Annabeth’s attempt to latch onto the nitemare’s mind worked perfectly. However, gaining intel was another matter altogether and without understanding about the nitemare’s inner workings, it was difficult. The animal’s mind was like water and when a psychomancer dipped in, it sent ripples across the surface. Too hard and the images, thoughts and more were nearly impossible to read. Too soft, she would merely get a reflect and nothing more. However, the nitemare could easily perceive the images given to it.
So focused on its task at hand, the brute plowed in without thinking. Its reward was pain and a clash with an unexpected source. A sting raced across its shadowy skin as it gave a wounded cry and hastened its pace. Black blood oozed out of its wound causing a smell of sulfur to mingle with the fog’s misty scent. Another experience of pain met the stallion when it exited the Nox. Alaira’s act was a success but hadn’t as much effect as she was likely counting on, slicing the upper meat of the foreleg causing the horse’s side to crumble to a hunched position. Its running ceased abruptly.
However, it wasn’t going down without a fight and while it was wounded, it could still move about. Its whip like tail immediately lashed out and slashed toward its side, aiming for Alaira. The blade sharp enough to cut through leather armor without much effort and even dent metal, through cutting was another matter. While its tail slashed out at Alaira, the animal’s legs struggled to get back up and move.
Lyn
Lyn’s heart jumped into her throat, threatening to choke her, as she tried to move. Her body was shaking and trembling all over, trying to get her mind to do what she wanted. However, it failed to understand her words. Instead it stayed fast into the ground like the very ground was holding her. Her lungs seemed unable to use the air settling in her chest and weighed her down, her mind unable to register anything. Annabeth and Alaira seemed to utter something to calm her and about a nitemare, but she barely heard it through her terror. Then suddenly, it dissipated.
A calm, soothing sensation touched her mind, quelling that fear striking out at her. Slowly Lyn’s breathing grew from rapid and erratic to placid and steady. Her muscles relaxed and took on a more fluid posture while she gripped a pair of her daggers lazily. She was still aware of the fear trying to claw its way back in as well as the nitemare bearing down on her. However, she wasn’t scared of it. It didn’t look like an unbeatable monster from her deepest, darkest nightmares coming to trample her. Lyn took a deep breath then widened her stance, putting her daggers upright in a defensive posture. Her waist twisted at the middle with her right nearest the beast charging at her, her left back and ready for a counter attack should she need it. The blades were pressed against her wrists so she could slice and move without risking the points getting lodged.
The youngest girl’s head peered upright when Annabeth spoke about Alaira taking her away. Lyn immediately shook her head no just as the brunette reached for her bow. Annabeth let loose an arrow which seemed to pass right through the nitemare just at the moment it teleported. However, there was a loud shriek that cried otherwise. Annabeth’s arrow had managed to nick the animal’s flank just before it had managed to dematerialize completely. A small pop echoed in the meadow.
Before Lyn could comment on its disappearance , Alaira ‘s hands wrapped about her waist then firmly plop her onto Samson. A cry to get way sent a shiver down the teenager’s back, which was subdued by the calming spell. Then with a sharp smack, she hit his flank. Samson reared upward as he gave a protesting snort, his hooves pawing the the air when he took off. His feet moved hard against the thick ground in his bolt forward. It was so sudden that Lyn instantly pulled her arms about Annabeth’s waist just to keep from falling off. Her front pressed tightly, the calming effect still in play, and tried not to fall off the moving mass underneath her. She dared to peer around to spot Alaira quickly take her place just when the horse re-emerged.
The Harpy tugged and smacked Althalus about. Her tail dragged from his weight, the end hooked about his ankle, while she flapped her wings across the warm drafts within the forest. The other Harpies were getting impatient with their sister , their feathers ruffled in annoyance. Promptly five of them scattered off the tree branch and into the air, giving a burst of wind to lift them higher. Their figures darted shadows over the ground in their pursuit after Althalus. One of them reached the man, his back and whatever exposed shin would likely torn to shit, before the others and extended her claws to snare his arms. If she got them, she would jerk the other way in an attempt to pull the man apart.
