The Fight for Valeroma IC

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It looked like they would be walking after all, even with four of their members having some means of transport. Kolmar did not miss the significance of the dragons' offer to carry himself and the gigantic elf. Dragons were mighty creatures, masters of the air and lords of freedom. To be reduced to a mere mount... why that was unheard of. If the dwarf could be any more humble, he likely would have found the humility he felt at their offer to be even more potent. As it was, gratitude and a subtle change of heart towards the arrogant Vivian were the order of the day. He extended his arms out on either side of his body in a gallant, sweeping bow towards said lady. A simple nod was directed towards Niklaus for his consent. Then Kolmar mounted Ikspar on his back and fell into step with the human lass, Colleen.

"Kolmar, you may be a dwarf but you're a tall one," she'd said. "Seeing as you're almost as tall as Vala I'll assume you can ride a horse right? I didn't mean to offend you... if I did... But you could ride with someone who has a horse."

He decided not to tease her with mock offense.

"Insulted?" he chuckled instead. "Why no, lass. I will have you know, though, that a dwarf can ride a horse just as well as an elf, if not better!" Leaning in as if to whisper confidentially, the dwarf continued with a merry little twinkle in his blue gaze, "In fact, 'tis why we stick mostly to mountain goats or our own two feet for travelling. Wouldn't want to show the pointy-ears up, now would we? Our kinds barely get along as it is! I do appreciate the thought, however."

Kolmar plodded along for a few moments in silence before he added, "To tell you the truth, though, I have only ever been on a horse maybe twice in my life. I'd prefer to ride clutched in the talons of a dragon. At least they give a smoother ride."

With a sigh, he turned his head towards the female elves who walked just behind them; Vivian in particular. How she would lead them to their resting place from the rear he couldn't fathom. Actually he was very curious to see what her leadership style was. Vivian obviously gravitated towards the role. She carried herself like royalty, he noticed. Tall, straight-backed, and confident. In all honesty, he would not mind dangling from her talons. A surprised snort broke free at the unbidden thought and he whipped his head back around to pay attention to where he was going.

'Keep yer focus on the task, Kolmar,' he chided himself. 'There is time to lose your head after the dragon is dead.'
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Niklaus, brown


Vivian was right about communication. It was something important for the group, and he wouldn't be able to speak being a dragon. But, then what? He would just walk the entire way? That would be definitely annoying, and tiring. Besides, he wasn't a man of strategies. He found himself doubting if he'd prefer flying with someone riding him or walking as a mere human. Probably being ridden would even be better. Niklaus had never traveled long distances with all of his feet on earth before, mainly because he believed it was just dumb. But it seemed he would that time. At least until he got tired. Not only physically, but also mentally. Under that shape, he had to pay attention where he walked and basically at everything around him, something that came out of instinct being a dragon. It wasn't much like him to follow orders without question them, especially ones that he found annoying, but everyone seemed to know a lot more what to do to accomplish their impossible mission than himself. So it was even a good thing someone seemed to take the leadership.

The shifter limited himself on hearing the conversations going around him, and keeping his mouth shut. When the dwarf mentioned travelling on the talons of a dragon, he noticed he would eventually like that small man. That was be the only way a dragon should take someone. Anyway, riding in the back was clearly better and took a lower risk of falling, so he would bear it for the name of an important mission as the unrequested one that was given to them. If it was ever necessary, of course.

As he was lost on his own thoughts, he didn't see the root of a tree that was on his way. One of his feet got stuck on it for a moment and it made him lost balance, but luckily not enough to fall. He kept walking as if nothing had happened and hoped the rest didn't notice it.
 
Colleen, green


Colleen inwardly sighed as Kolmar made it very clear that he wasn't insulted, in fact his dwarfish pride led him to say that all dwarfs could ride horse's better than any other race, or at least elves. She had been around dwarfs for a long while, and somehow she doubted his pride-filled words... not that it mattered, so long as he could ride a horse or perhaps in the talons of one of their winged companions she wouldn't have to worry about it. "Oh, I must say I didn't know that." She said nodding with a new formed smile on her face. Kolmar was amusing to say the least...

Vivian declared they needed to head north. She didn't see any reason to head north but sitting where they were would be a waist of time. She was sure Vivian had her reasons. "What lies north? Do you know of someone that may be able to read the scroll?" She questioned, though that didn't stop her from prepping to leave. The primary necessity that any good group needed was trust, and the only way to build trust was to exercise it and that is what she planned to do.

It wasn't long before everyone seemed ready to move. She was originally planning on mounting her horse but seeing as everyone else was walking, even Valaina whom had her own horse, she decided to walk as well. After all, she would feel weird being the only one mounted. Colleen patted the snout of her horse before directing him towards the path. It wasn't long before Kolmar spoke up again, "So only twice huh? Honestly I like the way horse's ride. Sure they can be bumpy at times but if you learn to flow with them then it can actually be quite comfortable."
 
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Tysin's interest piqued as soon as Nym brought up the scroll. The possibilities that lay within artifacts were practically endless, and he had already picked up a few of his own. Immediately striding the few paces from the back of the group to where the scroll lay spread out on the grass he picked it up, ignoring the rudeness of his behaviour towards their spirit 'guide'. She seemed to be more of a prattle than a guide anyways. His eyes briefly glanced over the text of the scroll before Nym assigned it to Valaina. Raising a quizzical eyebrow, he let the scroll drift to the ground as he slipped back to the rest of the group.

Absently, Tysin traced the crocodile scales at his throat whilst Nym faded into the morning. The conversation of his new companions didn't really hold his interest now that Nym had vanished, and he let his thoughts wander like the ramblings of their guide. 'Trust... like it was as easy to do as it was to say. Only time and battle would reveal if they could actually trust each other, not standing in some silly huddle. As things stood now, Vaeros would never be defeated, least of all by this group of six. If only the spirit had been able to give them some actual direction, some hint of weakness of their enemy or sign of strength they could attain.' These thoughts meandered through his mind in the blink of an eye, and he casually stuffed his bedding into his unobtrusive pack while keeping an evaluating eye on the rest of his companions.

