She'd run for days to get this far, into the very edge of the mountains. It was much warmer here than on the tundra, and much greener. Mheera had never seen so many plants growing so profusely. Even summer on the tundra, when the lichen and mosses grew wild, the small plants bloomed and berries grew, couldn't compare to this. She wanted to stop, to explore, but she had no time.
And... it would be unwise to linger long in one place. Her white fur was no longer an advantage here, among the snowless terrain. While she was certain she'd find no polar bears here, there were always predators, and she knew they'd find her a tasty meal.
Long ears swiveled about, listening for sounds of anything approaching as she finally stopped running, sitting for a moment to catch her breath. She'd have to rest again soon. Stretching her long legs out, she let out a relieved little noise as she tucked one close and began rubbing her pads. She worked at this for a moment before switching to the other foot, then stretched both legs out again.
Removing her cloak, she pulled her pack off as well, and began rolling the cloak up. It was already warm enough that the heavy fur cloak was unnecessary. Hearing something, she paused, looking around to see if she could spot anything... or anyone. "Hello?" She wasn't sure what had prompted her to call out.
((whee, long starter. Looking forward to playing with you guys!))
The portal had opened nearby, and brought Dolnorvi through to this realm. He had roared a few times, pleased with the amount of life in this realm, and how much that meant to the Hive Mind. He examined the plant life, and the nature.
A few seconds later, a portal opened across the small clearing from him, and a group of Vimrani exited the swirling portal, followed by nine Vorhan.
"We are at your service, Dolnorvi..." The foremost Vimrani snarled, while the Vorhan curled up behind them.
Dolnorvi took a sniff of the wind, and caught scent of life everywhere.
"Spread out. If you find life, we will join you in the hunt."
"Tell him to land. Athran, please, tell him to land, I'm getting sick!" Anoriel yelled at Athran, tightly holding onto Maigrod's saddle. Athran shook his head. "We can't land yet. There's no safe ground beneath!" he explained her.
The wind was screaming in their ears as Maigrod's great body gracefully flew through the air, beating it with his huge wings. The tundra beneath appeared calm... They will soon reach Connlaoth, avoid the area by flying east, and return to Serendipity and Adela.
Something deep beneath them moved... Athran glanced down. Something was slightly odd about this movement - should something this big appear in the tundra? He doubted it.
Maigrod, descend. There is something down there and I want to take a look at it. he ordered his dragon.
Dropping the cloak, Mheera quickly slung her pack over one shoulder, reaching for her spear. The weight in her hand was of little comfort, considering she had so rarely used it. 'Shuulo...' The older Dulin who should have accompanied her, he would have wielded the spear with supreme confidence. It was his own spear, crafted by Shuulo's own hands, given to her so in some small way, he was still with her, could still assist her.
She squealed in fright as she caught sight of some ...creature approaching. Mheera was used to being dwarfed by the humans her tribe occasionally traded with, but this thing was huge! "...Mother Moon, help me." She whispered softly, backing away as quietly as she could. Her cloak still lay upon the grass between her and the immense being, but Mheera chose to leave it, both hands clutching the spear tightly, her ears folding back to listen for anything creeping up behind her.
Whatever it was, she had never seen anything like it, nor heard of it in the Dulin's stories. Everything about it screamed predator, and she prayed fervently that it would not pursue her.
Dolnorvi spotted the creature with the spear, and plodded towards it, the nearby Vimrani elites responding to his call.
"What are you, creature? Can you talk?" The booming, deep voice of Dolnorvi spoke everything of doom and death that could be said, all silently underlying every word it spoke.
"If you cannot talk... Well. We'll get to that..." Dolnorvi snarled, his huge form shaking the ground he trod on.
His eyes glowed as he scoured the landscape, keeping his focus on the rabbit-person as he examined the greenery.
There were numerous creatures of terrifying appearance, moving towards a small white figure. It didn't seem peaceful at all... A deep voice of the biggest monster roared through the air.
Athran pressed himself onto Maigrod's neck, his eyes glaring below. He wasn't sure whether he should step in, or simply fly over... The dragon growled. There is something going on and I don't like it. Those things don't seem nice...
I know. Do you want to fly down there and take a look at them?
