[center][h3][u][color=#cbc66d] Roslyn Wicke [/color][/u][/h3][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vzhDyH3.png[/img][/center][center][color=#cbc66d] "What can you tell us about the threat?"[/color][/center][h1][center]It Came from the Bog[/center][/h1]
[center]Location: Viiqii - Qarii’Muuna, Mycormi[/center][h2][u]Just the Beginning[/u][/h2][u]Roslyn and Xiuyang[/u][hider=*]Roslyn pulled a strand of hair from her face. She dressed in a simple skirt, a dark blouse, and boots when she stepped off the boat's edge onto the dock. Strapped to her side was a satchel with her things. She had even used one of her rosy wicks beforehand to clear her mind. The eerie silence struck her first causing a shiver to slither down her spine. Don Cojones... She tried to conjure up his image, but she had been far too young to recall him properly. Just vague details. Her jaw tightened as she forced herself to relax.

She zeroed in on the Aamii tent where Lord Arcaan resided. She lightened her weight with kinetic and carefully navigated her way toward the tent. Any muck that managed to get on her was sterilized with binding and chemical. Based on how things looked, she didn't dare take risks.

[color=DA9D42]“Where did Suulii go?”[/color] demanded a man's voice, fiery and with his jimmies rustled.

[color=6BDA42]“Scouting, I presume.”[/color] answered a calmer and slightly more mature in intonation voice of a male.

[color=DA9D42]“In the swamp?! Does she want to end up like Yasii and Olax?”[/color] the exasperated voice sighed. [color=DA9D42]“We can't afford more losses.”[/color]

[color=6BDA42]“We won't make any headway if we remain idle, sir. And reinforcements are a luxury we aren't likely to receive. I still stand by the fact that losses should be cut, Lord Aamii.”[/color]

[color=DA9D42]“Losing Viiqii is one thing, but the land itself would be a coup de grâce, Yamo. We may as well neck ourselves here and now.”[/color]

Then, it got silent. [color=6BDA42]“One moment, my lord, we have another one.”[/color]

Emerging from the tent was a Yasoi man, late-thirties with a goatee and mid-length brown hair. Very tall with an officer's garb and a longsword to his hip. Behind him, through a small opening, was a dapper younger man with colorful, almost regal-like, clothing. [color=6BDA42]“We have nothing to share with prospectors.”[/color] the older Yasoi male decreed with an indifferent coldness in his tone, as if he was reciting a sentence onto yet another poor soul.

Belatedly, another portal appeared, and from it emerged Xiuyang. She appeared disheveled, as though she'd been in a hurry to make it—but in good spirits. Armed with twin pistols on her hips and the blood-sucking lance from the Trials, she'd come wearing her old thresher-hunting mask which would protect her sensitive lungs from the horrible bog air.

She took a look around, eyeing the various places and persons of interest. Noting that each had a student on the case, she decided to intercede for Roslyn. 

[color=steelblue]"[i]Nae, friend. We come not to plunder, but to preserve,[/i]"[/color] Xiuyang assured him. 

[color=steelblue]"[i]That treasure which I seek is the blood of that beast which in its wrath has done this terrible thing.[/i]"[/color]

Xiuyang was speaking Mycormish, but for some reason, her Mycormish was sounding a little... old-fashioned? Just what kind of reference materials did Queen Hylaenii give her, anyway?

As Roslyn approached the tent, she overheard bits of a concerning discussion. Eventually her footsteps alerted them to her presence and everyone went silent. The tent entrance ruffled shortly after as an older yasoi exited, confronting her with icy words. Before she said a word, a familiar voice spoke up beside her.

Roslyn's eyes snapped to the source. Xiuyang? What was she doing here? The girl's head tilted a bit, noting the mention of a beast. She wondered how much more Xiuyang knew about the situation than she did. Also... what was with that accent?

The older gentleman from the tent cocked his head and raised a brow. [color=6BDA42]“You do not speak like any Huusoi I know.”[/color] the wary warrior stood stiff and tactically between the humans and the Aamii lord. Although the noble young man had better plans that precautions as he approached.

[color=DA9D42]“Yamo, Yamo!”[/color] exclaimed Arcaan. [color=DA9D42]“Are you really rebuffing help? One that speaks the tongue too?”[/color]

[color=6BDA42]“I've seen one too many grifters, my lord. And Vyshta has long since forsaken this place.”[/color]

[color=DA9D42]“Yamo.”[/color] an air of authority suddenly came from the otherwise established pushover. [color=DA9D42]“Stand down.”[/color]

Yamo, hand on the hilt, took a moment to relent. It was not hesitation - he was sizing up the two. With the corner of his lips folding, he retreated back.

[color=DA9D42]“My apologies.”[/color] spoke the Aamii, this time in Avincian. [color=DA9D42]“We've lost men and we don't take kindly to vultures.”[/color] he gestured invitingly for the two to come in. [color=DA9D42]“Lord Arcaan'toras'aamii, heir to this side of the Halitz and voice of Southern Qarii'muuna.”[/color] he offered his hand in a very human welcome.

[color=DA9D42]“It is a grand relief to hear external relief has finally arrived. As you can see,”[/color] he looked toward his guard that had nearly kicked them out. [color=DA9D42]“we desperately lack men. And we hardly even know what we are truly facing. You would think a naturalborn Qarii'muuna boy would know everything about swamps, and yet ...”[/color] a look of anxiety took him as he looked over his short guests, right at the creeping fen.

Roslyn watched the brief exchange between the Lord and his guard. [color=#cbc66d] "No need to apologize. I imagine being pestered by treasure hunters, day in and out, would sour anyone's mood. Especially when you need to shoo them away."[/color] When the Aamii offered his hand to her, she took it and introduced herself. [color=#cbc66d] "Roslyn Wicke, from Hendland."[/color]

Placing her hands back on her bag strap, she noticed where his gaze went. [i]Don't get paranoid[/i], she cautioned her imagination. [color=#cbc66d] "To be honest with you, this doesn't feel like a normal thing for a swamp. Even the animals are behaving strangely."[/color] She replied then followed up with a question, [color=#cbc66d]"What can you tell us about the threat?"[/color]

[color=DA9D42]“It is not a normal occurrence.”[/color] confirmed the young lord as he turned on his heels to find an assortment of scrolls rolled open on the only table in the tent. [color=DA9D42]“Suuli has been keeping keen eyes on the water's progress, and in the six days its been here, its thirty-seven meters in radius.”[/color] a graph with multiple re-drawn perimeters was tapped with his long and thin finger. [color=DA9D42]“We do not know what it is, but it has nothing to do with nature. The most worrying is what happened before this, in Miira'moraa-”[/color]

Then Yamo immediately interjected. [color=6BDA42]“My Lord, I would advise not disclosing any more.”[/color] solemn, dry and with challenging eyes, the Aamii seemed very hesitant to assert himself.

[color=DA9D42]“Miira'moraa was-”[/color] still, Arcaan found some willpower.

