Return to the Valley (Gryphon Bonding) CLOSED

Frisk needed no further encouragement than that, hopping up onto the gryphon's back and wrapping their arms around his neck. They squeezed their eyes shut as they felt his wings flap, and they could guess that they were in the sky not long afterward. They didn't dare look down, nervous about what they might see especially if Verner was one of the winged ones and would have an easy time following them. They didn't want him to go after young Rothik or Elanti, so they whispered "Can we distract him? I don't want him to hurt Rothik or Elanti. And if you get hurt, I should be able to heal you while we're flying." Granted, feeding him magic food might be difficult, so they would have to rely on their actual magic for this. Hopefully things would go their way, though, and that they wouldn't have to worry about him following either party.


Verner, seeing that literally all of his targets were flying and running away from him very quickly, screeched in a very unmanly way, stamping his feet.

"You'll not get away that easy!" he screamed, voice harsh with the pitch and volume of it. Taking a dagger from his belt he slashed lines across the fingers of both hands in turn, then dropped the dagger to flick both fingers out before him and scatter the droplets into the air, chanting all the while. The droplets glittered like ruby dust then whirled in the air. Heated air melted all the snow around the man and a creature much like a winged Caradras with clearly more hellish bloodlings than others, something that didn't belong in Teragaia. Heated, crimson breath steamed from its nostrils with every breath and its mane and tail, more hair-like than a typical Caradras, were green and yellow flames to contrast with its blood-red body. Fearlessly Verner leapt onto its back and grabbed hold of that flaming mane, seemingly without any harm to himself, and yelled, "Follow them!" The beast beat its wings and kicked itself into the air obediently. The creature was just a bit quicker than the Gryphon was, so that while the Gryphon had a head start it was slowly being closed. Verner released his grip on the creature's mane and began gesturing his hands as if gathering up the air. Crackling black and red energy formed between his hands and he flung it with skill towards the Gryphon's wings, trying to bring the noble creature to the ground!


Frisk would have laughed at the sound of Verner throwing a tantrum had the situation not been quite so dire, but Frisk guided the gryphon to dive lower into the trees. The Caradras and Verner would hopefully have a hard time navigating through the trees and it was possible that it would be harder to get a glimpse of them as they wove through the branches and trunks. The crackling magic missed the gryphon as a result, Frisk's hands tightening on their companion's neck. They could do this, they just had to be mindful of his position. They couldn't lead him to the village lest he cause more damage, so they would have to get creative. "Do you know anywhere we might be able to lead him so that he doesn't attack the village?" they asked the gryphon. They had no doubt that Elanti and Rothik weren't heading that way, especially without Frisk to vouch for him, so they had to make sure that they weren't leading him straight to the child. Frisk could only hope that Elanti had gotten Rothik somewhere safe, away from the village and somewhere Verner wouldn't be able to have access to Rothik. Hopefully the gryphon might have a plan that Frisk might not have thought of.

(Nessa)


The stone serpent snarled, a sound of stone grating against stone that should come from no living creature. Granted, whether or not it was an actual 'living' thing was up for some debate. It scarcely seemed to notice the two firelizards, little more than flies to its bulk. Besides they were retreating and it clearly was set to defend the central crystal and its surrounding sentinel crystals. Thus they were insignificant.

Being far quicker than the virtual several tons of rock grabbing one of the glowing shards would prove to be little challenge. Touching it gave no initial detrimental effect aside from a strong tingle in the hand that went up the arm, like electricity that was just shy of voltage to be damaging but would hold some pain nevertheless. The explosion of light would completely overwhelm that of the crystals for the moment it was present and whether in reaction from the magic or Nessa's touch the stone serpent would thrash side to side as if to try and throw her off.

Outside, Zalanth would arrive with Aogami and Miyazu. The light and scent were clear indications of where the action was going down. The problem now was how she was to get to it?

((Your move. You may control Zalanth for this. In addition to being a very large Bronze Mottle with claws and teeth, she has a Sunlight Breath that in particular works well against undead. What it might do against a Stone Serpent....Well, it might or it might not work.))


(Nec)

The Gryphon spotted the dagger a moment after Sealgair, but instead of going for it as well (which might have resulted in a rather painful and time-wasting pile-up) she backwinged at the command, gasped a mental Yes!, and changed course to make for said North Wall. She took to the air, soon breaking over the treetops.

