The man in grey side-steps Little Kiba's leap, and has a chance to slash at Little Kiba's flank, but instead maneuvers for a better position with regard to putting distance between himself and Little Kiba and using him as best he can to block line of sight from the giant and the half-fiend.
The giant is already readying another boulder, and somewhere over in the officials' stand/box some of the men are looking in the direction of the sprawled kobold.
Pretending to breath heavily, Lk begins to make half-circles while on all fours waiting for the man to amke his move, his mistake, while trying to see what the others in the arena are doing. He senses something wrong up in the stands, but forces himself to ignore it for now.
If your anger is against the dragon, Daelemos, and not against the followers of Lamashtu and their friends of Leng who did that to the star in the first place, you are going after a dragon, in one of its own lairs, who the stories say levels kingdoms, and who I guess has been interested only in toying with you thus far as part of a game of one upmanship with another dragon, rather than in making any real effort against you. Please do not think because his agents show some respect to the guards my mother has assigned me, that he himself is easily defied.
If you are setting out against the dragon Daelemos, at least leave Arielle somewhere safe and well-protected before you do that, sir.
This last is addressed to Jack Hammer.
JH's eyes dim in their red fire. A cold smile creeps across his face.
"Dragons have lairs and love their hoards. Metal and stone. Both can be melted. Even dreams are anchored in reality somewhere. Jacks love games, but we can play kinda rough. Even the Mother of Monsters' followers rely on Earth."
The ground begins to rumble, as a small earthquake begins to form. Before it causes damage it fades, along with the fire in JH's eyes. He pauses and turns to his daughter...
[To Arielle-] "It's done. Sunny G has aided your mother once again." His smile warms.
[To Eiboria Telimnora] "Know this. I will destroy anyone, anything, that threatens my family, and anyone foolish enough to get in my way. The stars can be retrieved from the molten rock they'll die in."
"So unless you have a compelling reason, besides a dragon's dream to interfere with us, for us to stay we have a star to retrieve."
Arielle clings tightly to her father, tears still running down her face. She smiles a little when JH tells her that Sunny G has destroyed the bad thing, and starts to wipe the tears off of her face.
Azuri'ith turns his attention back to the action in the arena, although he never loses track of the current location of the star.
JH dances a fine line between the power trapped within an active volcano and the calm of a forest path on an windless day. He tries to show the calm side to Arielle, but he is only partially successful.
JH and Azuri'ith get a message from Devlyn via communication crystal:
"Sunny G has destroyed the corrupted stuff attached to the star, and is stoking it in some kind of holy forge to take care of the hallowing. He's going to do some investigation into who specifically did it and why, just in case we need to know. He will send word to us if we're needed for anything else. We're heading back to the arena now, and we need to get somebody into the competition to make sure nobody else gets that star. I don't think we'll be able to buy it off someone else anymore..."
"Getting someone into the contest now could pose a problem. The lists are already closed."
"Getting someone into the contest now could pose a problem. The lists are already closed."
"Are they closed for the whole competition, or just until tomorrow? I thought this was going on for several days."
Devlyn thinks for a moment.
"Then we may have to convince someone to take their place, or....something maybe a bit more dangerous."
JH's eyes dim in their red fire. A cold smile creeps across his face.
"Dragons have lairs and love their hoards. Metal and stone. Both can be melted. Even dreams are anchored in reality somewhere. Jacks love games, but we can play kinda rough. Even the Mother of Monsters' followers rely on Earth."
The ground begins to rumble, as a small earthquake begins to form. Before it causes damage it fades, along with the fire in JH's eyes. He pauses and turns to his daughter...
[To Arielle-] "It's done. Sunny G has aided your mother once again." His smile warms.
[To Eiboria Telimnora] "Know this. I will destroy anyone, anything, that threatens my family, and anyone foolish enough to get in my way. The stars can be retrieved from the molten rock they'll die in."
"So unless you have a compelling reason, besides a dragon's dream to interfere with us, for us to stay we have a star to retrieve."
To Jack Hammer:
I have expressed my concerns to you, but have no further reasons for you to specifically stay here; my reasons for interfering even so far as I have done I keep my own counsel on for now.
Devlyn and Allura make it back to the rest of the group, noting the new arrival to the 'festivities'.
"Um - did something else just happen?" Devlyn asks, smelling the renewed tension in the air.
"I am truly grateful for your concern."
"Then we shall make a short trip, and return here for the contest's conclusion. My daughter will enjoy swimming the earth, and it will feel good for me to once more be embraced within it."
JH picks up Arielle, holding her close to his chest, and together they sink into the stone floor of the arena stands.
"Hold on, honey. This will tickle."
"Devlyn, Allura," the elder air elemental greets them. "No, nothing further untoward happened while you were gone. The Earth Champion was having difficulty restraining his emotions and decided to take Arielle away from here. I have stayed behind to keep an eye on the competition so that we do not lose track of the star here."