[color=6BDA42]“Arcaan.”[/color] Yamo spoke with familiarity, his demeanor quickly degrading into a look of frustration.

[color=DA9D42]“This isn't the first settlement that's been devoured. This thing spreads and moves quickly.”[/color] admitted the young lord. His guard exhaled in deep exacerbation.

Roslyn edged closer to see the scrolls laid out on the table. Her concern grew the more she heard as the two clashed again. This time over sharing information causing her lips to press tighter together. [color=#cbc66d][i]Happened before, in Miira'moraa? Not the first settlement [b]devoured[/b]?!? Spreads... like an infection?[/i][/color] She didn't expect that and it made the situation more unsettling.

[color=#cbc66d] "It's only a matter of time before it becomes everyone's problem, not just Viiqii's."[/color] So many questions flooded Roslyn's brain, but she had to be selective. Miira'morra was a touchy topic, but it was obvious it was the first victim to whatever plagued this land. She decided to come back to that topic later. 

[color=#cbc66d] "I apologize if this comes off as insensitive, but you mentioned you lost men. I assume it was whatever this is. Were any of the bodies recovered? If so, what state were they in? It might give us some clues."[/color]

[color=6BDA42]“None. No trace. Only the bog.”[/color] Yamo answered Roslyn’s flurry of queries with a single unsettling fact. [color=6BDA42]“They were taken silently. Only Suulii saw something, and yet she still roams the waters. In the air, but still in enemy territory.”[/color]

[color=DA9D42]“But with more muscle and the information we’ve gathered, we may just-”[/color] Arcaan was cut off once more, but this time it wasn’t a guard or his own overthinking. From outside came the shriek all those in the bog would hear.[/hider][h2][u]Sounds Like Trouble[/u][/h2][hider=**]Things happened fast and suddenly. Hearing the shriek, Roslyn's eyes darted to the tent's entrance. Then came the rip of the cloth when something began to crash down on them. Common sense crumbled to instinct when she shouted, [color=#cbc66d] "Watch Out!"[/color] Her hand gripped her compass hanging off her bag. Glowing with the item's energy, she accelerated her movement. Her other hand reached for Arcaan's arm as she tried to pull him out of the way. Meanwhile, she drew from the vine's momentum in hopes to slow it down.

Roslyn had successfully shoved the Aamii lord out of the way, just barely avoiding getting flattened herself. The giant vine crashed into the tent, causing the whole edifice to cave into itself and furniture to fling about. Draped with the colours of the Aamii household as they landed, both Roslyn and Arcaan were deprived of sight for a brief moment - a moment where the tentacle remained very much active.

It wiggled and flailed, just barely missing the duo and bringing its attention to the sound of a blade being drawn.

[color=6BDA42]“Arcaan!”[/color] called out Yamo with his straight sword raised toward the invading appendage. His intention was not to actually slay the extension of the swamp, but to distract it long enough to cover his lord's escape. Xiuyang so happened to have landed at the same side of the tentacle as he had, and upon pushing through the wave of wooden shrapnel going her way, she was free to approach this chaos however she deemed best.

[color=steelblue]"This would be why the hunters are fleeing in droves, I take it,"[/color] Xiuyang remarked apathetically as she swatted away the errant furniture. She spared a glance back at the ravaged tent, but seemed to assume Roslyn had Arcaan well in hand. Instead, she regarded Yamo with a side-eye as she prepared a drink from her gourd. 

[color=steelblue]"Keep the fresh yanii meat in the dark, eh? Brutal."[/color] She downed the liquid, and her Manas surged as she drew into the 9 range. As she did, she moved quickly away with a kinetic leap, perhaps expecting the massive tendril to chase her signature away from Roslyn and the other two.

Roslyn's heartbeat deafened her ears for a split second. Her hands scrambled for the edge of the tent. After she found it, she tossed the cloth up and off of them. That's when she spotted the vine and turned its attention to Yamo and Xiuyang. [color=#cbc66d] "From madden thresher to murderous plants. At this rate, I'm gonna be a monster hunter without trying."[/color] The girl mumbled. She shoved her compass into her pocket then grabbed her smoking bandit. [color=#cbc66d] "Keep close and follow me."[/color]

She began to hurry away from the danger, aiming for the healthier part of the border. Something didn't feel right. Roslyn glanced over her shoulder. The yasoi didn't follow her.  Instead, Arcaan stood frozen in place. She recognized the uncertainty, having been there more than once herself. Even now, her fear crawled across her skin. That instinctive realization she might not survive pricked across her surface. She shook herself from her thoughts. She had no time for this. None of them did. If the yasoi wasn't going to move on his own, she'd do it for him. 

[color=#cbc66d] "Sorry about this, but I'm limited on time and options here." [/color]

She drew in energies from around her. With a jerk of her free hand, she cast telekinesis and lifted the yasoi off his feet. She then tossed him to safer grounds.

After the Aamii landed up a tree, the ground beneath Roslyn rumbled. She turned to the bog and her eyes widened. [color=#cbc66d][i]What the-[/i][/color] The towering monstrous tangle of vines and rot screeched in the distance. It lashed out a hand for something and ripped itself forward. Water sprung from its path as it rolled into a rushing tide wave. Roslyn chemically buffed Arcaan. Her ring glowed hotly and she threw up an arcane spell quickly after. [color=#cbc66d] "Burning Aura!"[/color]

Flame sparked then circled about her. Intense heat met the swamp as the steam billowed up. Something came from the filth. A broken tree branch struck her leg. Roslyn crumbled to her knee as her spell faltered. Water swallowed her up in an instant. Once the wave dissipated, she was on all fours and coughing. [color=#cbc66d] "I think we found..."[/color] She uttered through gasps,[color=#cbc66d] "... what's been swallowing people up."[/color] The girl pushed herself onto her feet. [color=#cbc66d] "I'm going to get closer. Hopefully I can irritate its eyesight a bit."[/color] 	 

Trying to hide her fear, she smiled and then activated the compass. The girl sped rapidly along the shoreline. When she got into range, she observed the beast's form for a moment. It didn't seem to have eyes. Taking a deep breath, she took aim and fired her weapon at the face side nearest the jaws. Maybe she could keep it from eating someone else. At worst, she hoped the chemical attack would at least hit and sting.

It did more than sting. After Xiuyang’s arcane lance hit, the beast stumbled forward. It began to screech only to have her goo smack into its gob. Silencing it. There was no time to cheer, however. The beast’s fist seized Yamo, causing Arcaan to plead for someone to save him, while six portals suddenly opened in various positions.

Mindful of her surroundings, Roslyn witnessed the carnage the beast brought upon everyone.  Xiuyang, Niallus, Esmii and a few others suffered a rain of filth coming down upon them. Some defended easily while others failed. She smelt the stench even from a distance causing her to gag a bit. With her heart bruising her ribs, she forced down the lump in her throat. It seemed she had gone unnoticed, for now, and took her second shot. Unsure where else to hit, she fired upon the maw for a second time.