Sealgair, even as she reached the dagger, would hear a rattling sound rise from the trees. Eyes blazing icy-blue skeletons would begin making their way towards the Hellhound. Perhaps they were drawn by the dagger. Perhaps they were under the same command as the Wraith. Who knew. But they were advancing at a quick-step shuffle.

From her place on high the Gryphon also saw the skeletons between the branches on the trees. The gasped, seeing that they were moving to block the way whether intentionally or not, and after only a moment's hesitation she made her choice and dove down, striking at the skeletons she could reach, knocking tree branches down on them, and doing what she could to keep the path as clear as she could.

Meanwhile the Mega-Wraith was maintaining its pursuit, neither gaining nor falling behind. If its sounds were any indication it was getting frustrated by this inability to match the hybrid's speed. But it knew it didn't necessarily have to. It was undead. It's endurance was literally eternal. The hybrid was mortal flesh and blood; eventually Geithre would tire and when that happened….

Solarians didn't swear. It was against their nature, at least to do so by what many counted as swearing. But Keldos did growl through gritted teeth as he heard Zalanth's mental call to him, both alerting him to her situation as well as Apotelesmath's request. Both knew a quick answer: Zalanth's sun-breath. But she couldn't abandon Nessa to go to his aid. Girith and Suylaith also heard the call and thus Raferties, tucked in a reading nook in his shared weyr with Belial and reading quietly, snapped his head up in alarm. His mind was racing even as he rushed for his Between-proof riding gear, feeding his dragons information to pass on as quickly as he could.

No mundane weapons, answered Girith, trying to nudge his riding harness over his head, neck, and shoulders as best he could to help his rider; Suylaith was far too excitable to answer so he'd taken his authority as the elder to request her silence. Certain magic spells. Sun-like or holy powers or breath weapons. They can't be enchanted, paralyzed, poisoned, nor can they be affected by cold or necrotic energy. Most elemental magics and energies don't have the same affect they do with mortal enemies. Some have specific ways they must be killed, while others will be destroyed after being damaged beyond their tether to the mortal realm. Raferties is on his way to help. What neither the blue mottle nor green dragon conveyed and what Raferties himself felt was the concern that between getting his riding gear on, Girith's harness, and getting Between to where they were… would they be in time?


(Frisk)

The Gryphon spared a glance over his shoulder as Frisk asked the question, then turned his attention to their path once more.

Um...let me see... Crimson energy cracked a tree limb overhead, forcing a grunt of effort and a dodge. Even if Verner was unable to follow them directly he seemed to have no problem with taking shots when the foliage parted ways for them or taking random pot shots at guessing where they were. Without going to the village - yes a bad idea clearly, and I believe he's the source of the damage or at least some of it from the magic he's throwing our way - Ah! that was close! As I was saying without going to the village and avoiding any wide open places...I believe there's a narrow ravine just to the east of us. I could probably fly there in only a few minutes, and perhaps we could lose him beneath the rock overhangs? He flinched as a small limb, perhaps half a foot long and an inch around, glanced off of his head and gave it a shake but maintained his flight with only a small bounce off of a tree stump. Aside from that... I don't really have any ideas. I can't fight him; I'm a diplomat more than a warrior. Maybe you should hop off and hide and I can try to occupy him by flying around a while. You could meet back up with the others and make sure the boy is safe.

Behind them Verner laughed, almost wildly. 

"Your time is running out! Even without the boy - my master - he's returning at last!"


Up in the Sky...

All of Keldos' feathers shivered. Yes, there was no doubt about it now. He didn't know how, but.... 

A deep, echoing, multi-tonal laugh rumbled like thunder over the valley. The villagers, recognizing the voice, rushed into their homes in fear. Soon the village was all but deserted, with many hiding in root cellars if they could and taking in neighbors who had damaged homes. Keldos' grip on his sword tightened as a being descended from the red glow. His black feathered wings were ratty and patchy, showing bone in places. His armor was pitted and scorched and disheveled. His face was scarred and one hand was skeletal. His eyes glowed crimson. 

"I sent you to your fate once before, Aral," Keldos challenged, preparing for a rush, "and I shall do so again!" With a call to Solaris the Solarian High General charged at the undead Fallen, their blades throwing white and black sparks in the air as they met. 

At last, the mastermind behind all these events had shown himself!