ManoftheNorth

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick had enjoyed the cries of his foes, the results of his howl were plenty and inspiring of prideful nature for the Lupine. However under the guise of this howl many new threats marched and made their way into the presence of combat, the rats were many in numbers and the Dwarves were being picked off little by little as they tried to hold back the foul vermin. This effort was failing under the pressure of the new foes however, these new armored Rats forced weaknesses in the Dwarven lines and presented greater challenge than their lesser trained kin. It was bleak at beast for the present, to many of the short-folk, but Grendrick was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He reveled in the gathering of stronger prey, of more powerful enemies, of the dangerous granted to him for furious behavior.

Grendrick was still near King Cragshield, unable to move and aid him in time of his injuries, but plenty able to swath away the normal ratkin before turning to the stout dwarf with a seemingly evil chuckle.

"New Rats, old tricks. Come Dwarf, it is time I show you how to fight!" Grendrick then growled to the large Rat-Commander as it snarled and stared down the King with a desire to end the Dwarf's life. Grendrick acted hastily without much concern for the consent of the King of the Dwarves. He uproared his body and matched the commander in a display of size and power, but then the mighty Lupine hoisted the Dwarf by the collar of his armor and planted the short-folk on his back. The angry wolf than smirked in a wicked, beastial, way that only one such as himself could do as he tore out on all fours towards the mighty Commander. The duo were now jousting the Skaven Commander like a peasant and the Ratkin would have to be more wary than before as they pair seemed to meld rather quickly.

The King of the Dwarves, Cragshield, planted his feet firmly on Grendrick's back and tightly wound his shield hand into the thick fur, all the while his sword arm raised in a steady stance for combat. The short-folk gave a hardy testament of disdain to the Wolf's tactic as it first happened, but as Grendrick sailed off towards their target the Dwarf couldn't help but grin at the idea. The Dwarf was over-come with a sense of combat glory and the stories that would be told of "Cragshield the Lycan-rider!" This made the Dwarf holler in glorious tones of robust slander to the Rats and their filth. He was ready to bathe in the blood of the vermin and sing tales of their valor the moment the last rat was slain.

Grendrick was mere feet from the Commander before his sprint turned into the iconic pounce of a beast. The ten foot tall Lycan lunged with a Dwarf upon his back and he latched onto the Commander of the pathetic mice, his lupine snout snapping into the shoulder of the Commander as they Rat-Leader's arms were too busy trying to hold off Grendrick's claws and arms from wrapping around him, and his leg armor protected him from any damage, but made perfect holds for Grendrick's feet. The two were locked together, and all the while Grendrick was tearing into the armor of the Skaven's shoulder, he growled out words to the mounted temporary comrade.

"Tiny! Go! Attack the pathetic being!" Grendrick's words were loud and clear to the Dwarven mountee who rode upon the wolf's back, and his actions were equal proof to his understanding.

The Dwarven King raised his warhammer and dropped it upon the Ratkin Commander's, the head of his weapon was pristine even after all the bloodletting of the war that has been raging, and it crashed onto the obsidian helm with an immense sound. It was the sound of glass shattering against a ten-ton hammer. This dazed the ratkin commander, but it also broke the helm into three pieces and caused it to fall to the ground with a plinking sound that was lost to the noise of war. The Skaven recoiled it's head and fought Grendrick away in a flurry of arms and body-turns that forced the brutish wolf off the hold of the Rat. Grendrick was now on all fours a few feet back form the Skaven, and Cragshield stood atop the mighty wolf like a true warrior. They pair roared out together and the Skaven returned the favor with a bellowing screech and a snarl that rallied cries of his lesser units as they fought against the Dwarven forces, but Cragshield responded with something much louder than a warcry's holler.

"I am Reirsun Cragshield, Son of Roirsun, Grandson of Rothsun, King of this Mountain! You filth will not push me out of my home! You will fall to my Hammer! DWARVES WE FIGHT FOR OUR GLORY AND OUR HONOR! WE FIGHT FOR OUR FATHERS UNDER THE MOUNTAIN!" These words rallied more than just soldiers, it rallied Fathers, Brothers, Husbands, and Men. It rallied their hearts, souls, minds, and bodies all at once. Their was little that could be done to dwindle the spirit of a proud Dwarf, and even less for a proud Dwarf with the crown of a King and the words of a Friend. Reirsun Cragshield refused to let his fight be lost so easily and he vowed to personally smash the skull of every last Skaven that dared to enter his halls.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick was amidst the fight of the Skaven like a brilliant flame dancing in the darkness of a Midnight ritual. His body darted and dove between the packs of rats all the while Dwarves made their way in and out of the flanks. It wasn't until two noises erupted into the air that Grendrick was pulled from his blood-thirsty haze of combat.

Close to him was the frontlines, the Dwarven shield wall was short but mighty by many standards and their metal clanged with the Skaven forces trying to force their way through. Grendrick aided their metal-shelter by swatting away small arm-fulls of the Ratkin at a time, tossing and launching them back towards their breach while the dwarves moved in little by little with the progress made for them. However it didn't last long as eventually a Rat decided to enact a tactic befitting the filth. A singular rat used it's small size and agility to dash and maneuver through the field before leaping off the shield-wall into the backline of the Dwarves. There it was a skewered Skaven, but it's tactic was solid as it unleashed the raw power of a magic scroll. A massive hole now sat where there was once a stalwart defense of Dwarves and the corpses of Skaven. Now there lain the bodies of both kin as they roared with flames and died down into smoldering embers. Smoke rose from the large blast area and Grendrick felt the pressure of the Skaven rising heavily on the Dwarves. The short mountain-folk did all they could to bolster the hole in their ranks.

This act alone made Grendrick step up his game, he was unwilling to lose to mere rats and his pride was too large to let them get away with such a cowardly tactic. This is when Grendrick's flames died away and the warmth of Ayse's spellcraft left his body, but it wasn't without benefits. The flames had boosted Grendrick's natural healing and his skin now felt anew where it had been bruised, battered, and cut. His ribs that had punctured through his skin to the outside were still very much stabbing through, but the skin had closed up around them and healed to prevent his bleeding. He was a rested man, a healed warrior, and a hungry wolf and this was the perfect time to show such nature with great vigor and power to the enemy.