[color=#cbc66d] "Rifle would be useful right now."[/color] She mumbled underneath her breath. Her hand shoved into her satchel for the healing bag. She needed that last skin glue to reload.

Roslyn had her ammo in hand when she heard a howl. Her head snapped up. The beast charged at Niallus standing upon ruins, his hand sporting something red. Around the mass, water reared up and rushed at everyone. She cursed inward. Her chemical magic boosted her adrenaline causing her to move faster. Immediately, the area around her grew cold when she drew in the heat. Her knees bent as she leapt straight up into the air. Another tide wave gained on her position causing her band to glow. It zapped the water’s momentum, making it slower while speeding her up. Water brushed the soles of her shoes just before it crashed into the spot where she stood earlier.

Stabilizing herself in the air with her magic, Roslyn overlooked the aftermath. She increased the volume of her voice and relayed her thoughts to Xiuyang and Yamo. [color=#cbc66d] "I'm getting closer to the monster. Can you two meet me along the way?  I think we can defend better if we're in groups."[/color]

Her form became hazy before she vanished. In less than a blink of an eye, she reappeared closer to the beast now. She balanced the staff of the smoking bandit in her arm while she finished reloading.[/hider] [h2][u]Some Times, Bigger Is Better[/u][/h2][hider=***]The beast looked horrid as it staggered, chunks of it heavily damaged and seemingly overwhelmed by numbers. Yet it didn’t go down. 

Roslyn's heart grew frustrated at the sight. This thing's resistance reached epic levels forcing her to brace for another attack. Its jaws widened for another blood curdling screech before... BOOM! The sound of a cannon echoed in the bog as the iron ball plowed into the monster's back. It ripped into the innards before it seemed to come undone. It hunched over, holding itself up with its giant arm. Each swell of its mass, bled green and red fluids.

When Sven roared and rushed at the beast, Roslyn's eyes went wide. The familiar berserk-like energy rolled off him as he clashed with the monster. Rage rolled off his form while he managed to go toe to toe and pushed it back. She, and the others didn't waste, jumping to aid him. Finally, he delivered the final blow to misshapen mass. Where its maw was, a gaping hole stood. It sucked in all its foul substance until it disappeared into a bright light.

As a deafening sound echoed across the bog, followed by a shockwave. It plowed through the bog's ruins causing vines to burst from their hidden holes. After defending against it, Roslyn's eyes spotted Niallus. He abruptly crumbled and became still. Her feet moved before she knew it as she rushed over to him. She pulled his head above the murky water. Her eyes noticed the greenish tint in his skin as he hung limply in her arms, unresponsive. Trial and error was the only thing she could do right now. Shifting his weight, she gripped his arm. With a heavy inhale, she focused chemical magic through his system. Nothing happened. The girl moved onto binding to mend his wounds and stop the bleeding. While the gashes faded, the green tint hadn't.

[color=#cbc66d] "Niallus, wake up. Please... "[/color] She fought not to scream at her helplessness. Lost in her frustration, she didn't notice Sven had been impaled or the flora now growing along his skin. When he rushed forward, lashing out at Esmii, Roslyn jerked her head toward them. [color=#cbc66d] "Esmii!"[/color]

Sven missed his lover. A weak exhale escaped through Roslyn's lips. Again, the word 'Affen' slipped from his lips. Upon hearing that word yet again, she gritted her teeth in thought. It sounded like a word. Maybe Kerremand? If it was, she didn't know the meaning. Out of all of the languages on her growing list, why did it have to be one she hadn't learned yet? It didn't help that a strange draining sensation weighed on her.

Her eyes shifted back to Niallus. His condition didn't improve, but it didn't worsen either. She hoped it stayed that way for a bit. Using her bag to prop his head out of the water, Roslyn pushed up onto her feet as her weapon hung loosely at her side. Hesitation filled the young girl to her core upon seeing the scene.

[color=gold]"Get away! He's not in there right now!"[/color] Suddenly, Desmond then fired his gun into Sven.

Roslyn snapped out of her fear and rushed to Esmii's side, aiming to pull her away. [color=#cbc66d] "From what it looks like, he's turning into that creature. We need to figure out how to target the cause or this will continue until no one's left."[/color]

Her friend's eyes remained on Sven until Desmond's shot jerked her into the present. A spark of anger came over Esmii's eyes and she seemed about to snap, but instead relaxed.

[colour=#b08cc9]"Rose,"[/colour] Esmii shouted [colour=#b08cc9]"I have an idea. What if we targeted the flower buds that are sprouting from his wounds."[/colour] She looked back at Sven, then continued [colour=#b08cc9]"It could create an opening into his system. If you and Desmond pour internal chemical magic, to stop the roots from spreading. While you do this I could also do the same or be ready to heal him. What do you both think?"[/colour]

She turned back to Sven. [colour=#b08cc9]"Sven you better be listening to my voice. Fight this, like you have been fighting the berserk feelings. Don't let this thing win. Don't give up on us."[/colour]

Roslyn's heart ached to see her friend suffer. The anger and fear trembling along Esmii's surface. Her tears streaked down the muck upon her cheeks, but there was no comfort to give her.

Roslyn didn't see the second shot until it hit Sven. The flesh tore and blood splattered away, sending their once ally stumbling to the side. Any hesitation or gentleness on the man's face vanished underneath a monstrous fury. Behind her, she heard Esmii's scream and break down.

Meanwhile, Sven charged Felix with several vines hells bent on killing the man. Roslyn tilted the Smoking Bandit to try and stop him, but Esmii ripped it out of her hand. Her friend turned it on Sven's attacker instead. The yasoi tightened her finger about the trigger and then abruptly stopped. The end lowered and then she clutched her throat. Once healthy breathing turned into wheezing.

Desmond's words hit the Hendland girl with reality. Without more knowledge or any hints, they couldn't be sure to save Sven. She took her weapon and tried to help Esmii up onto her feet. It was dangerous to stay this close to that thing. Fighting not to let her voice crack, she pleaded with her friend. [color=#cbc66d]"Esmii, come on. We need to move, please. He wouldn't want you hurt."[/color]

To help Esmii fight off Sven's attack, she used her gift with chemical magic. She shouted to the others. [color=#cbc66d]"Someone needs to grab Niallus, now!"[/color]

While struggling to reason with Esmii, Roslyn couldn't help Desmond. She watched in horror when a madden Sven started to apply sudden pressure upon her ally. Before Desmond became a bloody stain on the bog water, the Eskander clenched his head and fell forward. He withered in pain. Roslyn glanced at the incapacitated Eskandish man while Esmii went on about a plan.

Someone had to say it.

[color=#cbc66d] "I don't know if we can save him, Esmii. He almost killed you. The Sven we know wouldn't do that. Either way, we have to kill this thing."[/color] She paused, unable to look her friend in the eyes. She continued despite the strange growing steadiness in her voice. [color=#cbc66d] "You focus on yourself first. I'm going to see what I can do to keep our friends safe and help them."[/color]

By now, Laska had shown up. When greyborn turned her attention upon Sven, Roslyn felt the temperature suddenly drop. At this point, he was restrained enough for her to get close and try to purge his body of whatever it was.

