Dusk's wounds heal even at the grioth slashes her, the wolf-dog pressing the attack, determined to bring down the enemy.
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Her smile at how perfectly they worked together, slips off her face as Vibenia's mind clouds over again, random nonsense slipping out of her mouth as she sits on the ground
Her mind free of the confusion, Vibenia finds herself smiling at just how well their little trio worked in combat......almost as well as....other places. The grin that crosses her lips fades slightly as the moment of being impaled flashes back through her mind, but she shakes her head to clear it when she hears the snarl of Dusk still in battle, and sees Nisany shudder as some of the damage is transferred to her.
"Gods! You've been healing us up, come here, Nis!" she says drawing the rib-bone healing wand on her hip and activating it to alleviate some of the damage to their valiant oracle.
Breathing in deep bellows-like gasps, Bernard re-orients himself on the battlefield; foes had fallen, allies returned into the breach, and only one grioth appeared left to contend with.
No time for anything but to heft his greatsword and pound across the auditorium, picking up speed till he hit the grioth between Khardir and Dusk with the power of an avalanche.
Smiling at the huntress, "Thanks."
And then promptly wincing at the newest wave of the others pain rolls though her. The sharp ache in her stomach is far worse that what she gets from Dusk though. Groaning and rubbing her belly, "So long as no one dies its totally worth it."
Looking back towards the others and then back at the thankfully alive huntress, "Come on. Only one left."
And as fast as her short legs will carry her she runs towards the othes, catching up with Bernard.
Riding the adrenaline of the combat, Zaijka rushes toward the last remaining grioth, swinging furiously. Perhaps a little too furiously - her swing whiffs past a foot from the grioth's side, nearly unbalancing her with its momentum.
The grioth fights to the end: cornered, outnumbered, and mortally wounded, it still manages to avoid or deflect every single attack thrown in its direction. Finally, it and Dusk clash for the last time, each tearing at the other with their teeth, until the wolf-dog gets a hold of the alien creature's neck and crushes the life out of it.
Rain washes down on the blood-slick floor, deep red and inky blue mixing together in swirls. Bellett and his partner start directing the last stragglers towards the exit, calling out directions and dragging them out from their hiding places, while Abadaran notaries arrive to take care of the wounded. Remarkably few were injured, most of them victims of their trampling peers, rather than the wholesale slaughter they might have faced at the hands of the grioths, had you not intervened.
Suddenly, a reptilian screech fills the night air, followed by the sounds of flapping wings—like sails in a strong breeze.
Wincing and grabbing a hold of Bernard's belt when a new wave of pain rolls though her, "Come over here if your hurt."
Waiting a beat to see who comes over before letting out another pulse of healing energy after letting go of Bernard.
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As their last enemy falls, Dusk shakes off the worst of the gore all over her, bounding over to Vibenia's side and taking a moment to nuzzle Nisany, as she feels another wave of the healing energy that she could tell came from their smallest pack member, the one most full of life.
As the healing washes over her, sealing the last of her wounds, Vibenia breathes a sigh of relief, squatting down to scratch Dusk behind her ears affectionately, ignoring the only slick blood of the fiendish creature's.. " Who's my amazing, fierce girl? You showed those monsters! I'm so proud of you!"
Taking out the healing wand again she activates it to once again heal Nisany, her eyes taking in the gnome's expressions, knowing that she would stoically try not to show any pain.
Leaning in, she gives her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You were amazing just now. We wouldn't all make it through this without you."
Standing up she turns to look up at Syksy, seeing the haunted memory of her actions while affected by the groiths' mental attack in her eyes. The ranger raises a hand to flip up the faceguard to the Hellknight's helm for a moment, caressing her cheek. "It's okay, I understand. That wasn't really you." She says going on tiptoe to kiss her on the cheek as well.
Loading a bolt into her crossbow, she looks to Zajika and confirming that they're alright before flashing Bernard a wild grin. "Ready for round two?" she asks, raising her gaze to the night sky.
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Bernard looks for something to lean against, finds nothing, so settles for propping his bloody blade over his shoulder and just swaying in place, panting for breath.
