn]

All too soon, Nym found herself pouting and on the defensive. It wasn't fair! She was the big, scary ghost. She was the instigator, the organizer, the guide who was winging everything by the fur of her big, fluffy tail. So why weren't they willing to sit back and let her utter mumbo jumbo and just be good with it? Why did the fierce looking elf ask so many good questions that she didn't have the answers for?

Nym kept her arms raised for a fraction longer, just enough time to make sure all eyes were upon her before she dropped them wearily. The loud slapping of her hands against her thighs startled her, causing her to jump. Not being used to a body anymore, she'd definitely not expected that. Clearing her throat innocently, the human-fox-shifter-ghost brushed her palms against her leggings in the pretext of dusting them off until her embarrassment died down. When this was all over with, she would not be looking for a job as a full-time spirit guide. This was ridiculous. She was ridiculous. But they needed answers. At least a direction.

Clearing her throat a second time, the young woman raised green eyes to sweep across the group once more. Why exactly did she pick them, again? Wasn't it something to do with alphabetizing... no... their races. Right, she wanted a good representation of the major races. And why them specifically? Did it matter? It hadn't to her. They'd just been the easiest people to break into their minds while they were sleeping. As far as what they were going to do to defeat Vaeros, even she didn't know. Like what was earlier stated, she was winging this without wings. That's what the dragons were for.

'Well, time to pretend I know exactly what I'm talking about.'

"Your questions will be answered in due time, Vivian. Some of them you should be able to answer yourself and others you will need my guidance for. Now, gather 'round everybody, do not be afraid. We will all have to grow to trust each other in the days to come and with trust comes not being too shy to stand next to each other. I have something to show you that will start you in the right direction. Watch closely..."

Nym blew her breath in the way that the Ancient One had taught her and circled her arms three times in front of her body until a filmy disc formed. Upon it began to play a scene...

[dash=lightblue]

Another Vision:

Vaeros walked into the dwelling of the leader. He found himself surrounded by three 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. "Your 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]
When it drew to a close, Nym lowered her arms once more, this time careful to keep from slapping herself, and asked, "What are your questions now? And think carefully, I will only respond to a handful of the best ones before I must depart again."

 

[Warenai hana]

Colleen, green

Colleen watched as the scene played out on the disc Nym managed to create. She was surprised... well, perhaps not surprised, but definitely upset by what she saw. Vaeros was strong, she knew that, but the fact that he so easily cut down three elite dragons in his human form... well unlike what she heard from the other shifters, he wasn't any less nimble in his human form than in his dragon form. Still, the fact that the old dragon managed to at least get a hit in on Vaeros gave her a little faith in the cause. This was certainly a problem for them however, she was hoping to talk to some of the dragons, since the shifters didn't seem too knowledgeable, but now that was out of the plan as well. "At least we have numbers... though that doesn't really seem to mater..." she mumbled to herself trying to recreate a plan in her head. "I have a question, where is Vaeros, do we have any means of tracking him?" She asked. Knowing where he was at all times would be ideal, but at least knowing his general location would be helpful. Creating an in-depth plan without knowing the terrain was close to impossible.

She tapped her foot slightly while still trying to come up with some combinations, good pairings, and strong points of the over all group. What did they all have in common? Perhaps that was why they were chosen. They all had something in common... Nym already made it clear she would not answer that. Nym seemed to be odd, but so were most geniuses. For example her father was... well a very odd man. He didn't think like everyone else, which made his exploits as a commander all the more impressive. She started slightly bouncing in place as she was thinking, while some people paced to help them think she bounced... something that she wasn't proud of and honestly most of the time unaware of. "Do you know any of his weakness's? Perhaps turning in his large beastly form he isn't nimble, or perhaps as a human he is more vulnerable to pain?" She continued thinking trying to figure out the best questions to ask in this situation. Everything about them she could find out later, but information about Vaeros would be hard to get at best... it might even turn out to be dangerous to look for. "Finally, I know where we go from here is our own decision, but where would you recommend? I'm assuming you don't just want us to jump into combat, yes?"