Ellys
Ellys hated Djarkel. It was new, her body tense and unsettled by new surroundings so eerily different from her homeland. Her hair was a messed and unkempt after several months of traveling, even her tail was numb to the dull aching floating into the muscles. In her hand was a bone spear held close to her chest while she stared into the open meadow. It was hard to believe at first, even when she was prepared by the mysterious deity. As she spotted the nitemare’s targets, the evidence was right before her eyes. A child, human in appearance, and scented like Naga was currently in the meadow where she seemed to carry out the ritual common to Naga of her age.
It angered Ellys to see their rites stained by such filth. The child itself was a freak in the natural order and didn’t desire to live out her pitiful life any longer than she already had. The Naga tightened her fingers about her weapon and for a brief moment, considered tossing it while the bitch half breed human was occupied. It would’ve ended the child’s life so easily. When the thoughts passed by, Ellys lost her chance when the girl was tossed on horse, the beast smacked into motion shortly after.
Inhaling sharply, Ellys realized she wasn’t from Mackendrick, Slade and the three others. Detesting she was force to turn away her chance for purifying the bloodline, she needed to seek the cause or her actions would’ve been in vain. She started to edge back to their location, a rattling of bushes betraying her location, when she emerged on their conversation. Ellys showed no signs of encouragement or distaste, through her tail twitched in impatience. Her ears caught the mention of the protectors being injured while she flicked out a tongue. Her body stiffened on scenting Mar’s scent and hissed, softly, a statement her unwanted travel companions would know the subject of. Mainly since her hand went to the dagger looped in her belt.
”She’s close…” Her head turned into the direction, ignoring the five, then started to slither into the direction. She quieter now. Each movement made a purpose and hushed the trembling leaves in her passing. Her eyes closed to absorb the heat signals radiating off the scene when she approached the place Mar, Althalus and Enzuis were supposed to have been. Several others were flocking around while Mar’s mate was quickly hauled away. Pathetic, Ellys’ lip curled in loathing at the display and noted his weakness showing. She leaned through the cover as she watched Mar struggle with the wild harpies. Their claws ripping the mother’s flesh to bits, trailing blood in increasing amounts while she gradually declined their numbers.
Ellys was more than willing to wait for the Harpies to finish their job.
In her mind, one method was just as easy as the other. It didn’t help she didn’t fully trust this deity and his motives, her mind preferring to keep to their traditions rather than break them unless necessary. With any luck Mar would enter malice then do the very job for her.
Mar
Mar screamed when the claws found her back.
Hard talons drew hot, wet, and sticky blood from the tender flesh as the tunic shredded easily under the attack. There was a loud rip while Mar’s fingers tightened about her weapon and her forearm tendons tensed, causing her vitamancy to surge into the femur bone. It lengthened in seconds into a spear. The pole white, flawless with the end sharpened into a diamond like point. The balance was ideal and allowed her to jerk her body around on her tail, her other hand braced for the spear’s harmless end to butt against her palm. Mar’s eyes reddened in anger at the sudden attack. Her back was stinging from where the Harpy had landed her attack and bled well enough to stain the tunic’s outward edges.
The one that was attacking her immediately found a blade buried in her own back when Althalus threw it. It wedged into the lower back and the bitch let out a furious snarl, the bird like creature retracting from her earlier prey. Her talons furled in a twitching spasm, her head leaned in for a hiss. Mar reacted with her own warning and then thrusted out the spear, trying to clip the creature’s wings. Immediately seeing the movement the harpy’s claw reached out to scratch the blade on contact. The Naga jerked higher when the harpy snagged her weapon. Her head whipped forward and smacked into the skull, making a loud creak, forcing the harpy to crumble.