Yes. Maigrod emitted an outright massive, stone-shattering roar, echoing from the sides of the mountains. Athran joined him with a loud scream, and the black dragon begun descending in great circles, swiftly making turns above the creatures. Anoriel covered her right ear, tightly clutching the reins that held her in the saddle with her left hand, and closed her eyes from the whirling wind.
Her hands shook as she clutched the spear, bright blue eyes wide with fright as the creature addressed her. That voice! Like something out of the tales of the dark past, it chilled Mheera to the bone, more than any icy wind could. "I...I am Mheera, of the Dulin. T-the Rabbit Folk."
Her thoughts were shattered by the earsplitting roar from above, her ears twitching madly. 'Run! Hide! It'll eat you!' Base instinct screamed at Mheera, and in a flash, she turned and ran. Long legs pounded the ground as she fled, dodging around trees almost without conscious thought.
Life in the tundra did not prepare one for climbing trees, but neither was it kind to the unathletic. She leaped, reaching for a branch that stood well over her head, and caught it. Pulling herself up, Mheera clung to the trunk, praying she was high enough to go unseen by the creature on the ground, and hidden enough to avoid ...whatever it was in the air.
'Please, Mother Moon. Everyone is depending on me, I can't fail. I can't die out here, my tribe will perish if I do. Please, help me.' Shutting her eyes tightly, she prayed frantically, hoping desperately that just maybe, the two creatures would focus on each other, and not her.
Dolnorvi heard the roar, and matched it with his own, more unearthly sound. Then he pointed a sword tip at the Dulin.
"Kill the Dulin! Get her!" Dolnorvi willed wave after wave of Fenresk horde after her, and the Vorhan sped along in their subterranean assault.
Dolnorvi turned to the dragon however, and waited to see what it would do, wondering if he might need to perhaps get some Hakri reinforcements.
Athran's eyes were glued to the small white figure. Those beasts were clearly going to rip the rabbit-like creature to pieces... Who knows what it was, but it was definitely rather helpless in such an uneven fight.
He leaned aside. Maigrod, fly to the trees and snatch that white thing. But avoid the big monsters...
It's in the tree. It will be difficult. Maigrod growled.
I know... Come to think about it, I'll grab her myself. Athran replied. He was calm on the first sight, but in reality, his heart was beating even faster than the dragon's wings. They have to be quick.
Maigrod bolted forth, aiming to the trees. The elf let go off the reins and turned to the side, preparing to grab the small figure with his hands and pull it to the saddle before him. Maigrod made a wide turn... Athran reached out for Mheera, and clutched his hands around her shoulders.
Hearing the creature speak again, Mheera uttered a thin squeal of fright. Clapping a hand over her mouth. There wasn't any coherent order to her frantic praying, the Dulin internally shrieking every name of the Moon Mother jumbled up with frantic pleas for help. She was going to fail, the tribe was going to die...
The sound of something approaching at high speed finally made her open her eyes. They immediately widened in fright, Mheera recognizing the creature swooping toward her. A dragon.
Grabbed by the rider, she clung to him, burying her face against him. He must have been sent to help her. She was still shaking, trying to calm down. Were they safe?
Something very interesting began to happen to the Fenresk. The all returned to Dolnorvi, whereupon, the slaughtered each other, until but one remained. The corpses of the others seemed to dissolve, and the Fenresk warped as the fluid matter entered it's form, becoming a large winged being like Dolnorvi. It WAS a winged Dolnorvi.
Dolnorvi's form disintegrated, the mass clumping together as new Fenresk, and Dolnorvi took flight after Maigrod, roaring as his minions raced along the ground, trying to keep pace with their leader.
The beast is following us! There was a hint of surprise in Maigrod's growl. Athran nodded. Unfortunately, it's true. I know about it.
We must escape it... I'll fly as fast as I can over the mountains.
Anoriel grabbed Mheera, holding onto her with her soft hand, and clutched Athran's arm with the other one. She kept her eyes closed, concentrating only on not panicking. Athran and Maigrod can surely handle this, like many other situations before. They will all escape alright. They'll be safe...
Maigrod's wings were beating in the air as he pushed his slender body forwards, racing with the wind. It wasn't the limit of his speed, but like this, he could only fly so long before losing his strength and having to land. Now it didn't matter... If they won't escape fast, they won't escape at all.