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, green

Vivian smirked slightly at the pouty face. This time however, that smirk slowly turned into a soft smile. She was that way once...before everything happened. She was once kind, naive, and selfless. But everything that had happened to her hardened her heart, sarcasm became her coping technique. It's how she copes with situations she can't handle very well. If Kolmar had known this, he would not be so critical of her, she thought as she overheard him speaking out loud.

"Your will be answered in due time, Vivian. Some of them you should be able to answer yourself and others you will need my guidance for. Now, gather 'round everybody, do not be afraid. We will all have to grow to trust each other in the days to come and with trust comes not being too shy to stand next to each other. I have something to show you that will start you in the right direction. Watch closely..."

Vivian watched the scene unfold before her. She watched as the dragons rose to defend their home. Watched as her own full blooded dragon father rose and fell in defense of their home. She gasped, and started to lose control. No. Not here. Not now. She fought, refusing to give her inner dragon control. A single tear slipped down her cheek. The scene changed to the leaders chambers. Vaeros in his human form fighting three full grown dragons? She smirked. Fool. she thought. But her smirk quickly turned to shock as he slew them practically one handed and in human form. How are we to defeat him if he can do that? she thought to herself, her mouth open slightly. She had to turn her head as the leader breathed his last. At least he managed to wound Vaeros...the monster.

Vivian lowered her head. Nym and Kolmar were right. It was time to swallow her pride, they would need to work together, trust each other more than they trusted themselves to complete this mission. When she raised her head, her eyes showed her sorrow, and her determination to work with this group of travelers, who would become the best of friends.

She listened to Colleen's questions. One of the answers was right in front of them...."We head to the Kingdom of the Dragons. That's where Vaeros will most likely be. He'd be setting up his dynasty, his rule. Nym and Kolmar are both right. We need to learn to trust each other. If-when we come against this barbarian we need to be a team. We need to trust each other almost more than we trust ourselves." she said, her voice wavering slightly. She was still in shock over seeing her father and her leader die right in front of her. She struggled against her inner dragon, trying to control her emotions. A low growl escaped her lips, but she cut it off quickly. Her mother and sister....they needed to know. When she spoke again, her voice was more stable, sounding confident once more. "We need to do this, friends. We need to stop this monster, or he'll take everything away. He'll tear everything we hold dear from our lives. He will not stop until Valeroma is in ruins. If we don't succeed, we doom Valeroma to destruction. I personally will do my best to prevent this. Are you with me?" she finished her speech. She hoped it didn't sound like the bossy elf that they undoubtedly thought she was. She hoped she sounded more like a leader, and less like a snob. She turned to Nym, and bowed her head, a sign of respect among the elves. She added on a smile, and a wink, letting the guide know she appreciated her help, and her guidance.

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

Vala listened to Nym as she spoke and she half wondered what Vivi's questions were. If she was going to be part of this group she would have to learn to pay better attention... not that she wanted to be part of the group but perhaps after they fought she could come out and heal them when it's all over? That might be good... yes, she could do that for them at the very least. Should they lose but somehow live she could heal them, and if they win but are injured she could heal them... yes, that was an option. She could do that...

A small circle started to form in between Nyms arms and she smiled a little. That was a cool trick... she wondered if she could do the same if she tried. However her smile faded as she watched the scene unfold, the large terrifying dragon flew about making short work of all who opposed him. Singlehandedly he took down so many of the dragons, in his human form he killed three large dragons like it was child's play, and then he killed the older dragon in the back. She was shaking slightly by now, a tear ran down her cheek as she cried for the fallen and a single word was udder under her breath, "Why?" Her arms tightened around the blanket as Colleen started to ask questions and Vivi started to speak about heading towards the Kingdom of the Dragons, a place she had not been too before, but after listening to Vivi's reasoning she shook her head slightly. Quickly wiping the tear from her cheek, trying to not look weak in the presence of these warriors she spoke up, "N-no. I don't want to go there."