Her eyes narrowed on the bright orange flowers and bark resting on the tears in Sven's skin. They had appeared shortly after he was infected. Was there a connection? If she attacked it, would it weaken the creature or just waste time? [color=#cbc66d] "Only one way to find out,"[/color] she said to no one specific. The girl tapped into her compass and moved herself behind Sven. Careful not to get too close to him, she muttered, [color=#cbc66d] "Touch of Sloth. "[/color][/hider][h2][u]Trick Shot[/u][/h2][hider=****]When Sven turned his eyes upon her, Roslyn froze. The ragged flesh seemed to have melted back into the familiar face of her friend. Was he really still in there or...? She cursed her hopeful heart as her feet started to move, her form coming dangerously close to him. [color=#cbc66d] "Sven, are you really in there?"[/color] She cringed at herself. Her question sounded stupid, even to her. Then again, she knew nothing else to say. It was hard to tell if it was Laska, the little old lady's, or her own spell that had made the most impact in restraining him. Sadly, it didn't seem to affect his condition at all. While focusing on Sven, she spotted Desmond reloading a rifle. He swung it around for another shot. Roslyn's breath caught in her throat when she witnessed him pull the trigger.

The bullet never hit.

No blood or flesh smeared across her dress. Instead, a scream behind her caused her to pivot around. The hunter that helped them earlier crumbled to one knee. Someone had shot him in the back, but she didn't see the culprit. Despite Esmii's earlier aggression, she hoped her friend wasn't stupid enough to shoot someone else in the back. Especially someone that had been an ally before. Then again, Desmond's bullet didn't hit Sven either. That was the strangest part for her.

[color=36AE36]“AGGGHHHHH!”[/color] the man wailed, then uttered, [color=36AE36]“S-sniper!”[/color]

Confused and scared, she struggled with what to do. Her eyes shifted to see if she could spot the sniper that hit the man.

[color=#cbc66d][i]Where was the sniper?[/i][/color] Roslyn's eyes tightened as she scanned the bog. She saw nothing. Deep down, she knew her panic didn't help her. The threat of a surprise attack left her shocked. For all she knew, she already spotted them, but she didn't realize it.

Sven screamed in unity with the hunter, both withering in unspeakable pain. The prior collapsed into a heap, seemingly purged of his affliction. Meanwhile, the hunter's skin charred and curled off his form. His body jerked three times before he crumbled into a still smoldering heap. No one, not even her, seemed to have helped him. As the energy died down, Roslyn stood there in stunned silence. She thought one of the others would have stepped in but... that was naïve of her. Esmii held more hostility toward him than Desmond, who shot Sven twice. Desmond seemed surprised, but he wasn't as quick as last time. Laska was too busy keeping Sven down. And her? Finding a sniper instead of healing him. A lesson learned too late like always.

[color=#497c51][i]Miss Wick, get out of your head. Eyes up and alert! Don't think, act.[/i][/color] Mendenhoffer's lessons on warfare surfaced in her head. Roslyn inhaled then expanded her mana sense far as she could. She tried to locate hints based on things she knew about handling a rifle or pistol. Smoke, flash of fire, and movement. Mostly movement because position was important for a sniper.

[color=#cbc66d] "Can anyone make some cover?!"[/color] Roslyn spotted something small rush right for her back.

Using the Gift of Eshiran-Zept, she drew from the structure of the bullet. Next she used that mana to boost herself with Blessing of Vigor as she pivoted on one foot. It narrowly missed her. Not knowing the locations of the shooters, she considered her options. They were being picked off one by one. Then she recalled Niallus and how she discarded him like a forgotten sack of barley or hops. Roslyn cursed her stupidity as she readied a spell and started to fall back to where she left him.

She rapidly scanned the tree line on the edge of her range. She rushed through the mossy pleat, letting the water dampen her skirt and ripple behind her. Her lungs threatened to explode in her chest. Still, the girl ignored it. She continued to focus on the forest past the bog's waters. [color=#cbc66d][i]Where are you? Where are you?[/i][/color] Her eyes fluttered back and forth like a terrified bird trapped by a cat's claws.

Suddenly, a glint of metal caught her eye.

[color=#cbc66d][i]There you are![/i][/color] The girl's eyes widened and her heart sank. The sniper collected massive energy for something big. If it went off, she doubted anyone could defend against it. [color=#cbc66d][i]No, NO![/i][/color] She had to stop that sniper now.

Roslyn changed course instinctively for the tree line. She touched her compass causing it to activate. However, instead of boosting her speed, she drew the temporal magic from it. She wasn't close enough to cripple the man internally, but... she could target something else. The gun! The sniper seemed so focused on powering his attack and nothing else mattered. Maybe not even his weapon. If she managed to break it, the attack might misfire. She had seen a fellow student nearly blow off his face when pushing their limits on an ill kept gun.

[color=#cbc66d][i]Touch of Doom.[/i][/color] Roslyn had rarely used such destructive spells. She often feared hurting someone. However, this time she poured everything she had into it. Her heart, mana, and even prayed for it to work as she flicked her spell at the sniper's firearm.

When Roslyn got a full glimpse of the man, she recognized him. The first victim of the sniper. Her eyes hardened and she forgot how bad she felt earlier. A part of her felt even angry for not seeing the trick sooner. So she naturally smiled when she saw the damaged barrel. Her grin faded when she spotted the bullet, undamaged, escape the gun's tip. Even though it missed Sven's direction, Roslyn knew the man would correct it. All magusjaegers knew this trick, herself included, as part of their basics. Her eyes locked with the sniper's. He held it there for less than a moment before he looked away, correcting his shot's course.

Roslyn frowned at the dismissive gesture. [color=#cbc66d][i]Of course he doesn't think I'm much of a threat... No one ever does![/i][/color] She should've been grateful for that, but it still hurt her pride. It was depressing to be underestimated all the time.

With his ranged weapon damaged, the man levitated into the air. Roslyn dug her heels into the water, skidding to a sudden stop. Her eyes kept fixed to him before he kicked off toward Sven, a glimmer of light shone off a blade in hand. The girl regretted falling back from her friends at that moment. With the attacker's momentum, she couldn't hope to intercept him. It was a better idea to mess up his insides and give Esmii a chance to defend. Inhaling deep, Roslyn eyed the blurry streak moving past. She drew from any magnetic in the air before she pointed her hand cannon like a wand at the man. [color=#cbc66d][i]Gut Wrench![/i][/color]

Roslyn's eyes stared in horror as the man shrugged off their efforts. Flesh, muscle, and more came off his form to land into the swamp. Seeing his surface look a bit like raw meat curled her stomach. When the man's fist connected with Esmii's face, she practically heard the force behind the hit. She didn't know if her friend was still conscious or not after it.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Desmond still battling some sort of creature. The man held his own until another figure rose up from the swamp depths and grappled him.