As the troupe took their bearings and headed north, Tysin fell in closer to the rear of the column where he could maintain a keen sense of everyone's aura.
 
Vivian, purple
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Tysin was getting on her nerves, hiding a scowl, Vivian smiled at Vala, "No need to be sorry, Valaina. Like Nym said, clueless as she seemed, we need to stick together." she said. She looked around, she would have to warn her mother before they all showed up...but they had about 30ish miles to cover, and if they all insisted on going on foot, it would take a while. "We have a while to go, if we continue on foot." she said, raising her voice as she worked her way back up to the front of the group. "It's about 30, maybe 35 miles out. We should pick up the pace." Of course, she was used to covering long distances such as this. She had forgotten that some of them would not be able to travel that quickly or that far in a day. She indicated to Valaina and Colleen, who had horses. "We should take all the means to save our energy as well. We should take all means to travel quickly, for we have much to do, much to discuss, but right now we need to focus on where we're going." she said, she would be willing to take someone in her talons, or even on her back, though that was less dignifying. Being the prideful elf she was, she rarely stooped so low as to give creatures 'rides' on her back, the only person who had that privilege was her sister. But in this situation, she would have to swallow her pride.
She turned to Kolmar, "You said you wouldn't mind being carried?" she said quietly, assuming Tysin could keep up on foot, seeing as he boasted of being quickfoot, if not, he could ride with one of the girls on the horse, or in Nik's claws.

She thought the sooner they got to her folks, the sooner they would be able to talk freely, as they all seemed so....stiff right now. To tell the truth, she was too. She didn't know these people, she didn't know how they worked....but that would get sorted soon enough.

As the group walked on, debating how to travel, She quickly began to pair her fellow Chosen Ones in training pairs....Vala would be good with Tysin, as Tysin could train her evasive techniques, which would suit her as she wasn't a fighter. Nik would obviously be with herself, as they were both dragon shifters. And Kolmar and Colleen....this is the only pair she questioned slightly. They seemed to get along well enough, but she wasn't sure....

She shoved these thoughts from her mind, and ran a few steps and changed into her dragon form as she jumped in the air. She flew up and around and landed in front of the group, her white scales reflecting the growing sunlight. Looking at Niklaus, she nodded, and communicated in the way she was taught by her father. "You should change too, if Tysin can't keep up, we can have him ride with one of the girls, or you could carry him. I've already got Kolmar." Looking over the rest of the group, she kneeled, awaiting Kolmar to climb on, or come and await to be grasped by her massive talons.

((I know it's poor quality writing, but as I said, under a lot of stress right now. :|) [/dash]
 
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Valaina, blue


"No need to be sorry, Valaina. Like Nym said, clueless as she seemed, we need to stick together." "R-right." Nym? Clueless? Honestly Nym seemed like she knew what she was doing. Weren't they doing what Nym had told them to do? They had the scroll, they were going to train together, they had two dragon shifters so studying dragons was simple... Then again she didn't really give them any useful information did she? Wait, yes she did! She showed them the visions and got them all to the same location. Perhaps Vivi was expecting someone bigger? Nym was awfully small. Perhaps Vivi wasn't impressed by Nyms appearance so she felt discouraged.

"It's about 30, maybe 35 miles out. We should pick up the pace. We should take all the means to save our energy as well. We should take all means to travel quickly, for we have much to do, much to discuss, but right now we need to focus on where we're going." Thirty to thirty five miles! "Uh- V-" Vivi seemed to be in a rush now. Where were they even going? Was it some hidden training area? This whole situation reminded her of a book she had read a while back, where a chosen group went off to slay a king in order to free their kingdom which had been annexed but the group was full of people who were all very different and specialized in different things. One was a swift bow man, another was a thief, then there was a swords man, and a military commander who used spears and finally a musician... They all ended up training together in a secret training ground. Perhaps that's where they were going.

Vala quickly shook her head realizing she had dazed off and quickly started to mount her horse only to knock the Scroll loose with her foot. She gasped and bit her lip as she reached out and grabbed the scroll as it started to lean to the side. The scroll was delicate and to be handled with care and here she was almost dropping it from the back of her horse. She looked over it quickly before exhaling in relief, the scroll was unharmed.
 
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"Twice," Kolmar reaffirmed. "I decided they weren't particularly necessary. Goats are so much more sturdier and more reliable. Of course, I haven't owned one in twenty years..." his voice trailed off as Vivian's grew louder from the back of their parade. The back, why did he even bother calling it that? One quick look behind him showed both Tysin and Niklaus hovering within talking distance to Vivian and Valaina. He grunted and furrowed his brow. Were none of them confident with themselves? A pity.

"We have a while to go, if we continue on foot," Vivian said as she approached Colleen and himself. "It's about 30, maybe 35 miles out. We should pick up the pace."

Only thirty to thirty-five miles to wherever she was taking them? That surprised the dwarf. He'd have supposed their destination to be much, much farther compared to how she'd been talking. Thirty-five miles was really nothing. A jog compared to what he'd done in the past forty-eight hours. Speaking of the past forty-eight hours, his muscles ached something fierce. Sleeping sitting up hadn't been the best position for cramped muscles but there hadn't really been much of an alternative. 'Besides,' he thought with a subtle little smile, 'it made it much easier for the wee lass to find a place of refuge to lay her head, didn't it?' Kolmar rolled his shoulders in a stretch. Yes, picking up the pace was beginning to sound really good.

Vivian's voice broke into his thoughts, "You said you wouldn't mind being carried?"

"Carried?" Kolmar echoed blankly. Why would she be asking... oh. His eyes widened as he turned to the elf. Was she seriously considering shifting to offer him a ride? Apparently some dragons weren't as prideful as the rest of them. Or maybe she felt obligated in some way. Could she tell his muscles were beginning to protest? Was it that obvious? Did she think he needed support? Well, he'd settle her mind on that immediately!

"Ah, no lass," he corrected as kindly as possible. "I said I preferred being carried to bumping up and down on a wee little pony. You dragons still have a mighty powerful grip. Ye don't have to lower yourself on my account."