Her skin crawled causing her head to tilt up higher, spotting the remaining five edging closer. Mar let out another hiss only to receive a small giggle from the filthy crow shit hovering near her. It was pure luck Mar had requested inoculation against the possible diseased animals running around and through there was likely to be an infect spawning, she had little time to treat it. Her body lowered like a snake battening down for the storm when all five launched themselves from the branches and swarmed her.
The first victim was nearest harpy as Mar’s point rip through the middle and tossed her about, catching another in the right side. They both screeched until they were silenced by a tree. Only one got up, the other’s body almost took Mar’s weapon from her hand. In a reflex, Mar’s tail leased out to seize a tail from the dead Harpy then swipe it back to the left. It missed. The remaining four quickly scattered, one that had been stalking Althalus earlier had her attention drawn to the fight. Another harpy used her tail like a whip causing it to wrap around Mar’s throat and constrict. Air rapidly caught off in her windpipe causing her fingers to tighten again, the weapon altering forms. This time it became a dagger.
Mar severed the tail tip with a quick, well practiced move Althalus had taught her. Thick, green blood squirted from the wound and plastered against her own red stains adding to her mucky mess. The Naga was breathing hard. Her throat raw and hurt, unable to stand when her body fell to the ground. That’s when the last three counter attacked. Claws dug into dig their own marks into the female’s flesh, one from the back, and two from the sides leaving deep gashes.
Again, Mar through fast then snatch up her dagger to alter it into shield, swapping at them with the spiked face. Most were too too quick but she managed to clip one and sent it spiraling down into the tree causing Mar to smirk in pleasure. It was a short lived one since she back was relite by additional claws scratching down across the center.
The one nearest E’nasha lounged just as Keri twisted to face the Alpha within the tree, his jaws flashed several canines and rushed her.
On the other hand, the Alpha eyed Keri up and down for a moment, its body thumped loudly on its landing down. It snarled again and huffed, his chest huffing heavily in aggression. Quickly the beast darted to the right, making a fast, half hearted snap at Keri’s foot. However, before she could stab it should she attempt it, the brute instantly slapped its hand like paw against the ground to alter its path to the left. Then it shot its maw toward her upper right torso whether she moved or not, intending on ripping out a few ribs in the process.
Mei’s shurik nicked the male Paich, the creature’s hard armor bounced it off as it drew a thin, small line. The creature squeaked in pain then abruptly borrowed back into the ground as the throwing star sank into the grass a few feet away. He didn’t like being hurt and even less when he was trying to get a meal. His front feet clawed and scrambled around toward the pair, making it seem to Summer like Mei had managed to kill it.
The female perked then chattered in rage at Mei’s attempt to kill its mate. She raised her hunches in a threatening posture as pounces forward then back a few times, watching Leith speak to the two girls. Suddenly the creature’s head was submerged in water. It clogged its eyes, mouth and ears causing her to shake her head a bit as her claws reached to pry it off.
Mei’s next attack started off normally, but when her foot moved for the last weave, it abruptly dropped into a pit hole. The hole itself was several inches deep causing the foot to go up to its ankle in a fast movement. It wouldn’t break it but the pain would be enough to snap her focus and when she almost completed the spell the movement was off by too much. Instead of a wind gush able to deflect arrows tossing the female into the air, it was a gust that managed to knock the female on her back. It exposed her soft underbelly as she wiggled her limbs helpless in the air, clawing and trying to shift her balance upright.
Meanwhile her mate sensed the mage’s movements and went into serious action. As Leith focused on the water bubble, he would feel the ground underneath him soft and sink. It started to pull him into what seemed to be a shallow pit trap or quicksand, but there was no water. The action should’ve been enough to break his focus and release the bubble around the female, allowing her to breath. In moments his legs would be buried up to his knees and still going, the loose dirt hindering his movements. If he didn’t attempt to get help, then Leith might be breathing through dirt really soon.