That's when she felt a familiar magic. The memories of the monastery in Vossoryia flickered in her head causing her to shake a bit. [color=#cbc66d][i]There's got to be something I can do to help them both...[/i][/color] She clenched her weapon. There was only one option she knew of. The girl subtly aimed her weapon to get as many enemies in her cross hairs as possible. Especially without the risk of hitting her allies.

It didn't escape her that both Esmii and Desmond were close enough to be used for shields, but she had a risky idea. The man wasn't the only one who knew a magusjaeger trick or two. There was only one issue... she still struggled with redirecting a shot. Even if she could protect one of them, she couldn't protect both. She tightened her grip to fire, but her hand loosened for a moment when she caught the man's words.

Her brow furrowed. [color=#cbc66d][i]What did he mean by that?[/i][/color] She wished she had more time to think, but she couldn't make more. No one could. Her finger pulled the trigger as the end of her weapon flashed. The shot then split into three. One for Sven's earlier attacker and the other two for Desmond's attackers. Roslyn focused the shot going for Sven's, ready to redirect if needed. Only the Gods knew if she was skilled enough.

Esmii's water prison caught Roslyn's shot. The thick liquid began slow her shot down enough for the man's heat to disintegrate it. Roslyn cursed her luck and timing. However, the other two managed to land on their targets. One holding Desmond deflected it, causing the shot to explode and coat it in goo. Meanwhile, the attacker was stunned before Laska finished it off with her ice magics. It shattered into pieces before Roslyn's eyes.

Suddenly, another form erupted from the muck. Sven wide eyed and scared. He drew in energy and then bolted past them, rushing for the far treeline. Before Roslyn, or anyone else, could follow, Esmii started to float. Her form seemed to detach from the earth itself and climb higher and higher. Time ticked down to the final moments.

Never once did Roslyn consider the stakes of her actions. No, only her childish, selfish fear spurred her to save her friend from dying. She drew in the sunlight around her as her telekinesis jerked Esmii from the danger zone. Already the yasoi began to form a thin layer of ice about her for protection.

In the end, Roslyn's consequences suited a fool thinking with her heart rather than her head.

She whipped back around just in time to see the shock wave barreling at her. No time to defend or brace. A grim realization washed over her: [color=#cbc66d][i]I'm not gonna to survive this.[/i][/color]

Her arms jerked up and shielded her head when the force collided into her. It shot the girl off her feet and ragdolled her across the bog's murky water. Her arms slammed into the water's surface over and over. Muscles became jelly with fractured bones. She screamed only to lose it in the ringing of her ears. Her right leg crashed into the roof of a ruin. It slowed her momentum when it became caught. Flesh stretched beyond its limits before bone fragments started to shred it. Her world went black from the pain.

The girl's body came to a rolling stop at the base of a tree, laying partly out of the water. Her long hair draped down her face. Blood darkened the water as it gushed from her leg. Her heart might've been unbreakable, but the rest of her wasn't.

[center]~~~[/center]

The pain woke Roslyn up first. A sea of endless anguish and dizziness, her mind failing to recall what happened. At one point, she thought she heard her mother's surprised voice. Another pulse of searing agony burned the thought away. Not even her injuries in Vossoriya had been this bad. She inhaled and swallowed the lump in her throat. Drawing on her surroundings, she poured her gift through her body. Then she took in her condition. Her eyes lingered on her right leg almost detached fully from her hip.

[color=#cbc66d]"Fuck..." [/color] It was the only word right for her situation. She eyed up her smoking bandit then drew with kinetic energy. Painfully slow, the remaining sap began to trickle out and along her arm. It reached her leg where it stopped the bleeding. Next she reached her left arm over and pushed it closer, reattaching the bone.

It took a try or two, but she finally slipped it into the socket. Breathing heavily, she began to work on her left arm. She got the swelling to go down as muscles returned to their fibrous state. The bones were still angled too weirdly for her to mend them. Movement came from the side of her vision causing her to jerk her weapon up. It dropped from her grip and splashed in the water when she recognized Desmond.

[color=#cbc66d] "Scared the hells out of me..." [/color] She gasped out, feeling his binding mend her arm. She bit back a scream when he shifted her arm and forced herself to stay still. Afterwards, Roslyn took a moment to give him a shaky, weak show of gratitude. [color=#cbc66d] "Thanks." [/color]

She adjusted her attention back to her leg. Telekinesis shifted the bones back into place and binding reformed the flesh. The shaking continued, indicating she wasn't done. At first, she thought it was her left arm. She looked at it. No. Dread stopped her heart for a moment as she shifted on her hips. A new stab of pain filled her. It was her spine! With deep breaths, she focused on finding the dislocation. Again that stab dug into her back causing her to cry. [color=#cbc66d]Focus, focus... [/color] She urged herself then began to use her binding to slip the disc back into place and revive the tendons. Oddly enough, her other arm had also healed.

Not wasting time, she grabbed her smoking bandit and rose to her feet. She looked at her compass. It pointed toward her bag as she used kinetic energy to seize it.[/hider][h2][u]Putting Evil to Rest[/u][/h2][hider=*****]Roslyn's eyes took in the surroundings. Her gaze followed the poisonous cloud upward as it gradually faded. The destruction made her gut curl and sink in her belly as an unwanted familiarity washed over her. In her memory, images of the aftermath in Mezegol and Vossoriya surfaced. Why couldn't she leave a place better off than when she arrived? The question forever weighed in the small brewery girl's heart. For once, she struggled to see the positive in her actions as the dust settled. She had to do better.

A distant cry caught her attention. Her eyes shifted to spot a familiar figure slicing down a sword into the ground. They couldn't waste time, but they couldn't leave any loose ends.

[color=#cbc66d] "I will catch up with you two later. I'm going to make sure to tie up a few loose ends." [/color] Her voice sounded exhausted and... empty of her usual hopefulness. Before anyone responded, she tightened her grip on her compass. It accelerated her quickly until she reached the Aamii's side.

That's when she saw it. Anger burned the fatigue away as she gritted her teeth. It took so much life and despite what they did, it still lived. WHY? How was that fair? Wordlessly, she drew from what residue energy still hung in the bog.

[color=#cbc66d] "Need help?" [/color] She asked coolly while she glared at the thing, her animosity directed at it.

Her palm extended outward as her telekinesis surrounded it. She curled her fingers into a fist, forcing the slimy thing into a compact ball around the core. Roslyn focused on her anger to keep her resolve. It wasn't easy, but she intended to finish this once and for all.

She used magnetic to empower her touch of corruption spell, focusing on its insides. With the state it was in it, Roslyn hoped it didn't have the strength to stop her. She gave a single warning. [color=#cbc66d] "I'm setting it on fire, be careful you don't get burnt." [/color]

Using the low level arcane spell fireball, she focused on controlling it. Temporal helped with keeping it burning steadily for several minutes. She aimed for an intense flame to burn it into ashes. Once all signs of life disappeared, she used the Gift of Eshiran-Zept to ensure nothing remained. However, she didn't let go of her telekinesis until she knew it was gone.