After realizing her words wouldn't be convincing to anyone, sounding more selfish than anything she decided to make it sound like she was agreeing with Colleen's reasoning, "We can't just go in-" her voice became muffled as her head sunk into her blanket, "an| frit with Vaeros." She thought she did a pretty good job at convincing them she wasn't scared, but little did she know her knee's were still a little shaky. She also knew Vivi hadn't meant they should head out right away, it was to answer Colleen's question about how to track Vaeros but... well she didn't want to fight Vaeros at all. He was large and strong and way out of her league...

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

Niklaus watched the scene unwrapping in front of them, and every hope he had seemed to be destroyed. Even though he was blindly optimistic and pretty confident of himself, seeing someone in his human form easily taking down three large dragons was a lot to digest. Of course, they were six, but six highly inexperienced creatures that still didn't know a thing about how to fight such a dragon. Anyway, he wouldn't back down himself, because there wasn't anything more important he could do in his life than that, but he was curious about the reactions of the rest.

The arched girl was always planning something. That might be useful, but the dragon shifter didn't believe Nym would have answers to her questions. It seemed the spirit didn't know that much about Vaeros, just as themselves. On the other hand, the words of Vivian were encouraging. It didn't exactly return his hopes, but at least he was completely sure he wouldn't drop that mission. When she finished her speech, he slightly nodded. Lastly, Vala seemed to be the most affected by it, noticing it mainly by her shaky reaction. She clearly didn't want to be there, but stayed for some reason, and he admired that. Niklaus sighed, making his best to believe that if anyone could take down that dragon, those would be them.

During the whole scene he remained quiet. As he spent most of his life in his dragon form, he wasn't someone who spoke much. And, after what he had seen, there wasn't anything he wanted to share. Anyway, he was, inside his head, trying to figure out some effective way to attack Vaeros.

 

[poisonbite01]

Tysin strode over and continue his exercises as best he could. He was taller than everyone else, so he didn't have to worry about not being able to see the circle that showed them their foe decimating dragons now. Wonderful! The beast was more powerful than the combined forces of the most dangerous and magically-strong creatures in the entire world. That was delightful! Perfect! He started swinging his leg up and back down while he listened to everyone speak, or not speak in one case and mumble in the other. His thigh made contact with his chest with every swing, smacking against his body with an audible thump half a dozen times, then he switched to the other leg, bringing his foot high above his head every time. Then he deigned to speak.

"Well, human girl, we can track him easily. Just follow the destruction and devastation. Whatever isn't burned to ashes and scoured off life will be a target, and he'll get to it eventually." He then turned his attention to the elf woman (not the one hiding in the blanket, of course, Vala or whatever her name was).

"You are mighty presumptuous, to assume we even have a chance. We need some kind of ace in the hole. Some ancient artifact, or powerful spell, or the assistance of a God. We need something to tip the tide in our favor. I've heard stories of dragon-slayers, read the tales of demon-hunters, and even tracked a few shape-shifters myself. When it comes down to fighting him, it isn't a problem. I'm sure we can play with him, beat him around, and keep him distracted long enough to do something to end the fight. But we need to figure that out before we can do anything at all."

 

[Lady Alainn]

Oh! Things were starting to go much better than she'd hoped! Nym clasped her hands behind her back and bit the inside corners of her mouth to keep from breaking out into a huge grin. They were buying it, they were actually buying it and starting to think for themselves at the same time-- which was bliss for the little fox girl spirit. Maybe she wouldn't have to figure this out on her own after all!

As the fierce elf maiden spoke, Nym found herself nodding along with great enthusiasm. Yes! Yes, she was getting it! It was all about the unthinkable, all about trust, learning to work each each other as seamless as a body just as a baby learns to coordinate legs, feet, and balance to walk. How they were going to do anything, Nym had not a clue, but that they could do something she was certain of. If The Ancient One seemed to believe she could pull this off with her wonderful crew of dedicated warriors, then she would. They all would. "I'm with you if you're with me!" she responded eagerly in a little sing-song voice, now grinning profusely despite her efforts to seem imposing and powerful. Who was she fooling, anyway? "Yes, that was a wonderful question, Vivian. The best, if you don't mind me saying so."