Each roar from the creatures pursuing them sent another shudder through Mheera's body. The Dulin remained utterly silent, continuing to besiege her deity with prayers. She prayed for the dragon to be swift, for their safety, for the things pursuing them to be slowed, and fervently thanked the Moon Mother for her rescuers.
One hand still tightly clutched the spear, her reflexes alone had kept it in her hand when she'd been plucked from the tree. The touch of another had Mheera finally turning her head a little, her eyes seeking out the other's... another elf, it seemed. She gave the woman a grateful, nervous smile, even though the elf wouldn't see it. Once they got out of this mess, Mheera would profusely thank them all.
"You tire. We do not. Our hunger drives us forward further than motivation and energy will carry your pathetic forms. Your world will crumble under the jaws of the Immense Hunt, with you being nothing but our prey..." Dolnorvi was somehow much faster than this dragon, his wings evolved to have more powerful muscles, morer surface area, more tensile.
More perfect.
Below, the horde of creatures tore through the environment, and soon, three Huanyo joined the fray of Vimrani, Fenresk and Vorhan.
Maigrod's wings were beating into the air faster than the thunder in a winter storm. He reached his limit, the point where his body was so fast that the wind was biting even his own crimson eyes, blowing the scarves on heads of Athran and Anoriel back. The knight was fully focused on the chase, while his sister attempted to soothe the small creature.
"Don't worry. We'll get away and everything will be fine. Athran and Maigrod will fly fast and save us..." she muttered, entwining her slim arm around Mheera's body. She fully trusted her brother and the huge dragon, but there were doubts, appearing in her mind. Can they outrun this creature?
Athran decided to do something he usually would not even try - passed a part of his strength onto Maigrod. The dragon once again overtook the monster behind, making the gap between them bigger and bigger, even though it drained the strength out of his own body, and he felt exhausted. They had to escape, and he would sacrifice more to do so.
Her keen hearing picked up on the woman's words, and she nodded, giving another nervous smile. They would be alright. She believed it. Freeing one hand, she dared to give the dragon a gentle pat, hoping to encourage him.
Mheera could hear the other creature, couldn't quite make out the words with the wind howling in her ears. Just the voice was enough to unnerve her, and she hid her face against her rescuer's back again, praying they'd outdistance it soon.
((short post, sorry.))
Another dragon entered the fray, flying above the horde, but something horrific happened beneath them.
The three huanyo turned to the dragon, and as it breathed it's fire, they projected psychic shields, which blocked every fiery tongue.
Then they fired back, charging their psychic lances, and unleashing them at the dragon, literally blowing it to pieces. Then they turned, and continued to follow the horde, using their psychic charge ability to boost themselves over the long distances.
In the air, Dolnorvi growled at the dragon's increasing speed, and simply followed their scent, unable to evolve anymore this incarnation. His highly adapted nose would track them till he was within touching distance though.
Athran passed yet another portion of his energy onto Maigrod, giving him enough strength to outrun the beasts and leave them far behind, but his own face, half hidden beneath a black scarf, was deathly pale, and he was panting, trying to catch his breath.
Anoriel opened her eyes, hearing the beasts further and further away from them, and gave the girl a soft smile. "Soon, we'll be over the mountains, and there we'll be safe. Trust me. I'm Anoriel... What is your name?" she asked her. It wasn't really important what she said, but the kind tone of her voice was soothing and calm.
The dark rocks of the mountains replaced the green slopes, and Maigrod's flight ascended to the clouds. They appeared soft and beautiful, like a fog, illuminated by the rays of sun into wonderful shades of yellow, orange and rosy...
She refused to look back, although she could hear another creature roaring. The Dulin simply didn't want to see anymore of those things chasing them. As the sounds faded, she started slowly relaxing, and finally turned and smiled at Anoriel. "I am Mheera, of the Dulin. Thank you, for rescuing me."
Any further words were stopped as they ascended, and Mheera simply gazed around in wonder. She'd never been very high, certainly not above the clouds, and she was fascinated with the sight. "...it's beautiful up here..." She whispered softly.
Athran turned his head aside at the sound of Mheera's voice. His lips twisted to a weak smile on his pale face, but it wasn't too convincing, and due to the dark rings under his eyes and scruffy hair, it appeared rather bitter. "Athran, the Black Sword. This," his hand softly stroke the dragon's scales, "is Maigrod. You don't have to worry about us snatching you from those things."