Once again Kolmar let his gaze sweep over the group. He was too big to share a saddle with Colleen and too tall to share Valaina's smaller horse. If everyone was mounting or flying, he didn't want to be the one holding everyone else back. Ah, that's what would be the deciding factor. If Tysin agreed to a ride, so would he so as not to hold anybody back. If the fancy-footer ran, Kolmar would run with him. It wasn't that he didn't trust the massive elf by himself. Tysin so far seemed fairly friendly-- even downright cheerful-- which was particularly unnerving considering he had hardly said a word thus far and hid all his emotion under those pensive, brooding brows.

No, on second thought Kolmar probably would be keeping an eye on him. He waited to see what the elf would do.
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As far as Tysin was concerned, the day was yet young. What was the rush? Thirty five miles was an easy distance for someone in reasonable shape to cover. The events of that morning had not yet taken so much time that it would even strain his limber muscles to make it before the sun sat high in the sky. If he set out at an easy jog, it should take him less than 5 hours, leaving plenty of time to arrive before his midday meditation. That was assuming that everyone would leave him alone with his thoughts long enough to get some meaningful meditation in. He needed quiet to process the thoughts that burst through his mind like the raging tide, especially the characters on that scroll...

An exasperated sigh escaped his lips as his brows furrowed and his thoughts continued...

'It's too bad Vivian is the one who has set the course to follow for now. Of all the people that I'm going to have to tolerate, her obvious need to hear herself talk is going to get on my nerves the most. I only hope that she isn't one of those people who can't think inside her head. The air needs room to breathe too.'

Tysin settled his pack a little snugger on his back before turning to Vivian and stating dryly, "If there's such a rush, why don't you point us slowpokes who like our feet on the ground in the right direction. Then you can go prepare whatever special little place you have in mind while we catch up. That is, assuming you get there with time to spare." An impish smile played in the corner of his eyes, unnoticeable to any but the keenest observer.
 
Niklaus


Vivian's decision took him by surprise. He was already getting used to the idea of walking, but it seemed he'd be enjoying the magnificent view from the sky after all. Niklaus watched her transformation attentively; after all, he had never seen another dragon from that short distance before. It wasn't something common being a dragon shifter himself, but it wasn't as if he was raised by people like himself. After staring for a moment, making some mental notes of their differences, he nodded back at her. She was even more beautiful under that shape.

Another thing that startled him was hearing Viv inside his mind. That was something really useful for a dragon shifter. Mainly when they needed to fight as a team, and so he hoped it was something he could learn to do. Although, he knew it wasn't probable, because unlike Vivian, when he didn't have two large wings and scales, he was only a mere human. Anyway, he pulled that thought away, deciding to ask her later, and got ready to turn. He was even going to agree of taking the big elf on his back. But, it was then when he heard his words.

Even though he disliked his attitude, he was still relieved about it. A free ride as the free dragon he was, not paying attention of not letting the human exerting dominance on his back falling, was a lot better. Niklaus glanced at Vivian once again, and gave her a small shrug. "He'll keep up just fine." said before shifting himself. He just stepped aside from the group, and his body quickly started changing. After the skin turned into scales, he stood up straight, looking at the group with his matching brown gaze. He waited with impatience before taking off, ready to follow Vivian wherever they were going.
 
Colleen

Colleen honestly didn't know why they were now in a rush. Something other than their quest was eating away at Vivi... she didn't seem like she was someone to rush things forward. Sure everyone knew the longer they took to defeat Vaeros the more people would fall victim to his fire breath and satanic ideas but rushing to their next destination wouldn't help them stop him quicker. It would be better to keep their minds off their journey and start discussing their quest. It would be better for all of them to conserve energy by keeping a walking pace while staying alert. They were traveling further and further into an abandonment and already lawless land, if they started to rush further and further into it there was no doubt in her mind they would draw unwanted attention to themselves, and she wasn't just talking about bandits either. Vaeros was clearly a formidable opponent, who knew what kind of information networks he had already established.

"If there's such a rush, why don't you point us slowpokes who like our feet on the ground in the right direction. Then you can go prepare whatever special little place you have in mind while we catch up. That is, assuming you get there with time to spare." She agreed that they shouldn't rush forward, but Tyson didn't seem to mean it that way. The small change in his facial expression led her to believe he was actually challenging Vivi to a race. With a sigh and looked down at her horse and ran her hand down it's main. It seemed like she was the only one who thought keeping a slower pace was a good idea. Sure if they kept their pace it would take about five or six hours while riding a horse at full gallop would take about an hour or so but wasn't anyone thinking?! Perhaps the problem wasn't that they weren't thinking, its that she was over thinking the situation. How long had it been since Vaeros had taken over? It would be unlikely that he already set up an information network and if he was using the same one that was already in use... no, even if they were a small group they had two dragon shifters, Kolmar whom was well known, a Monk, and two females on horses. Clearly if they were spotted they would be reported! Unless they were extraordinarily careful they would be spotted... and even then they would have to rely on lady luck, but as a small group it wasn't impossible.

Needless to say Colleen kept quiet. Vivi had something on her mind, a reason to be rushing, and everyone else seemed to have already made up their mind. They would pick up the pace whether she spoke up or not. If they had luck on their side let it be used now, let the information network be down, let it not be implemented. Let a mistake be made. Something to keep them from being found out. They weren't ready to be in danger just yet.
 
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"If there's such a rush, why don't you point us slowpokes who like our feet on the ground in the right direction. Then you can go prepare whatever special little place you have in mind while we catch up. That is, assuming you get there with time to spare."

For some reason Tysin's little speech struck Kolmar's funny bone. Maybe it was the image of Vivian arranging feathers in a dragon-sized nest that sprang to mind, or the fact that the large elf seemed to be challenging the dragon-shifters to beat him there before he took over the encampment-- or whatever it was-- with his entire picnic spread. Whatever the case, the dwarf couldn't help but let a rumble of laughter roll in his belly. There always had to be a comedian in a group this size and Tysin was proving himself to be particularly easy to laugh at. At least to the dwarf.