Turning her attention to the first questions posed by Colleen, Nym shook her head in quick, short little bursts as if she were shaking water off her fur. "Jumping straight into combat would be a very, very, very, very, very bad idea. You'd all be burnt to a crisp in seconds... no offense or anything." She paused for a moment, just long enough for the giant elf to start talking-- and boy did he have some wonderful things to say! Not only that, but he also slapped himself silly just like she did. Maybe it was the sign of a quick thinker? Anyway, he was talking and it was good stuff. Jaw dropping just a little, eyes slightly widened with epiphany, Nym drank in the sarcasm [intentional or not] dripping from his speech. An artifact! Yes, why hadn't she thought about that before, stupid girl? Maybe.... Her eyes widened even more so. Her scroll?! Wait, she was addressing Colleen's question, and inadvertently Valaina's as well, first. One thing at a time!

Nym pointed a commanding, bony finger in the big elf's direction, "Okay, okay, okay, hold that thought, Tysin, since it wasn't actually a question. But that doesn't matter so much, it's the thought that counts, right? And I really would like to discuss that in-- Colleen and Valaina's question first, though. Yes, jumping into combat is a very bad idea. It's not about weaknesses and strengths so much as it is thinking outside the box. Training is good, yes, you should train, I'm not saying you shouldn't. Tysin, Kolmar, you two have a wealth of knowledge and will be able to assist in this area. Vivian, you have skill as well as knowledge of the dragon-kind and will be of help in leading the direction of the training. Now, as I was saying, your greatest weapon will be unorthodox thinking. Vaeros is prepared to meet trained warriors, unskilled laymen, but in all of these encounters he has yet to meet someone who can out-think his brawn.

"That brings me back to Tysin now." Nym dropped her arm and cleared her throat to refresh her voice a little. "You have an artifact. My scroll. If any of you can read it, it might give you something you can work with. I think I left it somewhere over there..." she gestured vaguely in the direction of where the majority of them had been sleeping, "and you're welcome to examine it how you like only don't rip it or anything. It's not exactly mine... Anyway, let me know what you find when I drop in again, all right?" She turned to Valaina now, her expression serious except for the warm smile. She was the one who'd greeted her nicely, right? Yes. She was also very skittish and needed a good task to keep her occupied and with the group. "Would you mind hanging on to the scroll, please? I'm sure you'll keep it safe. I have to go now. If you need me, you know where to find me."

Morning rose brightly over the horizon, the fingers of light creeping over the land even as they swallowed Nym's ghostly hues. "Remember: work together, think outside the norm, and don't lose my scroll!" With those last words, the fox-girl dematerialized into the morning light.

 

[Bitterblue]

[dash=limegreen]
Vivian listened as the spirit lady spoke. The scroll could tell them what they needed to know,but according to Nym, out was in the language of the ancients, and that language had been dead for thousands upon thousand of years. Not even the dragons would know how to read it. But it was worth a try.
When the spirit vanished, Vivian turned to the others, her eyes focused on Valaina. However, here eyes were not filled with the usual determination and stubbornness they were filled with kindness, and thoughtfulness. Valaina was terrified. Honestly, she was too. How would they fight Vaeros? There were only six of them! Would they need to recruit an army? She didn't know. She looked at each member of the group and tried to put on an encouraging smile. "Let's head out then. We have any ideas how we can...fight it? We could possibly recruit a small army?"
She knew where their first stop would be. Her parents place lay straight in the path to where they were going. And they would reach it on the hours of the day they had left. "I have a destination in mind for tonight. It's right on the way, and if we get there we will have a hot meal and a comfortable bed. Does that sound good to everyone?" She hoped they'd agree, she needed to tell them about father. How he had fought to defend his land. He must have been there on a business trip or something, because he normally stayed near his wife and child.
Little did she know, a single tear had slipped from her eye, and she didn't catch it in time to stop it from sliding down her cheek. She wanted to appear as strong, and strong people don't cry.