His sister nodded. "It's nothing special. You were in danger, we had to save you." She outstretched her arm to touch the clouds, gazing at them dreamily, when Athran spoke again. "You have to be careful in the tundra. These things started appearing around lately. Are you alright?" he asked, and let the scarf slip off his face.
Dolnorvi didn't speed up, continuing at a relaxed pace. The horde had no scent, and simply followed Dolnorvi until they reached the mountain.
"Kill everything you find that lives!" Dolnorvi commanded, watching the beasts run off in random directions, while he continued to trail the trio.
"I've never seen those things before. What are they?" Mheera spoke softly, her attention on Athran's eyes. Blue, like hers. His were pale too, and she wondered if he was a mage. She nodded to his question. "I'm fine. You arrived in the nick of time."
She sighed softly, ears drooping as she realized she'd left her cloak behind. She'd made it herself, could easily stitch together hides to make another, but it bothered her a little, to have lost it. Sliding her hand up the spear handle, she checked the small, palm sized totems strung on it. All there, thankfully. The owl, moon, and raven totems were still strung on the tassel, emblems of bravery, protection, and cunning.
"Where are we heading?" She asked quietly, finally looking up at her rescuers.
((i am so sorry for the delay, i had a rough few days. Dx ))
Athran shrugged. "I... I admit, I don't know what they are. I can't identify them, they are nothing like anything I've ever seen over five and a half centuries of my life, and I'm a traveler." He shook his head, and turned back towards the direction in which they were flying.
"We are heading soft. We will go around Connlaoth in the east, and then through Serendipity to Adela. I don't know if Athran is planning to go any further to the south, but if yes, then it would be most likely through the Thunderblacks towards Essyrn." Anoriel explained Mheera, covering her with a part of her grey cape. "Aren't you cold? It's pretty freezing up here. Both of us have thick armour and cape, but what about you?"
The Huanyo were the first to catch up, using their infinite psychic potentially to launch themselves over the mountain, using their psychic charge.
A psychic scream resounded around them as they unleashed barrage after barrage of psychic blasts at the flying dragon.
"Five and a half centuries?" Mheera blurted, more than a little stunned. 'He's ...ancient.' She thought quietly, then ducked her head, cheeks warming under all the fur. "I apologize, that was rude. I... I've never been outside of the tundra before, my people don't usually deal with other races much..." She fluffed her fur self consciously, though with the wind rippling the thick white fur, the motion would have been difficult to spot.
Anoriel's question effectively distracted her from the embarrassment, Mheera giving the other woman a small smile. "I've lived on the tundra all my life, cold doesn't bother me much." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Essyrn... Isn't that the city near the great desert? Leeni mentioned it when..." But when the shaman had told Mheera of it, she never finished saying, as the creatures caught up to them once more.
The noise seemed more in her head than in her ears, and it rattled Mheera. Her arm tightened around Athran as she ducked her head, eyes squeezed tightly shut. They'd gotten away before, they could outdistance them again, couldn't they?
Both elves covered their ears with their hands, cringing at the incredibly loud sound. Their senses were keener, but this also carried the problem of loud sounds being less bearable. Athran pressed himself onto Maigrod's neck, tightly clutching the reins, and his sister closed her eyes.
The black dragon sped up again. Anoriel could see Athran shaking in the saddle, a certain sign that he was borrowing him more of his strength. He had a lot of it, but how far could he go before he runs out of it? And without him... She shook her head. That won't happen. They'll outrun them.
Wrapping her arms around Mheera, her hand reached Athran's back. "Yes, Essyrn is the city in the desert. It is great and old... That is the city..." she whispered. Secretly, her own energy passed onto her brother. She could be asleep in the saddle, if she would need it, but they couldn't afford losing Athran's attention for even a minute.
Orbs appeared in front of the noses of the huanyo, slowly growing as they flew, easily keeping up with Maigrod, not needing to expend any energy to reach such high speeds of movement.
Then, suddenly the air seemed to still, and all sound seemed to stop, as if it had all be an illusion.
Until the lances began to sly, the huge beams of energy flying exceptionally close to Maigrod, all the bolts aimed at him.