Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 9: Over the wyvern mountain and through the dark woods

[Snike]

"I'm Eric, a traveler from Jerdon," Eric said. "Did we not meet eleven years ago? I was certain that you were the same person. Are you... Alright?" he asked, hesitantly, looking at the woman's pale form.

[Snowy_One]

I... Know you. she said in a weak, weary voice. With a calm aura, she started to crack open her eyes... and then suddenly three more spheres of light shot forth from the goddesses body, two to the north and one to the south, each electing a scream of pain from the goddess; something most assured to have dropped her to her knees had she been mortal. "Please! Make them stop! Eric!"

[Snike]

"... How do I make them stop, Miss?" he asked, drawing his sword. "Just tell me how, and I'll do it."

[Snowy_One]

A painful look crossed the face of the goddess as she looked upon Eric. She didn't doubt his resolve or his capability, but rather what it was that she wanted. "Make them stop healing. Please."

[Snike]

"...!" Eric stopped. "You're... You're the goddess, aren't you? So, to stop the healing... Milady, you are the Goddess, correct? Could you not simply rework the healing magic to draw it's power from the sun and the moon? Or, is there any way you think that the magic can be changed? Otherwise, it may take a while. But, I promise it will be done."

[Snowy_One]

"Ask Kaileen. Kaileen can make it stop until you can free him! AH! PLEAAAAA! RETURN!" A sudden burst of light radiated forth from the goddess, erupting forth like a nova of a star that blasted forth towards Eric; smashing into him, fixing his body, mending his bones, curing his wounds, giving him a second chance to live once again.

[Snike]

"Eric? Please... Wake up. I don't want to be alone, not again! Wake up!"

Princess...?

"Come on, Eric... You can't die here.... Get up..."

Dani...? Why are they...?

***

Dani had given up, and tried to pull Charlotte away from Eric's corpse. The princess was gripping his lifeless hand.

"He's gone, milady," she said, through murky eyes. "We need to get out of here..."

"Wake... up...," Charlotte repeated, one more time. The thunder mage tried to pull her away, but she was clinging with all her might.

"...As you wish, Milady." All of a sudden, to Dani's surprise, Eric's hand gripped Charlotte's, and the trunk began to move. Slowly, it rolled off of Eric, and onto the side opposite the two magic users. Sitting up, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air once more, before turning to the princess.

"Forgive me if I worried you," he said, letting go of her hand.

[-Cynthia-]

"Eric! You're alive!" Charlotte cried happily. "How did...nevermind that's not important." She took out her staff and began to heal his wounds.

[Snike]

"Milady, if you must, could it wait until after the battle before healing me?" Eric asked, pulling out a vulnerary instead. Downing two third of it, he got up on his feet, and helped her up. "I'm alright as is. Honest."

***

Dani was overjoyed at the return of her friend, but she decided that later would be a better time. Standing up, she shot a lightning bolt, and fried the last succubi.

[spoiler=Roll] [2,3,1] = Hit! 9-4 = 5 points of damage! The last succubi is down!

Dani 8/9 HP

Gains 10 EXP

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2573968/

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Irina didn't have time to apply the vulnerary that Iso had given her! She was quickly surrounded! They were all incubi and she didn't stand a chance! Just as they moved into to take her down, Kiev swarmed in and plowed through the group as Irina hauled herself onto the saddle! The two tried to flee, but one of the incubi chucked his lance at her in an effort to bring her down, and it hit! She was grazed but lost her balance and came crashing down near Iso and Katie!

Iso quickly helped her up, but they kept coming!

Iso: You two run, I'll keep them back!

Irina: No way!

Iso: Just do it alright! You're already hurt! Catch up to the others! I'll be right behind you!!

Irina: ... ... ... I can't win this one can I?

Iso: Go on.

Both of them quickly left a top Kiev as several demons charged straight at Iso!

Iso: I just need to score one good shot to throw them off balance, then run-whoa!

Iso barely had time to duck as a spear head came over his head! The incubus pulled back in preparation for another attack! Iso quickly turned around and ran!

Iso: Come on! Think! Think!