OOC: sorry about the short and unformatted post, I'm on my phone which means I can't format or write long posts.[/dash]

 

[Lady Alainn]

[dash=grey]

At the spirit maiden's bidding Kolmar grudgingly stepped a few paces forward, not wanting to completely desert the elf maiden who had sought him out for protection during the night. Morning's light had chased away all of the gloomy shadows and suspicious sounds, yet still she quivered and trembled as if one sudden move could reduce her into a panicked bundle of nerves. Little did he know how his brooding had affected the maiden, bringing about the exact opposite conclusion in her that he would wish to give. How he longed to squat down next to her and assure her that as long as he was near she need not fear anything! Perhaps that would have cleared her misconceptions, but alas Kolmar did not give in to his desires for now was not the time for personal agendas. Not with the arrival of the spirit maiden. Instead, he contented himself with where he stood and listened keenly to the discussion taking place around him.

The vision did not phase him in the least, for though it displayed the might and raw power of this enormous dragon they were to conquer, Kolmar was a strong believer in prophecy and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if it had been spoken it would come to pass. Besides, he had single-handedly slain a few rogue dragons in his time and with Ikspar's help he would slay a few more after Vaeros was long gone. Kolmar did, however, reverently bow his head and cross himself as a sign of respect for the fallen dragons as the image in the air faded into nothing. He also noted the change in attitude of Vivian upon the closing of this hideous scene before them, though as to the true cause of her shift in demeanor he could not fathom.

"Small steps make excellent goals in a quest as vital as this one," he agreed with her. "I myself am unfamiliar with this part of the world and so any place offering food and bed for the night would be most welcome. As to recruiting an army, though, that sounds far less inviting. The prophecy states no more than seven are to be involved in this." Here he paused in thoughtful silence contemplating all that had been spoken up to this point. If they were not to seek help, what were they to do to prepare? According to the spirit lass they were to think outside the norm, yes, but what exactly was this norm they were to think outside of? Perhaps the answer lay within Vivian's earlier idea of possibly boiling the dragon. Never before had he considered meeting death that way, he thought with a slight smirk, and quite possibly neither had Vaeros.

The spirit maiden had laid upon him the task of training these chosen ones [Tysin as well, to be fair, but Kolmar did not know the massive elf well enough to assume he would respond willingly to the role] but how was he even to begin with them? What techniques and disciplines did they need to learn and what would only waste time? These questions would stew in his noble head all during their journey for he knew he must have an answer to the others by the time they stopped for the night. Other questions presented themselves as more important now-- such as how were they to travel together? Most of the others had horses, but he had arrived on foot. As fast as he could run, he still was no match for the gallop of a horse.

Kolmar pivoted on his heel and walked back to where Valaina still sat huddled to retrieve Ikspar from where it leaned against the tree. "Have no fear, lass," he said to her quietly, a warm smile upon his lips and in his eye as he offered her his free hand to help her up. "I swear to you that as long as I draw breath, you nor any of the others will fall to the likes of Vaeros." In a louder voice, he addressed the others, "Now, how are we to all travel together? Or does everyone prefer travelling separately?"

[/dash]

 

[Warenai hana]

Colleen, green

Tyson managed to get onto Colleen's bad side quite quickly. His thoughtless comment on how to keep track of Vaeros disgusted her. So they were going to sit in an area that wasn't already torn to shreds and wait for him to appear? Did he even realize how many would die as they sat around and waited? Once they felt ready to fight the beast then they would need to reach him as quickly as possible. Enough people will die while they train! Her hands tensed and her knuckles turned white as she held back her anger. Blowing up at Tyson wasn't going to help anyone. She took a deep breath and let go of her frustrations. Her father had always taught her that making decisions with clouded judgement would only hurt those around you.