"That was... I mean, what a fight.. Nisany, going to.. buy you... a pony made of... or..."
He holds up a finger, takes another deep breath, holds it, then exhales in a long whoosh.
"Nisany. By Abadar's sacred inner coffer, you were amazing. We'd have died twice over without your magic." He flashes her a broad grin. "Not to mention Dusk! What a hound! Gonna buy her an elk bone to chew on when we're all done. Fierce just like her mama."
He then stomps over to the two guardsmen, claps them on the shoulder, gives them encouraging words of thanks, and then turns to shield his eyes as he stares up at the sky as that unnatural shriek sounds.
"What the - a massive grioth?" He discards the idea even as he says it. What could be that massive, sound that terrifying, buffet them with such powerful winds -
Bernard's face pales. "Leave," he orders the two guardsmen, then moves to stand beside his companions, clapping Syksy on the shoulder as he passes her to stand his ground with Khardir.
Whatever was coming, he'd face it with his companions.
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As the grioth falls, Zaijka sees Bernard sway and rushes over to get an arm around his back, supporting him as he catches his breath and using her other hand to steady Nisany. For a moment, she revels in the warmth of the victory, of the friendships surrounding her, of the healing energy suffusing her - and then the new sound resonates through the Commons. Not again, I am not getting caught off guard this time! Her hands are already dancing through the air, the tattoos lifting from her arms to form corporeal bodies before her as her incantation rattles off rapid-fire over the noise. Soon, new shrieks compete with the noise in the sky, and her new defenders circle around her, the edges of their feathers glowing with celestial light.
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Syksy jumps up and down in glee as Dusk rends her foe, finally taking a moment to catch her breath. The high of the battle victorious and euphoria of the healing magic washing over her soon drains as the events catch up to her, the adrenaline starting to wane and the need for the healing going around catching up to her.
She stood her ground, even as her mind wanted her to flee, heart pounding ferally in her chest. Hellknights don't panic. And they... they don't lose control like that... and... and they don't hurt their friends... and... and...
She was pulled back to the present as she heard her armor move on it's own, letting the night air and Vibenia see her flustered and misty-eyed face. The Ranger's forgiveness and understanding made everything that had suddenly build up and wind release into a freeing torrent, making her feel more sore and exhausted than when the fight had just been decided moments earlier.
Trying to speak and failing, her voice caught in her throat, it takes the familiar pleasantness of the kiss before she finds herself and stammers out "I'm glad you're okay!" Oh I am not looking forward to this Reckoning.
Any other day she would have been delighted to hear a reptilian screech fill the air, now she was just relieved since it let her focus on something else for the moment, acknowledgments of failure and reparations would come later. Leaving her helmet open she begins sniffing the air, trying to get a lead on where the owner of the sound might be. "Ever fought a dragon before?" she asks Bernard as he passes her.
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Patting Bernard's side and giggling, "Patchwork? I want a pony made of chocolate."
Jumping at the touch but quickly relaxing at the familiar hand of that wonderfully alive archer. Smiling tiredly at Vibenia, "Thanks"
Rubbing at her stomach and letting a little magic flow out of her hand. And watching her approach the Hellknight. Glancing up at Zaijka and waving a hand dismissivly, "I'm good. Need to.."
Shaking her head and trailing behind the huntress. Leaning into Vibenia, pressing her head into the huntress's stomach. And reaching over for Syksy's armored hand to try and tug her closer. "Need a second then we can fight a dragon."
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Syksy takes both her lovers in her arms when prompted, the warmth helping to fill the pit in her stomach. ”Hell yeah.”
Khardir just smacks his hammer haft in his hand a few times, then steps awkwardly past the chair and into the more open part of the room.
Sounds of further panic can be heard outside the Commons, as civilians rush to hide from whatever monstrosity is swiftly approaching the centre of town. Aided by the Abadaran notaries, the wounded are brought to their feet and driven out of the amphitheatre with haste. Bellett drags his partner by the arm, more than eager to follow Bernard's order to retreat. The guardsmen usher the last of the townsfolk out before them—just in time.