When his chuckles died down, Kolmar glanced once more at his current walking partner and noticed the lines of disapproval forming around her mouth. As if reading her thoughts-- it wasn't that hard to come to some of the same conclusions considering Colleen's logical mind-- the dwarf declared, "In all seriousness, perhaps splitting up is a good idea. Smaller groups draw less attention and those of us who need a slower pace won't feel continually rushed by those who don't." In a lower voice he said to the archer, "If you do go along with the dragons, lass, leave a light trail for us to track. Nothing too noticeable, but possible to spot with a watchful eye, eh?"

He then halted in a lunge position to stretch his calf muscles, changing from one leg to the other to loosen them both up. He wouldn't be able to get in a full warm-up, not before Tysin took off jogging, but at least he could make sure he wouldn't damage anything on this run. Turning around then to lock eyes with the elf in question, Kolmar walked backwards a few steps and readjusted his hammer on his back. "All right, Tysin! Let us see if your feet are as quick as they are big, fancy-footer!" he challenged. Then he pivoted in one fluid motion and took off in a light jog in the direction Vivian had given them.
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Vivian

"If there's such a rush, why don't you point us slowpokes who like our feet on the ground in the right direction. Then you can go prepare whatever special little place you have in mind while we catch up. That is, assuming you get there with time to spare."
The impish look on his face added to the dripping sarcasm of the elf's voice. She sighed inwardly. Yes, the day was young, and with time, they should reach her folks place before sundown. That was the plan...and then they could start their training. But she could not do with Tysin's attitude. She curled her lips up in a snarl, exposing long, curved teeth and let out a low, but long growl. "Unlike you, Tysin, I am trying to encourage the others, when all you seem to do is tear them down. So why don't you just shut your fat mouth if you can't say anything that won't discourage the group." she said so only he could hear her. Without waiting for a response, she spread her massive wings, and threw herself in the air.

She flew at a slow pace, slow enough to keep the others in sight, but also so they could keep her in sight and follow her. She should be in range now... "Mother, I am on my way home. I have company coming, six of us. We need a place to lay low for a day or two. I will let you know why when we get there." "Okay, Vivian. I will ready the guest rooms. Will see you soon." The familiar voice floated into her mind. Not many people could communicate with her via thought speak, her mother's magic was strong. There was a slight pang in her voice, so slight only one who knew her would notice it. She knew, she had to. There wouldn't be pain in her voice if she didn't. She sighed in relief at knowing she wasn't the one who had to break the news.

They had been walking for a few hours, maybe traveled 10, maybe 20 miles. She looked over at Niklaus flying near her. His form was larger than hers, but she was probably more agile in the air than he was. She directed her thoughts towards him, Colleen, and Kolmar, since they seemed to be the strategists."We're making good time, we should be there before sundown. That was the plan. We can start training when we have rested, and talk about partners to train with." As she finished speaking, she saw the outline of the mountains that the dragons used to call home. She frowned....she probably underestimated the distance...they should nearly be there by now if her calculations were correct. But it seems they weren't. Tysin would no doubtedly question her judgement...what seemed like a short distance to her (due to the fact that she was flying...) was normally longer. She looked back, and saw that she had gone too far. Circling back, she made a few circles over the group and broke the news. "I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about 40, maybe 45 more miles to go." she kicked herself, they could have been moving at a faster pace...If they failed....they doomed Valeroma to destruction.
She pushed these thoughts out of her mind, and focused on the task at hand. They would not fail. They would succeed in vanquishing this beast, even if it meant their deaths...
 
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"All right, Tysin! Let us see if your feet are as quick as they are big, fancy-footer!"

'Fancy footer indeed' Tysin's smile spread to slyly hint at the corner of his mouth, 'Why did I ever decide to join this party anyways? Elves, dwarves, shifters, humans... a jolly hodge-podge we make. I work much better alone. At least the dwarf has a sense of humor That silly vision, and the rhyme. Why did it have to be a rhyming prophecy? Those always stick in my head and drone on forever in dark foreboding musical tones.' All these thoughts flashed across his mind in the fraction of a second it took to register Kolmar's movement, and his left foot sprang forward by instinct, launching him into a swift lope before his mind consciously decided to begin the journey.

“When the night is dark and the moon is "Unlike you, Tysin" red
Hatched will be a dragon of "encourage the others" dread
Eyes like "you" amber and scales like the earth "tear them down"
More than the world his head will be worth
The "shut your fat" dragon of dread will be a shifter and "mouth" more
The kind of monster "say anything that" you read of only in lore
He will seek to rule the last of his "discourage the group" race
And make the whole world know of his face”


Tysin's gaze darkened and his brow furrowed as the words of the prophecy began looping through his head. Vivian's message sprawled, interspersed within the pulsing tune that only he could hear. 'You might as well ignore her.' his thoughts pressed, 'You have better things to fill your mind with.' He cast a fleeting glance in the direction of Vivian's departing form. 'Hopefully her skill of penetrating thoughts doesn't extend to reading them too. Regardless, to try to keep up with my constant stream of chatter would drive almost anyone nuts if they heard it. hmmm... nuts.... I think I have some in my pack. Those will be useful on a trip like this."

The endless prophecy loop droned again and again behind his thoughts, driving the cadence of his feet as they pounded the earth in rapid succession. The coarse cloth of his tunic provided a percussive swish as he ran, building the intensity of the song in his head.

'The balance of the world is in upheaval over the crossing paths of the heavenly giants. The blood moon bade ill for us. Perhaps there are other keys within the prophecy itself that will aid us in the days to come. What lore does it speak of? What others of his kind have there been?' His lips pursed into a thin line as his thoughts dug through the memories of archives forced upon him during his training under the old monk 'The monks have a long history, but their books tell more of lessons learned than opponents faced. If only they spent a little less time on meditation, soul and symbolism. The symbols on the spirit's scroll were interesting. Not something I could read, but they leave a strange impression... Where else have I felt that?'

Tysin continued running, his thoughts creating his own, brooding sort of immunity from all that transpired around him. He paid no heed to the ground that flew beneath his feat as long strides swallowed the miles before him. The first couple hours had passed like the blur of the terrain around him before a subtle pang in his gut reminded him that the rate at which he was expounding energy would soon require him to restock. Good thing he had those nuts. He slowed a little and, for the first time since starting to run, paused to see if any of the others were still nearby.
 