[color=#abb2b9][i]It was the skull of Ahn-Eshiran. You will know it well by the whispers it utters when you lean in close. They say its protectors gradually lose the soundness of their minds the longer they keep it. If this rumor is true, it is a burden I will bear alone. I fear what might happen if anyone of ill-will held it. The knowledge they would have. The hurt they would do. I swore it would not happen on my watch. [/i][/color]

The small Hendland girl pulled back her head. It turned out her mother was right all along. With a deep breath, Roslyn carefully stowed the skull away in her bag. Above everything she ensured to secure it tightly within. She'd discover answers later, but not here. Her eyes looked up over the drained bog to see some of the treasures within. So easily it would be greedy, but likely a price would be paid later. Immediately, the signature shining near the ruined stature caught her attention. It wasn't the same as the bog monster, but something was there. The others could handle Sven, she thought and cautiously made her way over to investigate it.[/hider][h2][u]No Rest for the Wicked[/u][/h2][hider=******]Upon spotting Niallus and Laska enter back into reality, Roslyn exhaled. She waved back to Niallus. She had started to get paranoid as everyone seemed to have went their own way. [color=#cbc66d] "Glad to see you two are okay. And Niallus, you're up and about." [/color] She frowned and concern flooded her expression at the Eskander's greenish pallor. [color=#cbc66d] "I was a little... worried. You don't look so good." [/color]

In the back of her mind, Roslyn questioned if she should mention the skull or not. Her familiar self doubt began to crawl into her thoughts. What if she told the wrong people? What if they stole it from her? Was she really a good judge of character? Her gaze shifted downward for a moment and a few things bugged her. Who could she really trust, if she couldn't tell a good person from a bad one?

Roslyn pulled in a hair closer and remained quiet, studying him. A dread curled into her heart and dragged it down into her stomach. She couldn't place the reason for it. She decided she was overthinking and pushed through it. [color=#cbc66d][i]At least he's up and about. Hopefully the green will eventually fade.[/i][/color] She smiled at that positive thought.

[color=3d5a88]"Thanks Roslyn. It looks a lot worse then how it feels."[/color] Niallus stated. [color=3d5a88]"So what happened? Where are the others?"[/color]

She gave herself a brief look over. Tears, missing sleeve, filth and even her own blood covered her dress. It reflected her overall experience so far here. [color=#cbc66d]"Where to start? Well, after the explosion we managed to work together and heal each other. Thankfully, no one lost limbs or anything. After that..."[/color] Roslyn took a breath and ran through everything still on her mind.

[color=#cbc66d]"Ingrid is still missing. We need to find her and hopefully she's all right. I'm so confused why Xiuyang did that. It doesn't fit what I know of her. "[/color] She moved on to the rest, [color=#cbc66d] "Esmii went after Sven. Desmond... I'm not fully sure where he is. I stayed here to destroy that... thing. I used everything I had and I hope it is gone for good." [/color]

Her eyes glanced about the swamp as if expecting more nasty surprises. [color=#cbc66d] "I was about to investigate something over by the statue before you two appeared. I'm not sure I can stand any more surprises."[/color]

Roslyn had made her way over to the statue as they talked. She had just managed to grab one of the layered toxic darbonite and a strange stone before Laska took off. It was the same direction as Esmii went earlier. She shot Niallus, who had picked up a broken sword, a look and then she bolted after the woman. Her tired feet sprinted across the ground, jumping over any debris in her way. She reached into her bag and scrambled around for more ammo. Finally, she found a snowpepper sniffing powder. She shoved it into the smoking bandit's muzzle. Seeing Laska leave her in the dust, Roslyn used her compass to hasten her speed.

[color=#cbc66d]Why did I let her go alone? [/color] She cursed herself for her idiocy. Reaching the far edge of the fight, she saw Laska sliced into Sven's chest. Before she could ask what happened, her eyes lowered and spotted Esmii laying on the ground.

[colour=3d5a88]"Sven doesn't have that kind of healing."[/colour] Niallus' statement drew a worried look from Roslyn.

[color=6ecff6]"Watch out!"[/color] Laska called while freezing the demon, [color=6ecff6]"He's no normal demon. He's one of the three lieutenants."[/color]

Instead of replying to anyone, Roslyn drew in sunlight. It flickered and faded about her. When she felt the heat flood her skin, she focused on the ground just behind Esmii. She imagined the dirt underneath to be a 'platform' of sorts. Just when 'Sven' finished his insult and slashed down, Roslyn rushed to the right while she jerked her hand up. A chunk of the earth that he stood on tried to fling him backwards on his ass.

She hoped it would topple the demon's balance and make him miss. That was a stupid idea in the end as the earth didn't even budge. Angry at herself for wasting time, she tilted up her smoking cannon at its head in hopes to loosen the armor on it. Another bad idea as it didn't flinch and instead lashed out a wild slash. Strengthening her skin and boosting her reflexes, Roslyn rushed to the side. It edged closer and closer until... her ring glowed giving her just enough to escape.

She snapped her fingers as Desmond shot at the blubbery mass' right arm while Laska tried to freeze it in place. At first, their attacks seemed to fail. However, a transparent butterfly floated into the bloodgorger's eyes, distracting him. Her ally's bullet hit true causing the arm to explode. The massive monster stepped back. Niallus communed with the void as it tried to fill him with power. For most of the fight, Roslyn combo defended her teammates and used her hand cannon. One by one the monster's limbs were dismembered until...

[color=#cbc66d]"Niallus, move!"[/color] Roslyn screamed. She watched Niallus bisected nearly in half. His body dropped while she moved to heal him. It wasn’t needed. Right before her eyes, she watched his form knit itself back together. It used Bloodgorger's own flesh and blood causing her to stop in place. WHAT the Hells?!?

She couldn't help but wonder what he ate for this to happen. Pushing the questions out of her mind, Roslyn raised her smoking bandit and fired the last shot. It took out the left leg easily and staggered the beast.

[color=#cbc66d]"Why won't this thing die already?"[/color] Roslyn asked, feeling the strain on her body from battle after battle.
Suddenly...

A voice, meek and desperate, cried out from the belly. A familiar lisp in the words. Sven? Roslyn's eyes stared in disbelief over the possibility. Then again, she had seen her friends survive a lot and prove their endurance to overcome it all.

Niallus' left arm grew to inhuman size as he rushed in for the gut, ripping it open. A river of blood poured out into the muck as the man continued to dig the victim out. The voice kept pleading for help.

Roslyn breathed heavily. Somehow she managed to remain up on her feet, her endurance pushed beyond her body's small limits. She had been lucky during the fight. The creature focused on her allies more than her as she managed to both defend and help finish it off. That's when she heard Laska shout for him to stop.

It was too late. Roslyn spotted the cheeky little demon up in the tree, taunting them now. The voice matching the one from inside the Bloodgorger.