Green scales glint in the moonlight. Swooping upwards from its low dive through the air, the reptilian beast circles the amphitheatre before settling into a hover some sixty feet above the amphitheatre. As tall and wide as a couple of horses standing abreast, two powerful legs trail its stocky body, while its forelimbs sprout into leathery wings, spanning nearly thirty feet at the their widest. Its head bears a long snout full of razor-sharp teeth, a green vapour drifting from its mouth. Glowing, yellow eyes peer from its brow with the cunning of a skilled predator. A footlong spike adorns the tip of its sinuous tail, swishing from side to side, waiting to strike.
A dragon, indeed, or something like it. The creature snarls, the vapour drifting from its jaws coalescing into dripping glob of bile, which it then retches onto the stage. As soon as it hits the floor, the secretion disperses into an corrosive mist, stinging the eyes and causing burning rashes where it touches the skin. Moreover, it blocks sight, lingering as a veritable smokescreen even after it loses most of its concentration and ceases to be outright injurious.
The sound of the approaching monster causes Bernard's blood to run cold, his stomach to clench, and he raises his greatsword with a sense of futility: what can he do with three feet of sharp metal against an opponent so far above them all?
Then it appears. The sight strikes awe and fear into him in equal measure: never had he thought to see the sight.
"Dragon!" he whispers hoarsely, and then turns his shoulder and head away as it retches its vileness upon them.
The gobbet spatters nearly at his feet, and before he can react the noxious fumes rise up, scalding his sinuses infiltrating his armor, setting his skin to searing all over. He stifles a cry as his body erupts in agony, and staggers forth out of the cloud of poisonous acid, waving his arms in a vain attempt to clear it, emerging, hacking and gasping, into the clear.
Only to stare sixty feet up in despair at where the beast hovers, wings blasting down gales of wind.
Throat burning, he spreads his arms, trying to make of himself an enticing target, to lure it down.
"Hoi! You, up there, you ridiculous worm! Come down here where I can chop your damn head off!"
Boastful, foolish words. But he can think of nothing more than to bluster in desperation.
"Grah!" Syksy hisses when the acrid smoke envelopes her. "Forest Drake! A degenerate offshoot, it can't cast spells but that breath is pretty strong, it even got me!" she calls out to her companions.
"Vibe! Zai! Blast it with everything you got! We'll try to keep it's attention!" she says while striding out of the miss and drawing one of her remaining spears and does what you are told never to do with, well, anything sharp and pointy. Throw it straight up. "How you like it!"
The eruption of acidic fumes feels like a thousand knives in her eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, making her want to scream. Staggering out of the swirling green cloud as she hears the others calling out, she turns and fires, loading another bolt while trying to force the irritant from her lungs.
A whine of pain is heard amidst the cloud of acid as Dusk's enhanced senses are assailed. Dashing forward, the powerful wolf dog Rushes near to the edge of the stage, barking up at the creature, daring it to approach.
[
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"Sysky is right! They rely on ambush fighting - quick in short bursts, but they can't sustain it for long! ईगल्स, जाओ!" With the sharp command in Celestial, the eagles surge forward, calling holy light to coalesce around their talons as they try to rake at the drake's scales.
Rummaging through her pack, Zaijka crows with triumph as she withdraws a scroll with gold leaf around its edges. Reading it aloud, she finishes with a shout and blows against the paper; it crumbles into a fine dust and flutters into the air, gathering in a cloud around the drake.
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Gasping in pain before a flood of panic rolls though the tiny gnome. A heart beat later a second wave of burning agony rolls though her. Wobbling on her feet and blinking rapidly as everything gets fuzzy. That might have been dumb.
Pressing her hand over her mouth to try and avoid vomiting. A soft glow fills her hand and illuminates her cheeks briefly.