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Two strides in, Kolmar felt overly confident about his choice to run with the elf. He was in the best shape he'd been in for at least a decade, though not quite on par with his days in the army, and his muscles, though sore, were grateful for the exercise. On the fourth stride, Kolmar burst forth from the edge of the grove and onto the flat plain beyond. He squinted as the bright morning sun flooded his sight, no longer hindered by the overarching branches of the trees. The breeze picked up then, twisting this way and that as it rushed by him and danced through the long-bladed grass around his ankles.

Truly, the day seemed nothing but perfection. It was hard to imagine that somewhere not too far away, a tyrannical dragon had murdered his way into power and sought only the destruction of all the dwarf held dear. Kolmar did not dwell on that dark cloud for long, however. Though it was imperative to remember why they had been called together, he needed all of his energy focused into this one task at hand: keeping ahead of the elf. It mattered not that the dragons had taken off and were flying in low circles overhead, nor that those on horses could quickly overtake those on foot. All that mattered was proving to the fancy-footer...

Here, Kolmar stopped his train of thought abruptly and almost froze in his tracks as well. Prove himself? Preposterous! When had he ever felt like he needed to prove himself to anyone, most of all to an elf? He was who he was and all he needed to be. If he could not measure up, then he all he could do was give it his best. But when had he ever not measured up? Never. Why did he need to start fretting over it now? This thought, too, quickly floated away in favour of pleasanter ones like listening for the footfalls of his competi--er--companion and gauging his distance.

By this time, the dwarf had taken a grand total of ten paces and before he knew it, the brute of an elf breezed past him. So! This would not be just a merry old stroll now, would it? The fancy-footer meant business! Immediately, the dwarf responded by pumping his legs a little harder and lengthening his stride, his dark eyes sparking with a fierce determination. Longleg was, after all, no misnomer! Kolmar caught up to Tysin's shadow and stayed there, not in the least ashamed to use him for drafting purposes. Also, to prove to himself that he did not need to prove anything to the elf.

Kolmar directed his attention to the winged members of their party now, admiring the way the sun glistened off their scales and wings as they snaked through the air. He had to admit, they were the first dragons he'd ever seen and not killed ten minutes later. He'd known that the majority of dragons and dragon-shifters were not of the trouble-making kind but a hammer like his is never called on to gossip over a pint of ale. Though he had some practice with fighting dragons, he had to admit that their species as a whole still mystified him. Maybe one of these days he would have to take Vivian up on her offer to ride in her talons. He had to admit he was curious what the world looked like from up that high when one was not pressured with slaying the enraged beast who had trapped him in his claws.

"We're making good time, we should be there before sundown. That was the plan. We can start training when we have rested, and talk about partners to train with."

It took a second for the dwarf to recognize the intruding thoughts as Vivian's voice. How had she been able to do that? Could the others hear her in their minds as well? Could she hear his thoughts in response? And how would one block such prodding if she could? Thoughts were private for a reason and Kolmar preferred to keep them that way. His eyes instinctively sought out the snow white form above and a small, confused scowl furrowed his brow. 'Sundown? It isn't even noon yet. Of course we'll make it before sundown.' Obviously, their guide had no judge of time or distance. That did not bode well with him and a little pit sank in his gut.

Gradually, the sparsely populated grasslands turned to treed areas and the dragons grew harder to spot through the treetops. The terrain developed a bit of a roll to it as well and Kolmar began to feel it in his shins and hamstrings. They'd been running for a few hours now, the sun was nearing it's peak for the day, and they surely had only another hour to go at the most. Tysin had been keeping a pretty steady clip and it was all the dwarf could do just to keep up but he refused to slow his pace, following closely upon Tysin's heels. Just as they exited another forested area, the elf unexpectedly slowed and then halted completely. Not able to dig his heels into the ground in time, Kolmar barreled into him and sprawled onto the ground, his forearms slamming into the hard dirt. He laid there for a few minutes, stunned, dazed, and gasping to catch his breath. He'd personally kill Tysin if the elf took the fall much better.

"I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about forty, maybe forty-five more miles to go."

Vivian's voice broke into his head again and Kolmar groaned in despair. The pit rapidly expanded in his stomach and he rolled onto his knees as he panted heavily. Forty more miles! He could not go that distance on foot. Not at this pace! And neither could the fancy-footer, he wagered, especially after that crash. Maybe he heard Vivian wrong. He had better have, or he just might pass out from exhaustion.

"Tysin!" he hollered hoarsely. "Did that lass just say forty miles? I canno' run that. No' so soon. Ah, lad, tell me she said four to five or bury me here!"
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Valaina


Vala looked up from the scroll to see Tyson and Kolmar had already started to pick up the pace. Realizing if she didn't get a move on she would be left behind she quickly turned around and started to fumble with the buckle on her bag. Even though everyone was still in sight she felt an enormous pressure on her shoulders. If she took too long she might lose the group and, though part of her wished that would happen, being the one that carried the all important artifact it would be a huge problem for the rest of the group if she somehow ended up getting separated.

After calming her shaking hands, realizing if she rushed herself it would only take longer to undo the buckle, she slowly parted the bits of leather before slipping the scroll inside her rolled up blanket. Finally, after fastening the buckle and strapping her bag back onto the saddle, she kicked her heals against the horses sides and sent it into a rather fast trot. At this point she had lost sight on the group however she knew they couldn't be too far ahead and, assuming they were still following the path, if she went fast enough she would catch up to them... right?

Just around the bend in the path she came out into the open. Instantly she was able to spot the others and a wave of relief washed over her as she kicked her horse once more to send it into a gallop in order to catch up to the group as quickly as possible. She adjusted herself on the saddle, in order to avoid knocking into it and upsetting the horse, by pushing herself slightly off the saddle and leaning in. There was no point in letting herself get thrown about on the back of the horse, especially when they had such a long trip ahead of them.

It wasn't long before she closed the gap between herself and the group, though she still rode a few paces behind, so she slowed her horse back down to a trot and followed closely behind the rest of the group. "I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about 40, maybe 45 more miles to go." She blinked and looked around a little confused. That voice... she didn't hear it, it was in her head? It sounded like, or thought like? ... it was Vivians voice wasn't it?