Grendrick was faced with a small horde of enemies, ranging around ten bodies with a few dancing in and out of this number between oncoming Dwarven foot-soldiers. Grendrick started this engagement by quite simple leaping onto the first and with the crushing weight of his body collapsed the first one's chest. Then the mighty Wolf took the Rats on each side of him and laced his massive hands around their necks and crushed their necks and spinal cords into a smattering of bone shards before letting them fall to the ground in agonizing screeches. The wolf then grabbed the next one on his right by the tail as it tried to run and he yanked it closer, causing the rat to lose it's footing and fall. It scratched and clawed at the ground while trying to prevent the Wolf from catching it, but the weak animal was a joke compared to Grendrick's strength and within seconds the Skaven's ankles and legs were handles for Grendrick and the mighty Lycanthrope used the ratkin as a club. He swathed the filthy creature across the air cracking two Skaven's heads open with a single strike, and causing his weaponized foe to screech and bleed profusely as it flailed and was used to wallop a final Skaven into the ground like a hammer on a nail. The blood that sprayed all around Grendrick and his madness of combat was grand, showering himself in yet another bath of the rat's blood. The rest of this small horde ran in terror of Grendrick as the wolf discarded the Skaven he wielded as a weapon without a care. His enemy viewed this Lycan like a monstrosity, a god of War, like a war machine, like an unstoppable force of nature. But they weren't ready for the Beast's next action.

Grendrick was just about to push more of the frontline before he heard the second erupting sound that echoed across the room to him, moreso than the first ever could have, and it was Marianne.

Her cry of pain and agony raised something from Grendrick that he thought he had left behind after the first fight, as the voice was clearly Marianne's but he couldn't help but hear Her voice over Marianne's. It was like an illusion that played a foul trick on Grendrick's mind and it enraged him. He was hearing her voice, and her image, but Marianne was the one in agony. He couldn't fathom letting either of them get hurt, it was almost as if Marianne had become "Her" for a moment and it caused Grendrick to resort his earlier tactic.. this was the only real reason Ayse's words seemed to "fit" as a command. He didn't actually hear her say anything to him in his mindset, but he acted on his own accord and his accord looked listening for most purposes.

The mighty wolf leaped and sprinted through the lines of Skaven and the Dwarves, only stopping once he reached the King and the units surrounding him. There is where Grendrick let his body and his mind slowly dissipate once more, this would be the last time he let his mind play these unnerving tricks on him while in this rift. The Lycan coiled his body up tightly behind the guards, he was hunkered against the ground, his body seized up, his muscles tightened and began to writhe, his body shook, and his head curled into his chest. It seemed like an eternity passed while he held this position, but really it was only a few seconds. Then, once all Grendrick could hear in the world around him was silence, the Lycan exploded from his curled position. He thrusted his head higher into the air than before, reaching the peak of his height as his body extended to the tips of his claws and toes, his arms wide and his claws exposed to the world, it was now that he howled. He let out a Howl that resonated with power beyond belief into the depths of the Breach, it echoed out the main entrance into the Chasm, it vibrated deep into the bones of the Dwarves and Skaven, it pierced the souls of every living being and it was a Howl that could instill fear into even the most ferocious demons and other-wordly powers.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick entered the Dwarven Throne-room and was taken by a beautiful sight. It was truly a serious of magnificent allure. The Golden statues, the tapestries, the marvels of Dwarven craftsmenship. They were all dull. They were nothing to Grendrick as he marveled at the real beauty present in the massive room. It was the combat, the Dwaren King and his men's shield wall, the blood lining the floor in scattered pools and the felled bodies that danced like artwork across a canvas. It was a sight to behold for someone who enjoyed the beauty of combat and an aspiration of seeking the Apex status such as Grendrick.

He was instantly in the fray and he wasted no time asserting any sort of commands or issues at this time. He was eager to jump back into another fight so soon, which meant he was ignoring his own injuries even as they bled actively the whole time. A few ribs on his right side were still draining blood as they punched through to the exterior of his body, and his left still had a rib on the edge of breaching his left lung. He wasn't in the best condition if someone were to observe him closely, by their standards, however Grendrick was fine and normal in his own mind. He had suffered minimal damage if any at all by his own standards because all it was, were a few broken bones, bruises, and measly scratches. He felt more annoyed by these injuries than anything as he felt no real pain from them.

Nove had passed by Grendrick, but only for a split second as the Lupine had halted himself to give Ayse a passing few words, before Grendrick would quickly overrun the boy Nove once again.

"Flames from floor to ceiling, Lil'Lady. It is time we showed them some real power!" Grendrick hounded to Ayse in an invigorating tone to help ensure her that he was with her in his next action. He was dedicated to his action as well, even without words to the others of what his plan was entirely, he knew he could yet again making a breaking point for his allies and show them just how powerful his mind could be when used properly. That was when he charged past Nove and Gormarr, and the entire party, to enact his beautiful artwork.

Grendrick was a fleeting thought to most who saw him, something of a problem or something that no one really cared about unless he gave them a reason to dislike him. It wasn't easy for many to see him as anything outside of a beast when it came to the City. However on the battlefield he was more than just a beast. He was THE Beast. It was at this moment that Grendrick's sprint was dealt to put Grendrick at the frontlines before the whole of his team. Here he actually sprinted head-on into Ayse's flames and he let himself be consumed by them wholly before he continued his artwork with a breath-taking stroke of his brush. He gathered his strength and darted up onto the backs of the dwarves holding their shield wall, and he used them as pedestals as he leaped high into the air. He was a soaring Lupine, blazing with flames, roaring into the throneroom and the breach with his call to fury and battle. He descended once he reached the peak of his leap and he came down swiftly through the air as he finally impacted the ground. He landed atop three Skaven and not only killed with the impact force, but the flames devoured them as he slammed and crushed their skulls into the floor. He immediately began swiping, raking his claws across the throats and bodies of nearby Skaven. He was was a war-machine and he was ablaze with the hunger for blood and was literally ablaze. Each swipe would allow either Grendrick's claws to reap a kill, or would allow him to at least touch a foe and bath them in a wreath of searing flames. He was unstable at this point, once more in the focus of his job as a killer and a beast on the battlefield. His enemy the Skaven, the Dwarves a neutral party to be left alive, and his allies were his team. Those who didn't discern a trust for yet, but were those who it would be wrong to kill as of this moment.