[color=#cbc66d][i]What's going on... why[/i][/color]-Then she recalled the words spoken earlier. It wasn't a normal demon. Roslyn knew nothing about demons save for what little she heard from the church. She glanced between Niallus, the thing oozing out of the belly and the creature leering down upon them. [color=#cbc66d] "Now what?" [/color][/hider][h2][u]Bow to Hellish Royalty[/u][/h2][hider=*******]A bad feeling swelled in her breast as she watched the blood covered figure topple out onto the ground. Heavy energies seemed to saturate the air and weigh her down. It charged the skeleton remains of the bog with energy. Blood began to peel and float off the dark, leathery sac. Beneath it, the ground glowed with a circle of runes. Likely hidden there all along.

[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1268383896328998912/1290075911353401344/forceandfury_A_tall_pale_and_beautiful_young_Swedish_man_of_the_fdf1cdb3-fd4a-4c08-aa63-7f8c49485126.png?ex=66ffc191&is=66fe7011&hm=0b3de7cb319a0806eed5466a6b5b4c2bdc32760572e46d7eb4f6b3494089a342&[/img][/center]

The man held Sven, but none of his kindness shined in the eyes. Just a cold, emotionless and calculated gaze.

[color=#cbc66d][i]What did we ourselves into?[/i] [/color] Roslyn couldn't stop trembling as she stood there, helpless. She spied Laska's reaction from the corner of her vision. Fear drenched her expression as the nun stepped back and struggled to speak.[color=6ecff6]"Y-you...You're..."[/color]

[colour=1B0A2A]"Belthagor."[/colour] He finished for her. His voice mimicked the sound of divinity while he seemed to weigh their worth. At the sound of his minion, the being tilted his head and smiled. They exchanged a warm greeting that felt out of place here before his hard expression returned. He raised a finger.

When the pressure came, Roslyn fell to her knees and then her hands. Her lungs inhaled, but she couldn't breathe. Oh no... She didn't understand what was happening.

When did she get tangled up in all of this? She was no epic heroine of a fairy tale. She wasn't even that strong compared to many of her classmates. She was just a simple brewery girl born in a little country. Now... she was going to die like an insect beneath hells' boot. The realization of her fate curled her stomach and pushed up vomit into the back of her throat. It burned there, daring not to go farther. The only hope in her heart was that this would be quick.[/hider][h2][u]An Unexpected Choice[/u][/h2][hider=********][center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfG9aJzFPd4[/youtube][/center]

Roslyn wanted her death to be over with already. She kept her eyes closed, childishly hoping it might protect her from the world around her. Not that there was much left of it. Any moment, she expected to feel the pressure finally crush her.

Then, all at once, the blinding light intensified. [colour=1B0A2A]"I can see the fear in you, girl,"[/colour] came the Grand Demon's voice, dripping with sepulchral resonance, deep and cold and rich. [colour=1B0A2A]"And the desire."[/colour] The Demon king stood before the six youths in his brilliant white clothing and he was beautiful. [colour=1B0A2A]"You want so very much from this world, yet dare not speak it. You fear even to love yourself."[/colour] 

 His words wormed themselves in her ears, through Roslyn's head, and dug deep in her soul. She sensed more than heard his steps edge closer and felt his eyes upon her. [color=#cbc66d][i]He's not talking to me... Who was it?[/i] [/color] Roslyn forced her eyes to open. With a bit of struggle, her head lifted upward to see and hope they were strong enough to resist. 

He reached out a hand in the direction of one in particular, but it was not Esmii, who was closest to him after Niallus. [colour=1B0A2A]"You worry, you sacrifice, you work... and for so very little gain."[/colour] The light built until it consumed her. [colour=1B0A2A]"I choose you, and I shall lift you up to be more than you might've been."[/colour]

Belthagor's eyes stared right at her. Roslyn wasn't sure if she should be surprised or frightened that he noticed her. The words dug up her doubts, fears, and pain. She realized not a single one dripped with lies. She didn't value herself much as a mage, especially when she compared herself to her friends. Always falling just short of everything. All of them had strengths she could only dream of matching, but she'd never reach. So many short comings and so few wins. Lately, all Roslyn did was worry, sacrifice, and work... and for what? She realized she had lost sight of the reason.  

Too distracted by one of the Kings of hell, she had her back to Laska and Desmond. All at once, the immense pressure disappeared and Laska stood. The nun flung an iron in to the air. [color=6ecff6]"Shoot it, Desmond! Shoot it with anything that warps reality!"[/color]

The girl gradually got to her feet before the Grand Demon. Her eyes couldn't tear away from the light even as it burned them. She took a step forward and then another. A moth drawn to a flame in the night.   

[color=#cbc66d][i]Is this what I want? What I need?[/i] [/color] She questioned herself. Something glowed in her pocket as a small, greedy voice hissed 'yes'. Her feet continued to move as the conflict grew inside of her. 

The Grand Demon's head twisted to regard the nun and the others. His lips peeled back in a snarl, revealing fangs and, for a moment, great gnarled black horns twisted out of his forehead. His inner ugliness laid bare, he glared venomously at the Red Rezaindian before his face returned to normal. Roslyn, lost in a trance, reached out a hand to touch the glowing point when his last words cut through her haze. 

[colour=1B0A2A]"The rest of you,"[/colour] he announced, [colour=1B0A2A]"will feed my pet."[/colour]

[color=#cbc66d][i]No.... NO![/i][/color] Her pupils dilated and her mind pushed back. [color=#cbc66d][i]Please, no. I can't let this happen.[/i][/color] She tried to fight the influences tugging at her soul, but was she strong enough? By Ahn-Dami's will, this should be her choice![/hider]
[hr]
Other Scenes
[hider=Mahal's Animal Taming Lessons][h1][color=6ecff6][u]Seeking the Legend of Snow and Ice[/u][/color][/h1] 

Location: Unviat
Date: Unknown  

[h2]Following the Blood Trail[/h2]

Even the early Rezain in Unviat was cold. A blustering wind whipped across the nearly treeless tundra, batting Mahal's hair about like tangled snakes. She'd been following signs of a Snow Wyvern: droppings, heightened radiation, a couple feathers, and disturbed snow on the branches of the few sparse trees. Then, suddenly, she'd found blood. It was mostly dried and covered, but it stained patches of snow dark. She found some, and then more and then... well, there was a trail if she could follow it. There was definitely a hint of the tiny dragon's characteristic radiation, but was it even alive?

Mahal hated the cold. She had bundled several layers just to keep it out, but it didn't seem to matter. The frost settled on her surface and the chill bit at her flesh still. With with a deep breath, she leaned down to check the trail. She frowned upon seeing the blood and noted its age. A part of her wondered if it was alive still. Cautiously she cast sonic negation to null the sounds of her footsteps as she followed the trail. If this Wyvern had been attacked, she didn't want to draw the attention of its predator.

The blood was old, and then it was newer and then the last bit was still steaming in the snow. The wind had died down. There was a small copse of southern spruce hunkering together in the cold, a large rocky ridge with some stray bounders, and a stream burbling down towards a small pristine lake. Surely,the creature was close. Either it was food for something else here, or else it was wounded and hiding. Likely, it would die if not found and healed.