Honestly she was glad she didn't hold onto her anger because it seemed even their guide didn't have an answer. She would have to figure out a way to do it herself then... one of the usual way to do it was to have someone infiltrate Vaeros's hold and keep tabs on where he was going... however that wouldn't work in this case. They not only didn't know if Vaero's was keeping servants but also didn't have anyone who could be given this task. It seemed no one had any way of relaying information... not to mention she figured no one here was any good at acting...

She gave up on thinking about how to get tabs on where Vaeros was heading and instead started listening into the conversation again. It wasn't long before she picked up on how unorganized their guide was and how little wisdom she seemed to posses. This was concerning... was the prophecy even real? No it wasn't time to question that. It was literally the only hope the world seemed to have left... she would hold onto it. Nym was either a genius or a child... and only time would depict which she really was...

"I agree with Kolmar, recruiting an army is a very, very bad idea. There are many different kinds of missions and I have learned that though quantity is important quality also shows better results. An army will just lead to a massacre. For this operation we need a small group of skilled individuals." She nodded her head only to herself before she turned to start packing up her things before Kolmar spoke up again about traveling. "Kolmar, you may be a dwarf but your a tall one. Seeing as your almost as tall as Vala I'll assume you can ride a horse right?" She realized her words might insult him so she brought her hands up and gave an awkward smile, "I didn't mean to offend you... if I did... But you could ride with someone who has a horse."

 

[Nad]

Niklaus, brown

As he expected, their guide didn't say any useful things. She did look as if she knew what she was doing, but Niklaus was starting to believe she didn't. The only thing he hoped for was that she didn't choose them completely at random, because if that was the case, he couldn't hold on to the fact of being chosen for some reason. Anyway, the only thing he thought could help them was that scroll she talked about, so as everyone else focused on what to do right then, he just wondered about what could the scroll contain. It seemed to be on some languages unknown to them all, but someone had to be able to read it.

"The hot meal and comfortable bed deal sounds good to me. But what if we focus on finding someone able to read the scroll? The way that I see it, it's the best clue against Vaeros we have for the moment." said, without looking at anyone in particular, and not really knowing where to find someone with those skills. He then thought about the travelling thing, it seemed that the dwarf didn't have much of a transport than his own legs. He sighed, thinking about what he was about to say. "I'll alternatively fly and walk on my other shape. I guess I could take someone, too." said. If it wasn't for the fact that they really needed to work together to accomplish something, he would never have offered it, and he still hoped nobody would accept it. But, a dragon taking someone would be definitely faster than a horse taking two people, so it might be helpful. It wasn't that taking a some extra weight would change much, but what bothered him the most was the feeling of domination that being ridden brought.

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian, purple

Vivian listened to everyone speak. She too had noticed Nym's naivety, and lack of knowledge. But she kept it to herself. The army thing was just an idea, possibly a bad one. But her main thought was they would serve as a distraction to Vaeros as the group of six sneaked up on him. But that was ruthless thinking of her.

As Nik spoke, Vivian smiled shortly. Yes, they could carry people on their backs, but knowing the dwarves race, they normally like to keep their feet on the firm ground. She also winced slightly at Colleens comment. Yes, Kolmar was tall for a dwarf, but that didn't negate the fact that he was a dwarf.

Vivian turned her attention back to the group. "I too can carry one person on my back, if they so wish. But that is not important right now. Now we need to start moving, and strategize. And yo strategize, we need to be able to communicate. We head north." She said, praying she didn't sound bossy. She hoped she sounded encouraging, even to young Valaina.

She looked at each member of the group. Kolmar had said he'd already slain dragons...must have been exiles who were out of control. Tyson was an arrogant person not caring about life by the way he suggested they track the beast. But he was fast on his feet, which would be useful. Valaina was a healer, but definitely not made for fighting. Colleen an archer and a strategist. And Niklaus a shifter. Such a unique group, yet the more she thought about it, the more random it seemed.