This was his way, his own style, to throw himself into battle head-first and challenge each foe that he faced as he was meant too. He was the Apex Predator.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick's collision was one of a mighty power against a foe believed to be mightier than himself to the others. Grendrick felt no such thing in his mind however. He laid into the beast as it was staggered, the back-stepping Rat Ogre was met with feral slashing. Grendrick's arms were shipping from side-to-side as he lay into the enemy, his claws carried out laters of flesh and muscle as he made deep ravines in the body of the enemy. Blood sprouted into the air like a spring of water as the Lupine eviscerated his foe. It wasn't until the Rat Ogre's leg buckled that Grendrick let up on the fury of his frenzy. This was the opportunity for an Alpha's kill, the show of dominance.

The Rat Ogre was already dying, it was a certain to fall even without Grendrick oncoming attacks, but Grendrick desired to make an example of this Rat Ogre. The mighty Rat fell to it's knee, the other leg trying to hoist it's weight up once more, but failing to lift the hefty creature. It's arms pressed to the ground and it's body, trying to move it's posture and do all it could to fight back while taking a stray swipe at Grendrick. However the Lupine merely stepped to the opposite side of the arm and then unleashed his final actions upon the mighty Ratkin.

Grendrick rose to the climax of the fight with a swift set of movements that ended the Rat Ogre, and yet they were still the brutal rampaging actions of a Lycanthrope. These actions were flawless in their execution though, as Grendrick leaped and gripped into the neck of the Rat Ogre with his right hand. He used the grip as leverage as he flung his body up and then down onto the back of the enemy all the while digging his feet into the back of the opponent and shredding it's flesh. As this happened Grendrick's hand tightened around the throat of the goliath Rat and he tore through the flesh and muscle with a loud snarl as the beast cried out one last time. The rat squeeled and roared to the heaven's of it's Gods begging for the end of it's life to finally happen. However Grendrick kept it alive for only another moment as he latched down his fangs into the throat where he began to gnaw and yank at the jugular veins, the esophagus, and the muscles protecting it all. Those fangs ripped and dug deeper into the throat before Grendrick reared up his head and then looked to the sky, where he raised his right hand up and then plunged into the hole he had created. The clawed hand sliced through tissue and then Grendrick growled with a sense of eager joy as the arm came ripping out of the hole and he raised the Beast's heart into the air, only to drop it into his snout and exhibit an unrestrained primal nature, devouring it ferociously and then leaping off the bulk of the Rat Ogre. He was done with the life of the Rat Ogre, but he took the body by the arm and drug it a few feet and then kicked it off the bridge. Grendrick's kill was his own now. It was complete.

The Lupine was still in his rage, still breathing for the fight, his heavy panting matched by snarling and saliva dripping from his jowels as he looked over the Dwarves and his group. He surveyed them with a predator's eyes which awaited any potential attacks or actions against him. After a short few seconds passed and Grendrick saw no other enemies he heightened his body and thrust his snout into the air. What followed was the loud howl of a victorious Wolf. It was frightening to some but for most it would be seen as the howl given after a fight of territory or dominance. This was Grendrick's stand as the victor of this fight and this territory was now under his protection, which left the echoing howl that descended and ascended the Chasm to spread for what seemed like miles.

Grendrick's theatrics were over and what others would consider annoying, aggressive, or too much from him, were now ending. He was down to the business of it all. He grabbed a Dwarf by the shoulder and stared him in the eyes quite hardily while lowering his body like a feral wolf. However this wasn't to scare the Dwarf it was merely to drop the several feet he needed to match the eye-height of the Dwarf.

"Gather all the gold you can from the Skaven, and put it in a leather satchel for me. Do this, at my request. For I have earned the spoils of this fight." Grendric gave no warning or 'what if' should the Dwarf not commit to this service. It would naturally be unwise to deny such a service to someone like Grendrick, and the Lupine was confident in such realities. The Wolf then immediately pressed to the rest of the group, Siph, and the Dwarves who were pressing for their entrance into the Dwarven architecture.

"We shall all go, inside, and now. The scent of fresh blood wanes in my nostrils, and the scent of fear bellows from the chasm. This is certainly not over." Grendric spoke, but he waited not for anyone to respond as he walked and pressed past them all towards the entrance of the Dwarven Throneroom.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick was now at the mercy of recovering from his being thrown. He had suffered some injuries and now he laid dazed and knocked far from the fight. He was at the entrance of the Dwarven citadel, those Dwarves who had went back to guard the gates were now staring down at the beast that was Grendrick. He writhed for a moment in his hazed sense of reality, while his vision flickered to the foggy scene of the distant fight. However this would not be his end and it would not be his release of this fight. He refused to let his kill, HIS prey be killed by another. This was one of the driving forces that boiled Grendrick's blood, however something was working at his mind. He was slipping from the conscious world all the while a voice whispered to him.

"Grendrick! Wake up sleepy head! The Children are waiting! The Children Grendrick, the Children!"

"You can't keep them waiting! C'mon, get up and get ready. I will keep them busy until you get the outfit on!"

The voice was so surreal and yet unbelievable all at once. The world was blanketed into a deaf hum as the voice spoke to him. It whispered and wavered in his ears as they twitched for the origin of the voice. However he grew saddened.. not even angry at first, at the lack of an origin for this voice. It was the voice.. it was HER voice. It was by far the only voice he cared to hear about at all, as it faded into silence, his sadness deepened and he felt his rage overcome the sadness. His thoughts stemmed into the past of the voice's moment and then it catapulted to the present and his situation. Her situation, his own, and everything in between.. it was all too much for him to bear at this one moment as he was weak for once. He had suffered a moment of ideal weakness in the name of something he had tried so hard to forsaken, but even in these times it holds to his heart.. all he could do was drown in it out with his anger and rage, and that brought him to his feet.