She slowed to a stop and circled back around to meet back up with the rest of the group. Kolmar had knocked into Tyson pretty hard and after falling he had yet to stand back up. He looked exhausted, totally warn out, and who could blame him? He was running somewhere between a run and a sprint for a couple hours now. Quickly she dismounted only to have her stiff legs retaliate against her. "Did that lass just say forty miles? I canno' run that. No' so soon. Ah, lad, tell me she said four to five or bury me here!" She took a deep breath and forced herself forward a few steps in order to get the blood flow in her legs back to normal. "Um, Kolmar, you've been running for quite some time now, and yesterday it seemed like you were tired from a long journey, so I'm sure you must be feeling sore... I could help, um. I can relieve them."

After getting his approval she had him move over to a nearby tree so he could sit comfortably against it before sitting down next to him and moving her hands over his ankles. She would start here and work her way up... After a second or so her hands started to glow before finally a light aura formed around her hands and leaked down onto Kolmar's legs. Healing like this was highly effective, unfortunately it was also time consuming. She could have chosen a spell that worked faster but she assumed Kolmar wasn't the only one in need of a break. It might even be a good time to eat...

She worked silently as she slowly moved up his leg. Part of her wanted to make sure he knew she was taking her time, after all it would be bad if he lost confidence in her ability as a healer, but the other half of her was urging her to be quiet... after all this spell required concentration... and she was trying to do it while conserving her energy... it would be best to just leave it for now. A single bead of sweat started to form on her forehead as she finished healing his upper leg but she didn't even attempt to wipe it away until she had run her hands down and back up his legs in attempt to check him one last time. "That should do it." She said in a voice that was best described as a whisper, "Could you turn around so your back is facing me?" He hadn't asked her too, but she wanted to check his lungs and heart to make sure everything was ok there too.

She placed her hands on his back, instead of just hovering over it like she normally did, and closed her eyes as she attempted to check his condition. She wasn't expecting any bad results but she would rather be safe than sorry. Honestly seeing him gasping on his hands and knee's startled her a little. All her worrying seemed to be over nothing, she had never seen a more healthy structure before. With a sigh she opened her eyes once more before hesitantly leaning forward. She brought her mouth near his ear before whispering to him, "Kolmar... are you scared? L-like of this whole situation... with Vaeros I mean." Something inside her still made her want to think everyone else here wasn't really as scared as Vivi had made them out to be... especially not Kolmar. He just didn't seem like, well she wanted to believe he didn't even posses such an emotion.
 
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57ef1878-2834-45bb-aa31-52ea9fa0e9fd_zps38a80ebd.jpg
Kolmar's impact pitched Tysin unexpectedly forward again. If the dwarf's stature had not been significantly shorter than his own, the force of 350lbs slamming into his back would have toppled even Tysin's center of balance and left him dazed on the plain. 'Face moving toward dirt. Left foot, plant. Right leg, swing. Barrel roll. Land with right. rrrg. Not fast enough. Compensate for extra momentum with left leg horizontal arc. End in crouched position. Make it look intentional.' His thoughts merely registered the instinctive action, learned through years of incessant drills and hard knocks delivered by his old master. More irritating than his imperfectly executed recovery was the fact that he had allowed his guard to drop to the point that he had been hit at all.

'Channel your thoughts. They must register all that passes 'round you. Let the flow of your surroundings permeate your spirit. Let reality merge with your conscious stream and saturate your very essence until your thoughts BECOME reality'

Tysin's self rebuke lingered only a moment before Vivian's news fell on his ears.

"I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about forty, maybe forty-five more miles to go."

'Great, just great. At least now I know to trust her sense of time more than her sense of distance. And I just thought her timing must be off because she never runs.'

Slow, deep breaths contrasted sharply with his pulse, still racing from the run and the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. He closed his eyes and let the air currents carry their whispers to his sensitive ears. This had taken him the longest to learn from the Pounding Fist teachings. Knowledge and movement always came naturally to his quick mind. To still those raging thoughts and become one with nature until he sat serene on the white path of Mu, that remained a great challenge. He sensed, rather than heard Vala join their group and dismount.

"Tysin!" Kolmar's voice disrupted his reverie, much as his weight had offset his balance just moments before. "Did that lass just say forty miles? I canno' run that. No' so soon. Ah, lad, tell me she said four to five or bury me here!"

In reply, Tysin unslung his sack and started rummaging around inside. Withdrawing a slightly tarnished shovel, he plunged it into the ground and paused, foot resting on the blade of the spade. "How deep do you want the hole?" Tysin retorted dryly.

Vala seemed to be more sympathetic to Kolmar's plight, and Tysin, still leaning on his spade, allowed himself to once again let go of the sights around him and immerse himself in the essences brought to him by the wind. It was astonishing the things you could see if only you stopped looking.

He didn't stir again until the dwarf turned around. The slight grumbling in his stomach reminded him why he had slowed in the first place.

"We'll all want a bit of nourishment if we are going to make it today." He spoke to no one and everyone at the same time "I have some vitals that can be shared as needed."

So saying, he returned his spade once again to its spot in his sack, and, sitting where he was, proceeded to produce bits of dried meat and nuts to quiet his complaining gut.
 
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Niklaus

Niklaus stayed close to Vivian as they flew. Or most of the time he did, at least. He wasn't used to use that ability of his to get somewhere, but just to enjoy the ride. The dragon shifter got easily distracted, as it was an habit, mainly with everything going on at his feet, or up in the sky. He enjoyed the wind against his scales, and allowed an air current to lead him from time to time. After all, they were waiting for the wingless to keep up with them, so he could allow himself to lose some time on silly things. Besides, it kept him from thinking about that whole thing he had been involved into.

"We're making good time, we should be there before sundown. That was the plan. We can start training when we have rested, and talk about partners to train with."