She walked with Valaina, wanting to try and comfort her...but not really knowing how to comfort was a weakness she had always had. Vivian walked with her in silence until she could think of what to say. "Valaina, I know this whole thing is terrifying. I'd think you were insane if you weren't scared. That would mean you would be reckless, and probably get everyone killed. But that's not what you are. From what I've seen, you are one who values life. I'm sure we're all terrified. I know I am. I just saw my father and my leader die. This terrifies me too, Valaina. But that's a good thing. Because in the end, that fear is what's going to keep us all alive. Am I making any sense?"

As Vivian spoke, she led the group towards her home. She would have to alert them soon. But not just yet, she still needed to talk with Valaina, and she hoped she spoke comforting words instead of instilling even more fear.

 

[Warenai hana]

Valaina, blue

Vala's eyes grew wide when she heard Tyson tell everyone how he thought they should track Vaeros. There was no way they were actually going to do that right? The only reason she was still here was because she figured if she stuck around they would be able to save more people. If they were just going to sit around and let Vaeros wipe out entire town's, cities, or even an entire kingdom then she would leave now. By the time he has scorched an entire kingdom down the entire world would fear Vaeros and he would have practically already won! She bit her lip, however, and didn't say anything. This was half because she was afraid of what she might hear and half because she was too afraid to speak...

Nym started to explain things to them and what she said made sense... well most of it. Honestly she only picked up on the basics. They needed to train and think outside the box and study dragons... that all made sense to her. Then she started to talk about the artifact, her scroll, and how important it was and how they shouldn't do anything that might ruin it. She figured that meant that the scroll was delicate and since Nym only borrowed the scroll, at least she assumed Nym borrowed it, it would be bad if they returned it in a worse condition than how it was now. After all someone was nice enough to lend it to them...

But Nym hit a sour note, she asked her of all people to hold onto it! Why was she in charge of something so important?! She was already feeling the weight of the stress of this 'adventure' and now she was in charge of something so important? However, by the time she worked up the courage to ask Nym to assign this task to someone else Nym was gone.

She stood stunned for a second or so, missing the rest of everything that was said, until, that is, she heard Vivi say they were heading north at which she hurried up and packed her blanket away before turning around and quickly scanning the ground for the scroll. This was all happening so suddenly, she had too much on her mind, she just wanted to sit and think for a little bit but at the same time she knew she couldn't. Honestly if anything else happened she was going to explode! It was just too much to take in...

It didn't take long for them to hit the road. Instead of riding, like one normally would do if they had a horse, she ended up walking next to her horse. She did this for two reasons. One, her horse was tired, he wasn't used to long distance travels, and two, because it seemed most of the others didn't have horses and in an attempt to be considerate to them, she walked.

Though she didn't know why Vivi slowed down her pace just enough to end up by her side. Perhaps it was because she was walking alone? Honestly she didn't want anyone to worry about her, they all seemed so focused on the task at hand and all seemed so knowledgeable and she didn't want to hold anyone back... so here she was, following from the back. "Valaina, I know this whole thing is terrifying. I'd think you were insane if you weren't scared. That would mean you would be reckless, and probably get everyone killed. But that's not what you are. From what I've seen, you are one who values life. I'm sure we're all terrified. I know I am. I just saw my father and my leader die. This terrifies me too, Valaina. But that's a good thing. Because in the end, that fear is what's going to keep us all alive. Am I making any sense?" Fear fear fear fear, she didn't want to think of fear. She wanted to ignore the task at hand as much as possible. She half hoped if she forgot about their 'quest' it would all just go away. But Vivi was right, everyone was scared, and they were doing their best anyways, and here so was just making everything worse. "Sorry." She said looking down at her feet. Honestly she thought everyone else wasn't fazed by any of this. They all just seemed... so much different. Perhaps she fantasized they were like the great hero's in the stories. The ones that, despite always looking death in the eye, stood confidently and fought back...