The beast lurked from a moment as it drew up from the ground all the while blood seeped and spilled to the stones below and growling startled the dwarves all around it. Grendrick was shaken but not unfaltering as his vision began to clear and his mind eased into a clarity that revealed the fight in the distance and his injuries. His ribs were broken across both sides, not all of course, but many were in mangles and pieces. One on his left side was a mere centi-meter from his lung, while three on the right side had punctured outward and let blood trail down to the ground. These were combined with a few fractures across his body and the bruises from the throw. However there was the blood of the Skaven on his fur and the air, and the blood of the Rat Ogre filled Grendrick's nostrils more than anything else. He was still on the hunt, and as he surveyed his target he found Sylvia deploying a smart attack to the spine, but it wasn't as well planned as one could hope. A Dagger as small, despite it's sharpness, would never pierce the muscle, tendons, and cartilage of the beast with the ease. The Rat Ogre gave the slightest shake as he felt the dagger hit his skin and caused the blade to slide and sink inbetween the layers of muscle, preventing any spinal damage altogether. However what happened next is what made Grendrick angry, as he was forced to watch the Rat Ogre peel a massive arm back and reach for Sylvia. Grendrick could not allow such things to happen, even if she did avoid the initial arm, the Rat Ogre would not allow her to move far away from him with ease.

The action was quick, but Grendrick had to be quicker, if anything he had to be quicker for himself whether Sylvia mattered to Grendrick or not wasn't important once his feet met the ground. He was now sprinting, once again he was forced to close the distant between himself and his enemies, all the while he could see the party and the enemy. The Magi of his team had the Shaman on his defensive and yet they were prepping to foil his defenses already. Grendrick's half of the team, the more physical half, were putting up a hell of a fight against the now enraged Ogre, but even that managed to barely slow the monstrosity as it attacked towards Sylvia. It would seem Grendrick was too far from the fight, up until his emotions were pushed aside, the sprint was growing shorter as he closed in and from the time of the voices, to now, he had cleared his thoughts of everything. He was finally refocused, and he was ready to make his point entirely.

The wind felt like a dust storm, as it crashed and collided almost instantly, it was intense to be right next to them, but wouldn't be felt more than a few inches away from them both as they collided. Grendrick and the Rat Ogre were now locked together. Grendrick intercepted the Rat Ogre as it had tried to spin and latch Sylvia in one of it's massive hands, but all it found was Grendrick's claw-sinking hands latched around it's own. The two were same the height, and the two were both fierce, but Grendrick now had the key to victory resting within him entirely. He had finally let go, fully let go, and was unrestrained more so than even when he first attacked. He clutched the Rat Ogre with a strength that rivaled the Ogre's own and he held the monster back from attacking his allies, all the while Grendrick's lupine growling voice rang out to those nearby.

"My. Kill."

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Skaven raged and fled as they were felled with a growing ease and the battle came to a slowing stall. The air grew stale with the scent of the fallen and the release of their life, but it would soon change once more.

"You got my thanks.. fer what'cha did. For me and me boys.. But open arms ain't a custom o' tha Dwarves at war! You had be-" Stokely almost choked on his own words as the first rumble shook the ground ever so slightly. But it continued on with each pounding step. Something big. Something angry.

Grendrick was stilled as he sniffed the air for the approaching opposition. It his his nose immediately and heavily. It was Rat Ogre.. it was foul, unnatural, and an abomination.. he was one to know such things. However what made his nose reel was something even fouler than the Ogre, it was the Shaman. It's magic was heavy and foul, and it made Grendrick snarl and snap out in anger and frustration. He seemed to almost go rabid as he took several steps forward and prevented the others from standing between the opposition and himself.

He called out clearly over the deafening roar of the Ogre. "If it is up high, you should aim low!" It was a fairly common tactic when faced with a giant of any kind. The axe takes the beast in the knees till it hits the ground, then the hammer cracks open its skull.

Grendrick let the man get his words in before he took another step towards the monster and it's master, the Lupine was unfaltering and he latched his claws to the ground and stared his foes as they roared. Grendrick then did the same, his body coiled up as he gathered his senses and then unleashed his roar, his body shaking fiercely as he bellowed back at the monstrosity. The Rat Ogre was much more bulky than Grendrick, but matched his height, making the Ogre only somewhat taller by the bulk of his heft and proportions, and this put Grendrick in a state of almost ravenous euphoria. His snarling was almost involuntary now as he let the ideal sink in of the monster being prey, the opponent was large and ferocious, like himself. It was finally time for a good hunt.

Grendrick's claws shredded through the stone beneath his hands slowly, thin streaks of powder being created as they carved their way into curled fists and then latched out once again and his body lowered to the floor. He was menacing to say the least, ready to pounce, like a feral monster against the ground, fangs exposed with lips and jowels peeled back, drool slipping from his mouth as he growled and snarled at his prey, and his nose rooting though the air for any signs of the foes tactics, poisons, magic items, indicators. There was the the faint smell of singed material, something had produced fire, but an unnatural fire. It was very different than Ayse's fire, which was very natural. That faint smell wasn't clear to Grendrick, but was clear.. was his hunger and rage.

Grendrick flew into a state known to few denizens of the universe, a state that is both a combat-rage and a natural state. This was Grendrick, this was his nature utterly and entirely consumed in his primal power. He was feral now, for the time, and he goal was to shred apart the flesh of his opponent until the blood soaked into the ground and the bones clattered across the stone. He wanted nothing more than to reap the lives of those strongest in creation, and to prove himself the greatest Hunter. He would start with the Rat Ogre and the Shaman.