The group scatters from the acerbic cloud, Bernard and Dusk's taunts going mostly unheard as the drake is assailed with projectiles: Vibenia's bolt glances off the creature's armour-like scales, while Syksy's throw loses most of its momentum and her spear gets swatted aside by one of the monster's wings. The summoned eagles rush in, clawing with righteous fury at the degenerate wyrm, but their talons fail to find purchase. Nisany only barely manages to keep her various magical bonds from escalating out of control. Now keenly aware of the tactical disadvantage of staying grouped up, Khardir also breaks formation, retreating to the back of the stage.
Zaijka's penned spell takes hold, causing the drake to thrash about and claw at its eyes. Guided by its powerful sense of smell, it lashes out blindly at her summoned eagles: the beast clamps its jaws over one with a sickening crunch, while the other gets knocked out of the sky by a sweep of its powerful tail. A rain of golden feathers flutters down on the stage, accompanied at the drake's confused snarls as its avian prey disappears from its grasp back into the celestial realms whence it came.
The green mist soon disperses, leaving behind only an acrid smell and a thin coating of bile upon the stage.
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Her eagles hadn't lasted long - but she hadn't expected them to. Both they and the sparkling dust had done the work she'd hoped they'd do, drawing attacks from her allies and confusing the drake, if only for an instant. Now we capitalize on it. Drawing forth another scroll, she rolls it into a cone and calls out through the opening, her voice suddenly seeming to issue from a spot across the Commons. Just a second - I'll summon more! she calls...perhaps just a little louder than necessary.
Bernard figures out Zaijka's ploy and grins with wolfish approval. He then moves quietly over to be within charging range of the sound bubble, gaze flicking constantly overhead.
Since he can't fly, Khardir just settles for finding cover.
As the acidic fog begins to clear Vibenia scans the battlefield. With Syksy, Dusk, Bernard and Khardir waiting beneath it she was sure they could take this thing if only they can bring it to the ground. More importantly they needed to kill this thing fast Nisany couldn't take much more damage like that damned breath attack again.
Forcing herself to push away the rising panic, the ranger calms your nerves slowing her breathing ignoring sting in the acid fumes in your lungs, she takes careful aim zeroing in on the dragons wing fires a shot.
Groaning and looking up at the massive drake in the air. I cant do much here. But I cant take that again. But no one is down so a small smile crawls its way across her green lips.
Moving her hand to her belly and taking a few step back. A soft candle like glow in her palm eases the newest wave of pain that isn't hers but that helps make sure the others stay standing.
As the rest of the group scatters for cover, Bernard and Syksy rush for the trap set by Zaijka. Vibenia's aim is true: her bolt whizzes into the sky, tearing a small, ragged hole in the blinded beast's left wing. For a moment, it dips in the air, but quickly regains altitude. Enraged, the monster lets out an ear-piercing screech.
Zaijka's ploy works, at least partway through: the provoked drake tucks its wings back, diving towards the most obvious sound—that of the sorceress' thrown voice. As it closes in, it appears to have trouble locating Bernard, tearing at him with its teeth as it flies by. Whether it even realises that the source of the sound and the human in ended up attacking were different people is unclear. Unfortunately, its long, sinuous neck allows for a bite from safely out of the former guardsman's or the Hellknight's reach. Beating its wings against the rain, the reptilian monster ascends once more, though not to as high an altitude as it occupied previously.
Well, the best way to maintain a ruse was to make it the truth. Her voice still thrown between Sysky and Bernard by her spell, she begins the rite to call upon more winged help from the celestial planes.
Wincing at the damage done to Bernard. Was doing so well. Damn I don't think I can get to him.. Growling and moving forward a bit. A pale ethreal fire twisting aground her fingers.
Seeing the effect of her last shot, and dreading what would happen should the creature continue to assault them with acid from a safe vantage point, Vibenia dashes closer, firing off another shot
Unable to attack the enemy beast, Dusk moves to stand guard over Nisany, barking angrily at the creature.
Reeling, Bernard hurries to the entrance of the auditorium, and bellows out across the street to the guards, "Someone bring me a damn crossbow!"
”Me too please!” Syksy adds as she moves with the others.
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Nisany's healing energies envelop the party, just as Zaijka's summoning is answered by a whole flight of supernal raptors, coming into view as if through a shimmering veil. Vibenia's shot scrapes across the scales on the drake's belly, leaving a bloody tear in its wake. The blinded beast hisses with rage.