He kept running as fast as he could, but the terrain was slowing him down, and they were hopping like grasshoppers to catch up! When they caught him, they tackled, and held him down!

Iso: URGH!!! Let-GOOO!!!

Suddenly, the lead incubus rammed his lance through Iso's stomach! The blade went straight in! The pain that coursed through Iso's mind nearly killed him all on its own! Just before he lost consciousness, he opened his mouth ...

Iso: Proxima ... p-please ...

Suddenly the crimson fire tome reacted! Iso's control was relinquished entirely! The tome quickly lashed out and a bright red light consumed all of them!

While trying to escape, Irina and Katie heard something behind them! They turned around to see all of the grass flash fried, and all of the trees burned to frail sticks! A bright red shockwave of fire spread out and almost caught up to them before dispersing!

Irina: *gasp* ISO!!!

OOC: Esplode :3

This can be time skipped if desired.

[Inactive Account]

The demons were dropping... and then suddenly, there was an inferno where the demons had been. Horses reared, people screamed; the last of the demons perished.

Realizing where the fire must have come from, Kelas was running as soon as the main flames had died down. Sure enough, there was Isotov, passed out and in terrible condition, covered in partially-cauterized lance wounds. The trees were catching; the woods would soon be alight. In this shape he couldn't be moved though... "Tessa! Charlotte! Medic!" she shouted over the growing roar of flames. She cast about for help-- there were Irina and Katie-- this is beyond any of the first aid the three of us might know.

Arrin looked around wildly: the battle had ended abruptly, and... the woods were catching on fire. "We have to get out of here!" he called, but went unheard under a rumble in the distance: thunder. A storm was on its way.

[Kanami]

Reika laughed as the entire incubus group disappeared in a wave of fire, "Should have done that at the beginning" she stated watching as the tree's and flora around her caught fire, "Sweet smell of destruction" she said looking around to make sure the other enemies were properly killed. She noticed a good majority of the group, panicking and running around, apparently someone had been hurt in the blaze, but that wasn't really important, she'd prefer it if the person, whoever it was died anyway.

"Serves them right for playing stupid games and getting drunk" she said to herself, wandering how long the group would stand in the flames before retreating.

[Snike]

As he saw the flames rise up, Eric stopped and watched, in awe, as the flames incinerated the last of the demons. Regaining control of himself, he noticed Isotov, lying face down in the woods. Running towards him, he was beaten to the scene by Kelas, who was busy yelling for a medic. Producing the remnants of his vulnerary, the traveler splashed it all over the mage's wounds, healing them quite a bit.

"He can be moved now," he said, and began to pick the mage up. By then, the fire had ignited the trees, and any time they wasted could be fatal. Finally managing to sling Isotov over his shoulder, careful not to reopen any wounds, the Jerdonian began to run , but stopped, and checked back, on the nomad.

[Inactive Account]

Kelas ran alongside, motioning to Irina and Katie to run as well. Drops of rain began to fall. "The fire should go out eventually," she yelled over the din, "but we haven't got time to find out!" They were approaching the others. "Tessa, Charlotte! Can you patch him up a bit quick? Then we have to run!" She leapt into her saddle, somehow managing to not knock the unconscious Alferis off balance.

"Where are we running to?" Arrin yelled: the woods stretched in all directions.

[-Cynthia-]

Charlotte heard Kelas's cry for help and ran towards the sound. Out of the flames, came Eric with the fire mage over his shoulder. She ran towards them and applied her staff to Isotov. He was healed and the Goddess screamed in pain bwahaha bitch

"Halton lies to the east, so let's go that way." announced Morgan.

Edited June 22, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Inactive Account]

"Shouldn't we be more concerned about where the nearest edge of the forest is?" Arrin began, but realized that that was something they didn't know. "...Then, which way's east?"

"Everyone on a mount!" Kelas called. "I don't care how much you hate each other, share! Irina, get your brother out of here, over the trees if you can! Two to a horse, come on..." As people scrambled to get places, she wheeled eastward, motioning to Arrin to follow.