Grendrick immediately launched himself from his low position, however not high into the air, but forward. He propelled himself at the legs of the Rat Ogre and quickly found himself like a Wolf on the calves of an Elk. He impacted the shins of the Ogre and then dug his claws into the back of the calves, stabbing and plunging his long dagger like claws into the muscles and flesh of the legs, while his jaw latched around the back of the left heel and bit down into the Achilles Tendon, attempting to shred it with his maw of razor-sharp fangs. This was no easy fight, and attempt, as the Rat Ogre quickly tried to pry and peel the large Lupine from it's legs, but Grendrick fought back, reeling, rolling, and pushing, trying to topple the beast and bring it crashing down.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Grendrick reveled in the chaos that had become the Skaven. They dispersed and scurried with great haste as they cried out amidst the night air, drenching the atmosphere of the scene in a thickening, pungent aura of fear that filled Grendrick's nostrils instantly. It was almost too pungent for him to handle, but any predator worth it's mettle could overcome the stench of fear with relative commonality. This led his mind to move to the new joy of it all, fresh blood and frantic prey! He smirked in a way that many would not perceive as he looked about the war-zone, the felling of retreating Skaven filled his gleaming eyes and his large ears quickly, making his tail sway and whip rhythmically to the cries of the rat-folk, however it was all quickly interrupted as he watched the horde, and just through the center of it all, directly ahead of him.. the Iron Lotus bloomed before his eyes entirely.

The Dwarves forced an opening in their shield wall as they took their opportunities to fight back against the Skaven, and Grendrick. A Dwarven marksmen had readied a large Bolt onto his crossbow, and when the shields laid open for his shot, he struck with a true aim that was certainly trained and experienced. The Bolt whipped through the air like a comet as it trailed over the heads of the Skaven and Dwarves with ease, aimed for the high mark of Grendrick's heart. This made it all slow for the Lupine as he caught the tail of the Bolt's flight quickly approaching on him. He hadn't the time to react upon it's initial release due to his excitement, his bloodlust, his joy for the hunt, but a single Bolt wouldn't put him out of his fun just yet, and he made certain of this as he curled his body and whipped around to let the Bolt sink it's way into the back of his left shoulder. The metal head of the bolt sliced through the thick hide and sank several inches as it drilled it's way deeper before stopping and finally ending the journey. It was then that Grendrick felt the pain, but it wasn't more than he could handle, by any means, howeve it did cause a reaction..

"Filthy Dwarves!" Grendrick roared out as he flung his body back around to face the Dwarves, watching the many Skaven continuing to flee past him in a hurry. He desired to hunt the Dwarves with every fiber of his being now, but he would have to control this urge for now at least. Rather than subject his group to opposing the Dwarves altogether he laid into the prey he sought after from the start, instantly jumping after the closest Skaven.

It cried out in terror as the mighty wolf sat hovering over it's small frame, the rat-folk stumbled and clawed at the ground trying to break of the looming agony and death, but it was fruitless and like a cornered animal the Rat-kin rolled onto it's back and began swinging it's rusted saber frantically at Grendrick looking for even the slightest chance of wavering the beast. However it was all for-not as Grendrick chuckled and stared into the eyes of the Rat-kin. His gaze petrified the creature instantly and the wolf instantly latched it's maw against the throat of the Rat and tore it from it's host with ease and without hesitation. He shredded it from the body and sprayed blood all across himself and the air about him in the process, and with that strike he unleashed his nature upon the rest of the Skaven.

His limbs carried him to the next two just before they reached Nove, a sprint on all fours to once again hound down his prey, and as he closed in he found Nove excited for Combat and striking with precision and power, however even with this Grendrick could not allow Nove and his party to become overrun and he felt his hunger and hunt take a turn to stem the tide of this fight.

He watched as Nove cut down a Skaven, the two Grendrick was hunting had closed in on the boy, but completely ignored their senses and the looming danger behind them as Grendrick was now over top of them, and with a loud snarl they found the error in their tactic as they both turned to face the mighty beast. In this moment alone, Nove was able to witness Grendrick first hand as he stared down at the boy and then the Skaven intently, before his razor-sharp claws came from the wide sides of his reach and stormed forward. The left arm slashed down from above and slammed the Skaven against the ground with great force while tearing through the flesh of it's chest, while the right arm with a piercing set of claws that struck straight into the back of the Skaven and prevented the frail creature from moving as Grendric hoisted it up away from Nove. The Rat-folk flailed and dropped it's dagger, wailing out in fear and agony as blood dripped down it's back and off Grendrick's hand, the other tried to fight it's way up from the ground, but Grendrick raised his left foot and held the pitiful creature down with ease, while Nove watched on at the Lupine. Grendrick then, mostly uncaring of the fact that Nove was watching due to his assumption he would move to fight or do something else, began to chuckle with a growling nature and a deep voice that chilled Skaven bones, only to silence his own laughter with the painful screeching of the Rat-folk. Grendrick had snapped his snout around the head of the Skaven and bit down tightly, the flailing and agonized Rat let out an un-earthly cry of terror and pain as it's body felt the fangs sink in and then it was quiet, almost eerily silent in the immediate area as the head of the Skaven that had been bitten was now sitting decapitated from the body in Grendrick's jaw and was dropped down beside the body of the one under his foot. It too was silent, stricken with a realization so strong it silenced every sound it made, all save for the sound of it's chest cracking and collapsing under the force of Grendrick's weight shifting. He didn't raise his foot and stomp, or throw his weight, he merely slowly shifted it to bear his weight on his left foot and the clawed foot sank slowly and the sound of the Skaven's ribs and sternum cracking and popping exploded out before the blood swelled and emerged from the rat's mouth and clawed chest.

Grendrick's eyes closed a moment as he let these kills sink in, but quickly spun on his heels and let out another roar at the Skaven who had tried to rush his party and it was here he made a second move on the horde. This time it was not a howl, but a roar of power and words spoken to the prey.

"You will not take my comrades! I will devour you all.."