[h2]Grisly Sight[/h2]

She came upon it in the clearing: the bones of a small wyvern. They were fresh and there was still meat on them. Bloody white feathers surrounded the mostly-cleaned off carcass as an Arctic Fox scampered away with a mouthful of meat. This, then, was the Snow Wyvern she had been following: dead beyond a shadow of a doubt. There were tracks all around it: foxes, dragons, a wolverine. A large crow hovered about, cawing in pitch black on the white snow. Blood trails led away in four different directions: Southeast, West, Northeast, and North. 

[h2]Apparition[/h2]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGmmjZe5BMc[/youtube]

Mahal was close to giving up. The trail seemed to have gone cold. The dragon she'd been pursuing was dead, after all. Then, through the gusting snow and the steam of a small hot spring, she sighted it, perched on a rock, its feathers iridescent as it preened itself: a Snow Wyvern. 

The small creature was almost luminous. Its feathers giving off a different coloured sheen depending on the angle that it was viewed from. The wind faded and, with it, the sound that had been covering Mahal's footsteps. The Wyvern looked up abruptly, its delicate draconic visage meeting hers. There was blood on its snout and its crystalline horns, but it had carried away no meat and was not eating. That was when she remembered it: young snow wyverns, once they'd come of age, would mercy kill struggling elders rather than letting them fall prey to some other beast. 

The quasi-mythical animal spread its wings, spooked but not aggressive. Perhaps it had been grieving, in its own way. It prepared to take flight. 

[h2]Encounter[/h2]

The sight of the creature left the girl in awe. To her eyes, the Snow Wyvern seemed almost made of living ice and cold. 

She avoided eye contact and made herself appear as nonthreatening as possible. The wyvern flapped its wings twice but did not take off. Instead, it eyed her warily. She could feel a rise in the latent atomic reactions within it. Its tongue flicked out and licked the blood off of its muzzle. It tilted its head and blinked. 

Mahal gave an inner sigh of relief. For now, she had stopped it from flying off but it wasn't a solution. She caught glimpses of the creature's eyes as it gleamed with intelligence matching Diyablos. There was a clear difference, however. She knew her cephalopod better and the easiest way to gain his intention was curiosity. Would the same work here? A small doubt lingered in her mind, but doing nothing was worse. Slowly, she reached into her bag and pulled out some dried jerk meat. Her eyes watched the snow wyvern's reaction carefully.

The dragon glanced at the meat, glanced at Mahal, and tilted its head, unimpressed. After a moment, she could've sworn that it rolled its eyes and sighed.

[color=#B8860B]"Never said it was for you."[/color] Mahal stated then bit into the dried meat.

The animal rushed forward at that - the perfect taunt - and let out a chitter. It hopped around, circling her and tilting its head. It looked at the jerky and then at her. Its tongue darted out.

Mahal tensed, but refused to move. She had been ready to draw until she recognized its little display. This time, it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "If you want some, simply need to ask. I am willing to share." With that said, she was already reaching in for another jerky and offered it up. Perk of a glutton was to always have plenty of food on hand.

The Snow Wyvern opened its mouth and appeared to motion with its wing for Mahal to throw the treat over. Its little tongue shot out again in anticipation.

[color=#B8860B]"All right. Don't miss."[/color] Mahal said as she tossed it. Her eyes narrowed a bit, noting how it seemed to understand her better than she expected. But maybe, she was being silly. Animals don't understand human speech... right?

Then, just like that, there was a voice. [color=PowderBlue]"She's a trickster."[/color] A local man in a parka appeared over the ridge, his Avincian strongly accented but surprisingly good. 

[color=PowderBlue]"Sikuaq,"[/color] he said to the wyvern, but the rest of his words were in a language that Mahal did not know. [color=PowderBlue]"She is young and lost her hatchmates and parents. A few weeks ago, Alooloo, who raised her, went into a blizzard and never came back."[/color] He shook his head. [color=PowderBlue]"I don't know why, but now she is alone in the world and thinks that she's a person."[/color] The man shook his head. 

[color=PowderBlue]"I am Anik. A trader, but I live around here when I'm not traveling."[/color] The wyvern, Sikuaq, fluttered over to his side, but not [i]too[/i] close, proudly displaying her prize.

Mahal's eyes snapped to the source of the voice. She hadn't even heard his approach and that put her on edge. Intently, the girl listened to the man. Her gaze shifted from him to the wyvern as her eyes softened. She knew that feeling well some times. [color=#B8860B] "Mahal." [/color] She didn't give much more about herself as she remained wary of the man. 

[color=#B8860B] "She has something in common with another companion of mine, Diyablos. Gets into all sorts of trouble. He tends to pout too by crossing his little arms because he saw me do it once."[/color]

She adjusted her furs against the cold. [color=#B8860B] "That explains a few things now. I was following an old Snow Wyvern trail earlier and found the body. I wasn't sure if it was attacked or not. Then I found her."[/color] Mahal gestured to Sikuaq. 

[color=PowderBlue]"She could use a family,"[/color] Anik suggested, [color=PowderBlue]"But she's a handful. I've been feeding her lately, but I travel and I can't keep her forever."[/color] He motioned Mahal over. [color=PowderBlue]"Slowly,"[/color] he warned, taking some sort of dried meat from his pack. [color=PowderBlue]"It's similar to your jerky. That's probably why she took to you."[/color]

With a deep inhale, Mahal did as instruction. She kept the none threatening posture best she could while she leaned in and drank in his words. [color=#B8860B] "It's the best way to preserve the meat and I always keep some on me. Though bones work, time to time, to trick the constant hunger."[/color]

Her eyes admired the creature's icy beauty. [color=#B8860B] "I have some experience in caring for creatures, especially those without families. Diyablos came from a clutch of abandoned eggs. His brothers and sisters all have new homes, with owners I believe cherish them."[/color] A part of her wasn't sure why she decided to share this information, but it left her lips before she thought about it. She couldn't take it back now. [color=#B8860B] "However,  a creature like her will only go if she wants to."[/color]

[color=PowderBlue]"You are not wrong,"[/color] Anik agreed. He handed her some meat, as Sikuaq looked on curiously. He spoke to the young wyvern and she glanced between the two of them. [color=PowderBlue]"See if she will follow you."[/color] He began to back away. Which way would Sikuaq go?

Mahal agreed with this. She rose to her feet and started to walk the opposite way. Her arm held the jerky in plain sight while she held her breath. At first, the wyvern hesitated. It let out a low, confused cooing. The creature bobbed between Mahal and Anik with indecisiveness. After a little while, the young wyvern seemed to understand. She bounded across the snow towards Mahal and took the meat from her hand. 

[color=#B8860B] "I think that settles it. "[/color] Mahal said placing her hand for the Wyvern to accept a gentle stroke.

Anik agreed as the pair departed from the frigid cold back to Ersand'Enise. [/hider]



[hr]
OOC: This is messy as heck and apologies for that, I did my best to keep it in Roslyn's pov. I also smoothed out issues and stuff, with changes that better fit.