If you will excuse me, I shall return to my seat.
The half-elven woman has a slightly distracted look on her face as if she is concentrating on something else elsewhere now.
She flicks a hand and teleports back across the arena to her place in the stands on the far side.
We will take our leave. There is no further reason for us to be your party for now.
One of the nymphs addresses Azuri'ith.
"Devlyn, Allura," the elder air elemental greets them. "No, nothing further untoward happened while you were gone. The Earth Champion was having difficulty restraining his emotions and decided to take Arielle away from here. I have stayed behind to keep an eye on the competition so that we do not lose track of the star here."
"Right..."
He looks like he wants to say more but, given the current location and other beings present, he is keeping his mouth shut.
"Devlyn, Allura," the elder air elemental greets them. "No, nothing further untoward happened while you were gone. The Earth Champion was having difficulty restraining his emotions and decided to take Arielle away from here. I have stayed behind to keep an eye on the competition so that we do not lose track of the star here."
Pretending to breath heavily, Lk begins to make half-circles while on all fours waiting for the man to amke his move, his mistake, while trying to see what the others in the arena are doing. He senses something wrong up in the stands, but forces himself to ignore it for now.The man in grey side-steps Little Kiba's leap, and has a chance to slash at Little Kiba's flank, but instead maneuvers for a better position with regard to putting distance between himself and Little Kiba and using him as best he can to block line of sight from the giant and the half-fiend.
The giant is already readying another boulder, and somewhere over in the officials' stand/box some of the men are looking in the direction of the sprawled kobold.
Lk dodges yet another boulder, but just barely since he is trying to conserve his strength. He quickly climbs his way to the top of the boulder, hoping to get the jump on Mr.Knife while getting a better view of the arena.
"How's it going down there?" Allura asked, looking down at the arena for the first time since they got there.
"I am not precisely sure. The creatures seem to be pointlessly pummeling each other with intent to kill. This is an odd form of entertainment."
JH and Arielle arrive back at the arena, in
much better spirits. JH tilts Arielle's head to the side slightly, making a fuss over how she can manage to get several small diamonds stuck there.
"One more down."
JH and Arielle arrive back at the arena, in
much better spirits. JH tilts Arielle's head to the side slightly, making a fuss over how she can manage to get several small diamonds stuck there."One more down."
Arielle giggles every time that he pulls out a diamond and demands that he "Do it again, Daddy."
Arielle giggles every time that he pulls out a diamond and demands that he "Do it again, Daddy."JH and Arielle arrive back at the arena, in
much better spirits. JH tilts Arielle's head to the side slightly, making a fuss over how she can manage to get several small diamonds stuck there."One more down."
Arielle's laughter is like a balm for JH's mood. He gently tickles and tugs her ear, apparently struggling, and finally emerging with something cupped within his 2 hands. He opens his hands and a small yellow canary flies off.
"Now why were you keeping a bird in your ear?"
Arielle's laughter is like a balm for JH's mood. He gently tickles and tugs her ear, apparently struggling, and finally emerging with something cupped within his 2 hands. He opens his hands and a small yellow canary flies off.
"Now why were you keeping a bird in your ear?"
Arielle claps her hands in delight, peals of laughter ringing out over the stands.
"How did you do that, Daddy?"
Arielle's laughter is like a balm for JH's mood. He gently tickles and tugs her ear, apparently struggling, and finally emerging with something cupped within his 2 hands. He opens his hands and a small yellow canary flies off.
"Now why were you keeping a bird in your ear?"
Arielle claps her hands in delight, peals of laughter ringing out over the stands.
"How did you do that, Daddy?"
"I ask the earth very nicely and sometimes she answers."
"I ask the earth very nicely and sometimes she answers."
"Really? I can talk to plants a little, but not the earth itself. I can talk to the air too. Well, you know, not just Grandpa. The air sings to me."
"Really? I can talk to plants a little, but not the earth itself. I can talk to the air too. Well, you know, not just Grandpa. The air sings to me."
"I ask the earth very nicely and sometimes she answers."
"Yes, the air sings to us all. Too bad so many don't know how to listen."
"Yes, the air sings to us all. Too bad so many don't know how to listen."
She nods. "It has a lot to say. The plants aren't nearly as chatty. They take a really long time to say anything."
The man with the throwing knives isn't letting his concentration waver one little bit, but has a few words.
So, let's get this straight, you came in here with little or no tactical plan, right?
You thought 'I know, I'll go toe-to-toe with some of the most famous and meanest fighters-and-warriors for hire in the multiverse, four or five at a time, and somehow come out on top.'