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

There was a gathering of people that marveled and rivaled many mall towns with ease, but it was a marvel for it's very nature. The Woods, the unmarked lands of the wilds, yielded a City-state's worth of men and women it seemed as they are rejoiced and moved about the land in song and dance. Massive drums thundered through all the land as they were pounded and hammered, and the people sang out in great chorus through their song of choice.

Deep in the woods there was a fire
That burned with an evil desire
Desire to feed on the pain
A flame that would never retire
A pyre that would drive you insane
And it said...

Why don’t you cast yourself on me?
I promise you won’t feel a thing
There’s golden treasures underneath, you’ll see
Now please, give yourself to me

Deep in the woods the fire grew higher
The flesh would dissolve and expire
But the bones and the ashes remained
They whistled and snapped like a choir
A chorus that cried out in vain
And it said...

Why don’t you cast yourself on me?
I promise you won’t feel a thing
There’s golden treasures underneath, you’ll see
Now please, give yourself to me

Deep in the woods, there’s still a fire
That will never grow weary or tired
And draws closer and closer each day
And In bed when you start to perspire
Pray you don’t hear that refrain
Give yourself to me...

All the while the view was surveyed by Lady Stockton, who was no longer present in Apothicus, for her duties led her to the wooded lands to enact plans long established. This night seemed joyous for those of the woods, however this wasn't their truest nature and that was the certainty that lingered within Lady Stockton. She never trusted her client and the ordeals she would have to put herself through for her Client, but she had no choice, for her employer was more terrifying than her client. Yes, they were separate in this weird occasion, her client and her Employer were separate entities but they were far from unknown to one another.

This is why Lady Stockton did not hide herself as she would for most associates and Client's, but rather she walked freely among the crowd with ease and examined them all slowly, the nature of their appearance, design, and being were.. less-reputable. They were beginning to be easily understood as Bandits, Thieves, Marauders, and Cut-purses. They were an unsavory horde of Gutter-snipes and Alley-Cats, Highwaymen and Hoodlums, Scoundrels and Scavengers. However they were not un-governed in their own stead as they were ruled by the idealistic concept of a Black-Flag King, a Herald to controlled freedom, an advantageous Opportunist with a heavy hand and a sharp sword.

---

Meanwhile, as this glorious revelry happened out in the wilds, Grendrick was greeted by Siph and the group finally entering the Tower. This pleased Grendrick for the simplest of reasons, but it was nonetheless a pleasure he held with a nod to the entirety of the group and not just Siph. They all passed through the Main Hall slowly, walking with Siph at the head and Grendrick's snout wavering slowly as numbers began to crowd them and pester them about Siph. While Grendrick would have normally handled the situation with a quick series of snarls and a snap from his maw, he held back in stead of Siph's reactions while he hummed, he hummed a simple tune in his growl-esque tone. It was yet again the song of The Fire, and as they reached the Infinity stone, his song ended with a light whisper to himself for a measure of practice. He usually hummed or sang this song on his way to the Infinity Stone, and it did fit well with his belief in the events of the Rifts.

"Give yourself to me.." Grendrick ended his song just as the Rift was opened by the old Dwarf and Siph immediately jumped through with a fair gusto, his Bear and Fariha still asleep atop it's back without much rousing yet. Grendrick was the next to go, quickly followed by an eager Marianne, Ayse, Nove, and the rest who quickly found themselves as well as the others in the instant scenario that a Rift presented. Grendrick's leap through the rift was a practiced one no doubt, as he took several steps back and ran forward the short distance on all fours to leap through and get some distance on his exit, propelling himself past Siph, and a few feet forward onto the bridge. Grendrick immediately put his height and design to great use as he raised his nose to the air and chuckled under his breath with a menacing demeanor.

"Skaven.. pests if nothing else." Grendrick growled as the chuckled subsided into irritation and anger. He smelled Skaven, Dwarves, and their poison faintly, but he searched the air for every last scent possible, before he took to surveying the scene with his sharp eyes. The elaborate and hardy stone-work and masonry of the Dwarves of this place and time was a master-piece all its own and a grand thing to see in it's lime-light rather than as a dusty old ruin. Grendrick was not as dull as the group had believed, or hoped, for what seemed like those who wished Grendrick to not exist among the group at all, but they wouldn't be so unhappy should they potentially listen to him. This is where the lupine came in handy most of all, combat.

“So, what are we doing, then? Better decide quickly, I doubt the rat-men are so patient.” Sylvia began to scan for weaknesses within the Skaven formation, trying to find the best route through or around them.

"I will tell you exactly what we are doing.." Grendrick turned to face the gathering as a whole. "It is decided, we are working from the front, so far you all wish to save these Dwarves, and thus we shall in turn do so. Nove, Gormarr, and Siph, should you listen to me, I want you three behind me, staying back here for the moment. Marianne, Ayse, Sylvia, and Fari... Hold on.. Fariha is still.." Grendrick hated the simple fact that he had to break his game plan so comedically due to the fact that Fariha was still asleep atop the Den Mother of Siph's. He would walk over to the Great Bear, slide down on all fours and commune with the Bear in a way only a Beast could to another. Grendrick slowly stepped past the bear, gliding his side against the Bear's and rubbing softly before standing and Fariha by the waist and raising her up to sit, and Grendrick shook her a moment to rouse her from her slumber. "Awaken. We are discussing business." He added before finally stepping away from her and letting her awaken fully, once she had done so, he continued on his way with his instructions. "Marianne, Ayse, Sylvia, Fariha, and Alya, will take up the rear behind us with support and suppresion." He spoke before letting out a huff of anticipation to an irritating set of potential remarks. "No, I am not doing this because you are females, so don't even assume that. Your skils sets will be best utilized from the back-lines, where your attacks and methods won't be seen. Gormarr, Nove, Siph, and myself will ensure that they don't reach you, and that they fall. However before the fight even starts, I have a personal tactic I will be employing, and it will be happening right now."