He heard her words, but as it wasn't the first time, he wasn't as surprised as the rest of them. Anyway, there still was something he couldn't get off his mind. How did she do that? Since the first time he turned into a dragon when he was a boy, the only disadvantage he found while using his dragon shape was not being able to communicate. He could only use growls and body language, but he obviously didn't get too far with that. Mind speaking would make everything less annoying, and he'd be able to stay like a dragon for much longer. And so he found himself wishing it was some shifters characteristic he didn't develop yet... Although he knew it was unlikely.

"I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about forty, maybe forty-five more miles to go."

Of course, that wasn't good for the group, but he didn't mind as long as he could keep flying. It becoming a little annoying waiting for the rest of them, but he still enjoyed the ride. And, maybe if he wouldn't be paying attention to silly things below him, he wouldn't have seen Kolmar's fall. Niklaus growled lowly, knowing the tailwind would take the sound to Vivian, but it wouldn't alert any other creature around them. She was a bit ahead of him, so he believed she could take a heads up for the things going on down there.
 
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"How deep do you want the hole?"

That was not the reply Kolmar had hoped for in any respect. Another forty-five miles? How was he to run that without a decent amount of recovery from his last jaunt? He'd covered, what, a good hundred and fifty miles or so before wading through the lake-- or river or whatever it had been-- to get to the grove last night? And now it looked like they were travelling half that distance today. Not that he couldn't manage that distance. There were many times when he ran for multiple days on end [through mountain passes, even!] to get from one dwarven settlement to the next. But there he had the luxury of setting his own pace in such a way that he could handle long stretches of road with quick rest stops at night to fuel up on food and sleep. Ever since that dream had interrupted his schedule, he'd had time limits placed on him and now a running partner whose ears were coincidentally long like a rabbit's.

It only registered after Kolmar's internal bemoaning quieted that the large elf had been making noises suspiciously like shoving something into the ground. Breaking ground as he broke the news, ah, that was a clever pun, but one that the dwarf hardly cared to acknowledge at this present moment. For all his shenanigans, the elf had still come out of their little kerfuffle with nary a foot out of place.

With a grunt, the dwarf twisted himself around to prop himself up on his elbows to see what Tysin was getting into. His eyes widened. That blasted elf, what didn't he have in that confounded pack of his? Kolmar snorted and promptly ignored the comedian leaning ever so casually on his spade. His attentions turned to better things-- mainly the little elf who had quietly ridden up and dismounted to join them. If there was anyone among the group of whom he wanted to make a favourable impression, it was her. Soft little creature, if she had no one to look up to, then what would become of her faith in this endeavor? He must be impervious to keep the shy maiden, who undoubtedly labelled herself as their weakest link, strong.

She teetered a few hesitant steps closer and Kolmar hoisted himself into a slouched sitting position. Ye gads, his legs burned, but it was nothing a few stretches and a long drink of water wouldn't cure. Maybe Tysin had a canteen in his wonder pack, among other things. One hand instinctively strayed to rub a calf muscle through his thick leather breeches while the other splayed on the ground behind him to brace his weight. His head cocked against his shoulder as he regarded Valaina. He was keenly aware of how reluctantly her lips parted to address him and strangely enough, he felt moved by it. Almost like, almost as if she were a child who desperately wanted a parent to cling to, but had none. His piercing blue gaze softened, but did not leave her own.

"Um, Kolmar, you've been running for quite some time now, and yesterday it seemed like you were tired from a long journey, so I'm sure you must be feeling sore... I could help, um. I can relieve them."

Kolmar glanced down at his hand and back up at Valaina. Did he need her assistance? No. And he was about to graciously say as much when another thought entered his head. Now would be the perfect opportunity to allow her to demonstrate her prowess in the realm of healing. And if she was as competent as Kolmar supposed her to be... 'Why on earth would the spirit maiden pick someone not qualified?' ...it would make it easier for him to encourage confidence in her abilities. So, for her sake, he would let her heal him. Because he obviously didn't really need it.

"I'd be grateful, lass," he nodded in consent. He then threw all of his concentration into shifting himself onto his feet and trudging after the healer towards the trees once more. Following Valaina's prompting, he settled against the tree she gestured to and folded his hands in his lap to rest while she went to work. Kolmar had to admit, he was curious how she'd go about it, and his eyes watched the fluid movement of her hands in fascination.

The sensation tickled, even through his leggings, and twitched his muscles under her gliding fingertips as they responded to the soft glow. He'd never felt something so... fuzzy was the best word he could think of to describe it at the moment... before, especially inside his body. He could tell she was in deep concentration and so refrained from saying anything lest he disrupt her flow of thought. When Valaina's hushed voice requested he turn over, the dwarf complied immediately and noted with satisfaction and interest that his thighs and shins did not protest as they had before. In fact, he felt as good as new! Perhaps he didn't need to throw in the towel quite yet and admit defeat to the fancy-footer.

'Defeat?' The corner of his mouth twisted into a wry smirk. 'When did this become a race?'

Kolmar waited patiently as the timid elf finished her examination of him, knowing that what she did now was out of concern and not necessity. He deepened his breathing intentionally to make sure her little hand found what it sought-- his impeccable state of health. When it departed, the dwarf was about to push himself up but was forestalled as a nervous whisper sounded in his ear:

"Kolmar... are you scared? L-like of this whole situation... with Vaeros I mean."

"We'll all want a bit of nourishment if we are going to make it today. I have some vitals that can be shared as needed."

The dwarf barely had time to utter his gratitude for her skillful help before the monk ruined the tender moment by butting in. Kolmar threw an incredulous look in Tysin's direction. Food? Was that man ever concerned with anything other than food? But they had gone a pretty impressive distance considering their pace. Why shouldn't the elf need to pause for food? He wasn't a dwarf. Dwarves had the distinct ability to store up energy, not unlike camels and water, for times such as these. They could trundle along for days without needing any supplements other than water and a good night's sleep between stints. After all, what was the point of massive muscles if that was all their body weight was? Even now, Kolmar's throat was more parched than his stomach was hungry. He'd had a fairly significant meal at the tavern before he'd left for the grove and its remnants were still slowly working through his stomach.