Lk shakes his head once from atop his boulder perch. "I didn't enter this tourny to prove myself. I entered because that star-gem belongs to somebody I know. I'll do watever I can to help get it for her." Lk leaps at the man feet first, hoping to throw him off balance, and rolls when he makes contact with the ground, coming to a stop in a defensive stance. He faces the man, ready to strike when he does. "And if you were any good at fighting, you wouldn't need poison to help finish off your opponents!"
The man laughs, but doesn't let up his defense.
Yeah, kid. I was young and idealistic like you once. And for that reason I'm going to let you off lightly. As a lycanthrope I reckon you'll mend a broken backbone fairly fast once you're out of here.Believe me, one day, if you live that long enough, you'll take the pragmatic approach to fighting too, and it won't mean that you're any less good at what you do. Poison for me, a pack of slavering infected lycanthrope followers for you, I bet. Whatever it takes to get a job done most efficiently.
The next boulder coming in comes in with speed and accuracy and requires Little Kiba and the man to take considerable evasive action to avoid it.
They dive in different directions to get clear, giving the man time to get back on his feet afterwards and resume his defensive stance, before Little Kiba can close the distance.
You know old dumb-as-rocks over there is finally finding his range I reckon. Last chance to surrender and walk out of this with your pride intact, kid.
The giant throws a boulder in a hurry at Little Kiba as he comes in, then bends bends and slaps his hand across the arena floor, slamming a spray of sand in Little Kiba's drection as he gets closer.
"Okay, maybe your kind isn't as dumb as people think..."
As the giant is bending down, it makes it somewhat easier for Little Kiba to reach his target, although driving through the blinding, stinging spray of sand makes it difficult to see where he is landing, and he comes down in the wrong spot on the arm for the precise crippling stroke intended. The giant's face is a short way away, however....
Elsewhere in the arena, the 'pfft' of a number of strictly non-magical alchemical smoke-bombs being ignited announces that the half-fiend warlord is finally upto something.
Striking out blindly with one hand while trying to clear his eyes with the other, Lk manages to claw the giant's face. He hears the 'pfft' and smells the smoke, but he doesn't take his senses from his most current fight.
From somewhere behind Little Kiba comes the sound of archery, and the dreaded hiss of arrows. Followed by muffled cursing and more 'pffts' of smoke-bombs going off.
Meanwhile, the giant howls in outrage, and desperately smashes at Kiba with his off-hand, slapping him in an effort to dislodge him.
Lk jumps to the top of the giant's skull and readies himself to jump. [thought]("If this works, I shouldn't have to worry about him for awhile...")[/thought] While up on the giant, Lk tries to find the other people in this brawl.
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The giant catches Little Kiba with a blow which half stuns him, but he clings on and manages to scramble up on top of the head.
From on top Little Kiba can see several obscuring clouds of smoke in at least four parts of the arena, some of which are starting to thin, but it is difficult to be certain in the swirling smoke, who is where.
Then the giant throws himself on the ground and proceeds to engage in rolling activity to dislodge and attempt to crush Little Kiba.
Thrown off balance, Little Kiba's jump is messed up. He flies through the air, straight toward one of the areas filed with smoke. Unfortunately, this small part of the arena contains a boulder, which Lk hits... hard. Laying prostrate on the boulder, he tries to slow his breathing, tries to hear what is going on around him. He manages to quietly slide into a crouch at the base of the boulder, and he lets his sense of smell go to work instead of his eyes.
Little Kiba can't smell much apart from the engulfing smoke.
However he can hear the 'pfft' of more smoke-bombs being thrown from locations sufficiently different to suggest that at least two people are doing it, the slap of feet on the sand of the arena floor, the occasional clank of armour, the venomous twang and hiss of archery, the whir of knives, the murmurs and shouts of the crowd, the distant click of a metronome, and the roars and staggerings of the giant, who sounds to be taking heavy missile fire.
Staying silent, he begins to move slowly through the smoke, trying to find the limit of his smoke filled hide-out. He knows the warlord has the bow, and he is likely to be flying. The giant is easy to hear, and is probably trying to hit the warlord as its pelted by arrows. But he is more worried about the knifer now, beacause a silent blade cuts best.
Just as Little Kiba is finding one edge of the smoke, an arrow streaks past the tip of his nose, then he is almost brained as a smoke-bomb comes down practically on top of him, and smoke fills his vision again.
He can hear the increasingly erratic steps of the giant thumping nearer.
Moving quickly away from the giant's footsteps, Lk picks up the arrow trying to see what the tip is. Once he knows, he moves on in the direction the arrow came from, hoping to pull a claw-and-run on the half-fiend. He is careful to move as quickly and as silently as possible.
Anybody got some coffee?
Hands Cranky some Sanka
There you go you old coot ..
Hands Cranky some Sanka
There you go you old coot ..
Thanks Harry. Say, you ever seen what we did with the Parcheesi board? I can't find the dang thing nowhere.