Grendrick went silent, and ultimately he gave his instruction and beliefs, and didn't wait for any return from the group. He cared not what they felt of his plan altogether, if they liked it or believed it smart, they would follow in suit, but in turn his plan was simple, and that was the nature of the Skaven, simple. His plan wasn't about elegance but rather the utilization of each member's skill set to the fullest, and he was about to use one from his that few others could pull off as he stanced himself, taking several long strides forward on the bridge an putting several feet between him and the group, his body compressed and his figure curled up tightly and before they knew it Grendrick had launched himself forward. He sprinted on all fours at a bounding speed and came to a grinding, claw-sparking halt just a few yards from the Skaven. His claws tightened against the stone ground and began to dig in marks of rock dust that puffed beneath his curling hands, and his body coiled up with his head being brought down into his chest, and then.. Grendrick exploded. The Lupine Beastman unleashed a howl, a deep, unearthly howl that seemed to shake the ground beneath the Skaven almost literally, the sound was unparalleled in this world, a blood-curdling sound that would instill fear into all but the absolute most hardy of men and women. It was the howl of a creature far beyond anything of the natural world, something so devastating, something so chill-instilling, it made one's skin crawl, one's bone ache, and one's heart stop.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

Siph. Barou.

Grendrick watched the unfolding scenario with a snarling nostril at the event. Despite it's somewhat present hilarity, to Grendrick it was more of a nuisance than anything at all. He desired to get this under-way and now he was being held up by none other than Siph Barou and his companion. He was certain the others should know of Siph, but he didn't put it behind the newbies to be lacking in their knowledge of the highest ranked Rift Adventurer. There was one misconception that Grendrick now realized was tall-tales of the Man, as his height was merely eight feet tall. Granted he was a mountain of a man, Grendrick stood ten at his lycanthropic posture, and that made him shake his snout almost laughably at the nature of men's tales. Despite these tales and the nature of what made Grendrick release a subtle growl-laced chuckle, he was not against meeting Barou in his gracious nature.

"Aye, pleasure to meet the great Siph Barou. Though great seems to be a bit of a white lie now.. clearly the old Girl is better than you." The Lupine stated, with a hint of a joke on his tongue as he stepped past a few of the members around the table and surveyed Siph with a pair of keen eyes, and then his companion. "She is clearly the one who brings home the coin. You must be her trophy husband." Grendrick quipped again before passing the male and extending his lupine hand to brace onto Barou's shoulder, a gentle nature to it as if controlled and refined from one person to another, something completely unexpected and out of nature for Grendrick. He did so while speaking with a nod of his snout. "I will be at the church, collecting my Bloodshard. My armor is already marked with Sigils, and while I would enjoy staying and talking, I would rather us all prepare ourselves for the task ahead. I am ready for the Rifts, and tired of idle waiting so excuse me if I seem rude, Barou but I must be ready for this endeavor. Despite how anyone might feel of me, I prefer preparation as to speculation, and I intend to get us all through the Rifts alive."

Grendrick spoke and while his lupine voice made everything he said always sound furious and menacing, he was rather sincere and was speaking with the notions of what the others might not have perceived of him initially. He did in fact plan to lead, and lead his way, but with the presence and power to keep them all alive. He had been surveying them all this whole time, the concept not spoken but practiced. He was planning, plotting, analyzing the way few know how to do in the way he does.. as an Alpha, or the being aspiring to be the True Alpha. Artemis had her thoughts, the people around the table, and surely even Siph had thoughts of Grendrick, but none of them would ever truly know the dealings of Grendrick LeFloure's brain, and his spirit. He accepted this nature of himself and of others, however he always enjoyed proving them wrong in time as he had down to many previously who believed with false knowledge. This was only more of a lingering thought though as Grendrick had passed on to the hole ade by Siph and the Bear and he made his way out of the Guildhouse.

A few moments later and Grendrick was now out and about the city, the location of the Infinity Bridge was among the Tower itself, but around the Tower was a bustling city of quite the marvelous nature. It was here that he had a few things to tackle that he would rather not have the group knowing of and was partially a reason to leave earlier than the others. Though his explanation to Siph wasn't a lie as Grendrick did despise idle time wasting, and he was sure not to do so in the City errands he was doing. Before his trip to the Church he forced his way into a few back-streets of the City before reaching a building tucked away in the depths of Alleys and squares that was initially owned by the Iron Hands, and while the agents inside were Iron Hands Agent's, there was one who would be meeting Grendrick outside for a "walk" in which the two would discuss some matters of business.



"Lady Stockton." Grendrick growled lowly as a woman stepped away from the closed door-frame and then took a stride beside Grendrick's own. She was petite and slender, long legs gliding as she kept his pace.

"The Hound." Lady Stockton said in a monotone voice that flared only with the accent of a Silvershire native. She was a native to his home town, an old friend of his Wife's to be exact. She looked up from the street for only a split second as she glanced at his snout and his glaring eyes as they trailed the path into the square. "You will be taking up your hammer soon, aye Smith?" She asked him as they passed a small fountain in a residential rotunda of homes.

"Indeed, the coals are shimmering, and the forge will soon be hot and bright." Grendrick replied and let his body shift slowly as the pair stopped at the fountain and Grendrick stretched his large body out slowly. He rolled his shoulders and then raised his snout high in the air, extending his body towards the sky before it folded back slowly and he shook his head like an angry wolf. "When the iron is hot, I will mold it into a fine crafted piece. Then you can ship it to the customer, aye, Courier?" Grendrick asked the female as she seemingly ignored him and stared into the water of the fountain a few feet away. She kicked one heel up and had a smile of whimsy across her face as she replied.

"Aye, aye. Wings like a bird and speed like the wind! A flick of the wrist and a wisp of breath and the craft shall reach it's destination!" She spoke now with the lack of her previous monotone nature. She was now upbeat and happy, her silver hair fell from her hood and she spun on her one heel as she pushed up off the bearing of the fountain to frolic a moment around the square. All the while Grendrick merely smiled in a way few understood without realization of a Werewolf's smile, while he took his leave.