He played up on this fact by dismissing Tysin's offer. It was the least he could do to save face after ramming into the massive elf earlier. "Hungry, lad?" he goaded with a grin, propping himself on his elbows. "Why, we've just gotten started! Don't tell me you've already run yourself dry." He then rolled into a sitting position to face Valaina-- his back facing the oblivious monk not on mere accident. He offered the elf maiden a lopsided smile and shook his mane of hair. Pride danced in his eyes and he could hardly keep it from prancing through his tone as well.

"Now what's this about being scared, little maiden? It's Vaeros who should be leery of us. I have no reason to be scared of a mere dragon. Ikspar has slain a hot-belly or two before now, and it will slay a few more after this ordeal is over." Here he paused to reach behind him and pat the hammer affectionately. "No, even if Vaeros is ten times as big as the rogues I have faced and a hundred times as blood-thirsty, there is always a weakness and Ikspar knows just where to find it."
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Colleen


It seemed the group tossed aside common sense and instruction all together. Not only did they stay as a group instead of splitting up, they also didn't seem to care for saving energy and they weren't even careful about how they traveled. An Elf being chased by a dwarf, both running like maniacs, two women on horses close behind, and to top if off they had two dragons flying over head, one drifting back and forth the other making slight circles. She sighed, this group was nothing more than a rag tag team...

She kept quiet however, the damage was already done, and even if she spoke up it seemed Tyson was trying to prove something to Vivian, and Kolmar clearly wasn't going to back down. It wasn't any secret, at least to her eyes, that Kolmar had traveled far the day before, after all he couldn't even stand without leaning on his 'Ikspar', and it was common knowledge to assume he would still be sore even after a nights rest... especially considering the position he chose to rest in. The dwarf was clearly not dimwitted but it seemed his pride tended to blind him. Though, honestly, if she could put him in a position where he didn't feel like he had to uphold a standard, or perhaps change the standard he was trying to uphold (at least around herself) then he was still the easiest to talk strategy with... that or perhaps Vivian. Valaina was far too shy, and most likely knowledgeable on the subject, Niklaus didn't seem too fond of verbal communication (then again she wasn't too fond of that either), and Tyson... well he seemed like the kind of person who'd quickly get on someones nerves.

She looked around at those whom traveled with her, they were all very different yet somehow all on the same quest. They all had their specialties, sort of, but their personalities clashed. Every pairing she could think of logically didn't seem to work practically. Such as pairing herself and Vivian, sure Vivian seemed to want to take the lead and every good leader has a strategist, not to mention Vivian's abilities were a perfect match, but Vivian was also someone that should be on the front lines which would pose a problem. She hadn't the slightest clue what Tyson would be able to do against Vaeros unless he took human form, but even then who would want to be paired with him? Kolmar might be a good match, seeing as he found Tyson's insults to be quite humorous, but if the two did somehow start butting heads that would pose a problem, and the fact that Valaina worked well both logically and practically with Kolmar but not with Tyson... She groaned inwardly, it seem their guide didn't do her research. This whole thing was giving her a headache. Planning things from a military aspect was one thing, she could consider them all emotionless beings who were there simply to get the job done. It was the leaders job to inspire them, it was her job to direct them to accomplish the goal. However everyone here was not a soldier, perhaps only Kolmar, and in this situation she was almost at a loss... Finally Colleen decided to clear her head, there was no point in over thinking things, in fact she had plenty of time to think groupings and strategies later. For now she should just clear her head and let herself rest. Sometimes focusing too hard on a problem narrows your vision far too much.

Just as she finished shaking the thoughts out of her head, she literally gave her head a slight shake, and raised her gaze she caught sighed of Kolmar slamming full frontal into Tyson. She pulled the reigns on her horse back and to the side just barely managing to avoid trampling her companions. Luckily it seemed both of them were to focused on what happened to notice... good. "I underestimated the distance. It happens every now and again. We have about 40, maybe 45 more miles to go." Colleen couldn't help but let out a sigh. This was going wonderfully. She hadn't a clue where they were going, they traveled in one of the most efficient, unpractical and conspicuous ways she had ever seen, they might already have two injured, and finally she had a headache... not only because of the situation, but perhaps because she had skipped breakfast as well...

"We'll all want a bit of nourishment if we are going to make it today. I have some vitals that can be shared as needed." Her eyes lit up when she heard this, and as if to make a point she felt a slight rumble in her stomach. 'Tyson came in handy! See, as soon as she stopped trying to fit the pieces together they started to lay themselves out!' "If you're offering." She said as she started to dismount. She didn't have much horse feed left... and honestly she was already out of food... but lady luck was upon her it seemed.
 
((Side note: More than just the legs are used in running, his back and core would be sore too :P Take it from someone who's training to become a police officer :P ))
Vivian
Vivian knew this could mean there would be issues with the group below. While she couldn't hear the conversation going on below, she was alerted to some action going on by a low growl from Nik. Twisting in midair, she circled a few times until she was next to Nik. "How about we walk with the group for a bit? It would be good for the group...and we wouldn't have to backtrack so much." she said as she looked down, seeing Kolmar collapse, decided it would be for the best, with a nod at Nik, she folded her wings slightly, and angled to the ground. Landing softly a little less than a mile away from the group for a little privacy, she began the change back to her elven form. Her tight fitting clothes clinging to her skin, she pulled on the outer layers of her armor in the pack that had been clutched in her claws since she wasn't carrying anyone.
Once she was fully clothed, she ran. She loved running almost as much as she loved to fly, something about getting the heart pumping that gets you going. In about 8 minutes she had caught up to the group. Her time was a bit slower than normal, but she had just flown for a while...so that would be her excuse.
She stopped, barely out of breath. She saw Valaina doing something with Kolma...it must be healing. She watched curiously as Vala's hands moved up and down Kolmar's legs with a blue jet of...magic flowing from her hands into his leg. She had never seen this type of magic before. She heard Vala murmur something, but couldn't quite make out what it was, but she heard Tysin's offer for food, but she wasn't hungry. Looks like they would be resting for a short period of time. She looked up, wondering if Nik would join them. She enjoyed having a fellow shifter in the group, as they were rare and hard to find. She remained silent until she was spoken too, giving off the aura of being snobish...but in reality she just had nothing to say...and she didn't speak unless it was to get a point across.
 
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