[Phoenix]

OOC: @ Cynthia XD XD XD

Isotov and Irina

Irina and Katie followed along closely a top Kiev as they made their way ... somewhere ....

Irina noticed that Iso was over Eric's shoulder and being healed by Charlotte! That was surprising but only because of what had happened earlier that evening. She felt compelled to speak up about it.

Irina: E-Eric ... Charlotte ... thank you for saving my brother ... and umm ... I'm so sorry about earlier I really am!

She started bowing her head repeatedly while apologizing. Kiev merely kept his eyes forward so he wouldn't bump into any trees. It wouldn't be the first time Irina's antics had caused him a massive amount of pain.

[Kanami]

"Right, east, back through the town of crazies or around?" she said with an amused smile on her face

"It'd probably be faster to run through it then around it, but there might be a few crazies around." Reika said calmly, not minding the smoke and flames around her, she wasn't immune to burns but that didn't stop her from admiring the red flames as they scorched and destroyed everything in it's path.

Highly amused at the antic of the group she decided to tag along after them, perhaps this'll be more fun then she thought.

[-Cynthia-]

"Oh, think nothing of it, I overreacted earlier." said Charlotte to Irina. "The Lady heals all those in need."

Morgan responded to Reika "Around, provoking more of them would be unwise."

[Snike]

"It's alright," Eric said, wincing at what Charlotte said, placing Isotov securely on Kiev. "Just, go." Seeing the wyvern lift off, he picked up the cleric and placed her on Tessa's horse as it went by, before either of them could react. Finished, he began to run with them, keeping pace despite the speed.

***

Dani, meanwhile, had returned to sitting behind Arrin, and was currently encouraging everyone to run/escape for their lives.

[Inactive Account]

"Go go go!" Kelas waved the others by, pointing them in the right direction, as they mounted up and ran. When all had moved out, she, too, broke into a gallop.

Animals fled before the flames; vegetation crumpled. As the rain fell harder, ash and water streaked clothes and faces. Smoke deepened the darkness; flashes of lightning revealed footing. Mounts tired as the fire's advance slowed. Finally, as the flames were nearly doused, the exhausted group met the edge of the woods, greeted by open plains and a stormy dawn.

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Irina: I-I'll make this up to you guys, I promise!

She'd just managed to get that much out before Kiev lifted off above the trees! Iso was still unconscious, but he wasn't alone. He was having yet another dream, but this time Ixion wasted no time in harassing him.

Ixion: You're ... not very good at this yet, are you, Isotov?

Iso: ... go to hell ....

Ixion: I'm not here to pick a fight with you.

Iso: Then why are you here? How do you always know when I'm out cold?

Ixion: I spend sixteen hours out of every day either meditating, exercising, or both. Your mental state isn't hard to detect because like all of my other assets, you are bound to me.

Iso: ... WHAT ... did you just say?!

Ixion smirked at him, turned around and disappeared in the middle of his walk into the dark abyss.

Iso: ... ... ... what? ... what did he mean?

Slowly he began to come to, his vision was blurry but clearing up quickly ....

[riariadne]

Chase struggled to keep up with the group's fast pace, and was nicked by the flames a few times. At last, they had finally wandered out of the forest. "... Eeep," he moaned weakly. "That was weird..."

[Snowy_One]

"Here's a better question. Why us? I mean, an army of demons shows up and tries to kill us after another army showed up just in time to save us recently. What is going on in hell?" asked Esphyr, sheathing her sword as she carefully passed through the ash and the flame.

Meanwhile, Katie had taken to kneeling beside Iso, cradling his head in her hands as she carefully started to draw another hex symbol into the ground with her foot. She wasn't about to loose him! Not on her watch!

[Inactive Account]

They were out of the woods. The rain was beginning to taper off; light was visible through the clouds.

As they came to the top of a hill overlooking the plains in front of them, Kelas stopped, sliding from the saddle and falling to her knees on the wet grass. "We should... rest for a moment," she suggested, sitting back, offering up a silent prayer of thanks that they'd somehow made it. "If Tessa and Charlotte aren't too tired, we should heal up before we continue, too."