Moments passed as Grendrick exited the residential area and moved back towards the main-stay of the city. The Church closed into sight and he finally felt that itch in his spine begin to ease away. He could feel the oncoming of his desire to hunt and descend the Rifts peaking which made the small itch cease and turn into a hair-standing sensation. He could barely contain his own desire and urges, which led his walk to soon turn into a sprint, however a lycanthrope sprint was unlike the normal. He quickly leaped forward from his hind legs and his arms extended outward as he began to pounce and sprint, his lupine figure reaching great speed as he darted through the streets and then passed a long railing and then he climbed the stairs into the massive Church. His speed quickly declined as he passed through a pair of pre-opened gates and a single yelling Church-member shaking a long rod at Grendrick as he stormed passed and slowed to a halt before the Alter. There he panted and took a few heavy breaths as a representative slowly approached him with his Bloodshard, and a scowl, as well as yet another of the long rods which quickly met Grendrick's head and a large huff of anger from the lupine.

"Grendrcik! How many times'ave we told'ya to stop rampagin'n'ere like a mongrel!?" The representative, now revealed to be an older lady, scolded him with great disdain and apparent association. "Get'yer Shard and get'ut you mutt! Always a'bargin'in like a pesky pup wantin' food! Get! Get on out of here now!" She yelled and shook her stick at him as she prodded his back and forced him to leave with a haste that rivaled his own arrival. She was not putting up with him today, and he had retrieved what he had came for and was being power-housed by a little old lady now. However he didn't entirely find the situation unlaughable as a series of rough huffs containing laughter-like sounds was heard from his snout as he made his way out of the door.

This concluded his essential errands and all that remained was pressing on to the meeting at the Infinity Bridge, which of course meant meeting inside the tower, but not at the Infinity Bridge. This is why Grendrick took his time and held his urge under control, he had seemingly pressed through his urges and was yet again back to the realization of how he would have to wait and sit idle while everyone came together and everything was permitted to continue. This is why once he found the meeting location, he took a seat atop a chaise-like chair and stretched himself out like a relaxing wolf, and awaited the slow arrival of everyone else, but for now he would wait alone.

Endless Quest - A Fantasy Dungeon RP

There was a bit of hesitation in him now. Some inkling of a worry that a fight would break out but he pushed it behind his warm greeting and determined grit. “You have my blade, Wolf-guy. You all do."

"Hey there! I'm Fariha~ I couldn't help but notice your.. friends. I've never met someone with such companions. May I know your name?" She greeted with a warm smile, extending her hand toward the young girl.

"Yes, I will admit they are quite an... unorthodox choice for companions. But alas, it was what fate has given for me as I just seem to have an uncanny connection to their kind," she continued with a wry smile.

"My name is Marianne. Marianne Silverflame. It's a pleasure to meet you, Fariha."

Gormarr heard what the werewolf said about there groups name. "To long it needs to be short and quick to say." he replied as he downing another class of the red wine.

"Perhaps we should name ourselves after getting a feel for our groups capabilities in action?" She spoke up after finally finishing the paper work, addressing her words toward the Lycan and Artemis.

"It might help, now that we aren't all so distracted, to tell each other a little about ourselves. Where we've been, what we've done or still do, and why we're here. I know it's a little invasive, but we're all going to be working together from this point on. Getting to know each other and our expectations. Since I made the suggestion, I'll go first."

"My name is Ayse Temer. I'm a member of the Church of the Endless Ones and a part of the church's Order of the Salamander. I mostly help out with the sick and the wounded that come back from the Rifts. My specialty is burning away maledictions and infirmities, though if I need to I can sear flesh just as easily as purify it. As for the why... well... I'm looking for my fiance. I hope to find him in whatever Rift he's lost himself in."

Grendrick let other's words fill the room for several moments and as they circled the table and each spoke their peace, either to him or someone else, he surveyed them all. He noted their tones, their body language, their mannerisms, their placements of body. He surveyed them for several moments each, accounting their personality and their descriptions of either oneself or their unspoken visible descriptors. He had been assessing them all long before the final notion was made by this "Ayse" female who spoke about the introductory of themselves. That was what displeased him so highly, a group of adventurers more keen on talking and sharing than making progress. Grendrick knew the importance of knowing each member's skills and talents, but history lessons and personal stories were bland and droll to him in this day. Perhaps a time long ago he might have cared, the old LeFloure would have cared, but Grendrick did no such thing and made it evident.

"Stories of our lives belong in books. You want to know my past, you save it for when business is over." He stated with a low growl and a turn of his snout to the bread. He took a smaller loaf and sheered it in half with his index claw and then took a small block of cheese and lifted them together over his mouth. He dropped the pair in and ate it only to toss a goblet of wine down his snout and then release a subtle huff of annoyance. "My talents and capabilities are all that matter at this point. We have work to do, whether you enjoy the name or not, is your business. I am Grendrick, that is all you need to know. I hunt, I kill, and I take what is mine. I will not back down from our foes, and I will not falter on our hunt. The sun and moon will rise and fall for an eternity before I give in, and even longer before I fall in battle." He spoke with a stern tone, if the people in the room thought his previous tone was displeasing, this would likely cause some internal anger among them. "I have no intentions of spilling my story to you all, their is no sense in it, history is history for a reason. Move on from it, and seek the hunt in front of you, not the one you have failed already."

He finished his words, and he was done now. He wouldn't say another word unless provoked to do so with a good reason. He would accent his silence with another goblet of wine, it had no effect on a man such as himself of his size and make, but the flavor wasn't horrible and to note would be something likely from his former life, as the old LeFloure did enjoy wine with the Wife. However it would be hard to think of such things with no indication that he was once a normal man, and that he once had a life outside of his current one. He refused to speak of it to anyone, he seemed all but lost in his less than friendly desires to become the Apex Predator, the Alpha Hunter. He had already begun this new life, for a couple years he has hunted, fought, and scrapped for his right to grow and rise, to become the Wolf among sheep of Rift Hunters, to become the Alpha among all creatures in this life. The old LeFloure just wanted to protect his lively hood, his town, his wife, he sought her, not power or the top of the food chain. Old LeFloure just wanted his happiness, and now he had all but forsaken Happiness altogether.