Bernard rushes to the arched entryway, looking out of the amphitheatre onto the rain-spattered Devy Road. He sees two of the senior deputies guarding the doors to the House of Abadar across the way, most of the civilians having barricaded themselves within its sturdy walls, as per emergency protocol. Two crossbow bolt-ridden grioths lie on the road, apparently shot down by the guard—while there are no human corpses in sight, the muddy ground bears drag-marks leading to the temple, as well as signs of red blood mixing with the grioths' inky blue.
Deputy Bellett is still nearby, tending to his wounded partner just outside the Commons' walls. Hearing Bernard's call, he grabs both of their crossbows and rushes over. Shoving one at Bernard, he slides the other across the floor at Syksy's feet. Both of the bows are loaded. The guardsman is already fumbling with the quiver of bolts on his belt in an attempt to supply you with more ammunition.
The drake makes another blind dive through the air, now attempting to sink its teeth into Syksy's arm. Trained in fighting such immense foes, the Hellknight is able to move in a way that maximises the protection afforded by her armour, leaving the creature snarling with frustration as its teeth glance off her pauldron. As it ascends, it finally shakes off the blinding spell, blinking away the last of the glittering dust from its eyes. Corrosive bile drips from its mouth at an increasing rate as its stops to survey the scene from midair, as if looking for a target.
Bernard flashes Bellett a grateful grin, but there's no time for actual thanks. Snatching up the crossbow, he drops to one knee, sights up at the winged monstrosity, and fumbled at the trigger with his gauntleted hand.
Smiling at the familiar touch of Nisany's healing, Vibenia once again draws her focus, slowing her breathing, her eyes honed in on the joint of the creature's opposite wing.
Syksy chuckles after the Drake misses, followed by a whoop of joy when the Deputy slides her a crossbow. ”Please don’t hate him Vibe for the emergency weapon procurement method,” she hastily mumbles before taking aim and firing.
Running closer and growling when that burst of life wont come to her hand. Figures."
And instead continues her run towards Bernard and possible death.
As the flock bursts into being surrounding the drake, they attempt to tear into its flesh again with beaks and talons as they call upon holy energy to sear at its scales.
Satisfied with the results of her spell, Zaijka pulls out her own light crossbow and loads a bolt into it, preparing to take aim.
Crossbow bolts patter against the drake's hard scales, much like the rain currently sweeping across the floor of the Commons, but only Vibenia's expertly aimed shot pierces its relatively soft underbelly. Sinking deeply into its side, the bolt causes a screech of actual pain and panic from the marauding dragonling. To add to its discomfort, a veritable flock of heavenly eagles appears around it, pecking and tearing at it from various angles with their ivory talons. Though most of their efforts are wasted on the drakes's prodigious natural defences, a couple divinely guided attacks manage to tear free scales and draw blood.
Bellett throws his quiver of bolts to Bernard with a half-hearted salute, and then ducks back behind the amphitheatre wall.
Surrounded by Zaijka's eagles, the drake misses its chance to hack up another glob of acid: bile already drips in rivulets from its bloodied jaws, like a hungry dog slobbering at the sight of a meal. However, the sudden appearance of another flock of raptors takes it by surprise. Once more, it crushes a feathered assailant in between its fangs, and whacks another out the sky with a sweep of its tail. One more avian paragon remains, shrieking defiantly at the debased dragon.
Khardir remains under cover without any way to help.
Cursing under his breath, Bernard clumsily slots another bolt into the crossbow, lifts it, sights for just a moment, and then squeezes off his shot at the hovering drake.
As he does so, a random thought occurs to him: What by Abadar's golden coffers is a drake doing attacking us right after a pack of Black Tapestry monstrosities?
Reaching out at putting a hand on Bernard's side and focusing on that healing magic. A pale flame is briefly visible before sinking into the Patchwork man.
Bernard grins down at the gnome, the lines of pain disappearing from around his eyes.
"You're a literal life-saver, Nis. Abadar bless you."