Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 22: The Hunt

[Mercakete]

"Not everyone knows what it means. I generally avoid those of rank," Beau replied, returning to his work, "Besides, I would never be able to return home if I somehow lost my signet. As for the war, I can see that and I have noticed how much this patchwork retinue is in need of those who can wield a staff. That is a reason why I am still here. Yes, you are correct: I did sneak away from my escorts. I left to explore the countries I was taught about, to practice the use of my staff and light and... My other reasons are my own."

He stopped himself as he finished healing then rather unceremoniously moved onto healing the next person, letting his frustration give him an extra, little boost of power. (He'll likely be an obediant general and send me off to my father. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. At least this proves that our military is competant. Even so, why now?)

[Snike]

Stubborn

"So, basically, you're relying on your savior here to soften the lich up, and then attack? That doesn't solve the problem. You would still be too weak to actually DEAL with her. Knowing Helenos, she'll just slip out and lay another trap, and you will walk right into it, just like here, except, this time, neither I or Miss Earth Dragon will be around to bail you out. The undead dragon is not one to launch a direct attack, unless she has the targets outnumbered ten to one. As for the inability to kill her, she's a slippery little cretin. It's been over twenty-five years since I've began the hunt, and she manages to get away at the last moment, only to resurface several months later," the Hero said, replacing Hauteclare onto his back. "Considering I doubt Miss Earth Dragon here has been active for very long, it really doesn't surprise me that her 'sister' hasn't died yet."

[the_whistler]

The healing finished, the general decided to talk to the Bellmire later. His healing capabilities were certainly useful, but now knowing who he was it would be rather problematic if the boy were to get injured. For the boy's sake and his own, he decided it would be best if the healer stayed. Not to mention I revealed my own current location. I'd rather not send Jasmine or Viveka all the way back to Elyisimia, so sending him back will have to wait it seems.

Walking forwards, Conrad identified the owner of the unfamiliar voice. He looks familiar... but I can't be sure I'm right. Which of those noble gatherings or parties did I see him at, anyway? "Were you the one who defeated Helenos?" he asked, addressing the man who was talking to Morgan. That woman may as well be the Earth Dragon he is referring to.

[Phoenix]

The Kiev

Once Amari was healed, Kiev came a bit closer not needing to guard the fire proof Isotov anymore. He wasn't concerned about the two children however. They were just children and hardly a threat. Probably allies even. He quickly tried once again to mimic a nicker to greet her with, and though it didn't sound anything like a horse, it was still an incredibly obvious attempt at a nicker. Sooner or later he would learn how to communicate with the hero horse and then they could coordinate.

Other Folks

Once Chase was up, Lev ventured back over to Krinkov and his passengers just in time to hear Jace's latest complaint. While he could see both sides of the argument, to him it was a simple matter. Either they were going to kill Helenos, or she was going to kill them. They couldn't rely on the earth dragon to follow them straight into the fight, but they also couldn't rely on either Jace or the dragon for protection. Offense was the only way he could see to protect themselves from another incident like today, though success on offense relied on speed. Helenos had had more than enough time to set up a fortress as it was. But there was one other factor Lev quickly noted. The Demon King. While Jace and Tanair were hardly guarantees, the Lord of Azure Flame most certainly was. With that in mind he simply shrugged as he came up to Krinkov's side. He spoke softly so his voice would hardly carry far, not even ten feet under the noise of the flames in the distance.

Lev: We need to get stronger ... a lot stronger ... but she's far from invincible.

Meanwhile Iso tried to remain calm while Kelas leaned on him. A slightly shocking role switch to be sure. Suddenly he hoped he wasn't making her uncomfortable whenever he had done that. Thinking back to his incident with Viveka in the early morning and making a quick comparison, he figured if it wasn't nearly that enraging, there was nothing to worry about, though he did have to wonder why none of that was bothering him.

Irina after dealing with Arrin and finding that she was out of vulneraries quickly returned to the gathering and looked around. Kiev was over by Amari making noises again, Iso and Kelas were ... sitting down ... just sitting down it looked like, her other wyvern was nervously staying put, and the hatchling and eggs were still with Krinkov. Feeling she should check on them and see if Niket was hungry, she came over to find Morgan and an unfamiliar woman sitting behind Niket and the eggs. She tried to ignore them both and simply came closer to Niket.

Irina: Hey there, how're you doing?

Lev: He's guarding the eggs with Krin like a good boy. He's been good, really. I'd give him a treat. Also I'm going to go look for Tas once we leave the city. I'm taking Kiev since Krin's too overloaded to fly.

Irina: Tas, right. W-wait, Kiev?!

Lev: Don't look at me like that. Kiev can be ridden by people other than just you. That's what happens when you don't train a wyvern the way Aleks and Ivanko told you to.

Irina: He'll just let you ride him? No questions asked? Like not just ride, but steering too?

Lev: What can I say? You trained a horse.

She mumbled a bit under her breathe feeling a bit insulted. The mercenaries had prided themselves on having personal wyverns that only they could ride. Irina wasn't concerned with someone riding Kiev, but Lev came across in such a teasing way. It was obviously bothering her.

Dreams

As usual, Mana was approaching him with some issue, and he didn't have nearly enough context.

Ixion: Hmm ... I suppose you shouldn't be able to do that? And I suppose this is somehow related to our progress? If that's the case then I require two things from you. One, proof that both are connected, and two, some sort of reason to care. I mean no offense by this but you seeing things in your sleep is hardly reason enough of and by itself to abort a nearly completed endeavor.

Miranda: Maybe she's having wild dreams about you and that's bad enough?

Ixion: ....

Miranda: ... "wild" dreams.

[-Cynthia-]

"We have been growing stronger over the course of our journeys, but I think most of us would require more time to train than we actually have. We could use more allies...and quickly. Unfortunately, the Reformists are trying to kill us as is the Lord of Azure Flame, so the enemies of our enemy really are not our friends. We are outlaws in Elyisima, and Halton and Septimus have decided to start a war for some reason. Can the Ivanko Mercenaries provide us with anything more than items?" Morgan asked Lev.

[Script]

Luc Altair

Luc kept himself near Charlotte in case any difficulties came up. They were inevitable, if not from the Princess but from Derek as well, so staying near them for the next action would be wise.

A Paul

"Time to get this gravy train rolling." Paul paused. "Wait, what's a train? What's gravy too? Hmmm, I think I've had gravy, so that exists. But what the hell is a train? Ah well, those thoughts can be solved later." Paul nodded at his wise wisdom. The spy dropped down a few poles, and grasped the items with his feet. They gave him about another foot in height if he angled just right. And he didn't want to just go and walk up to Jace without being only 2/3rds shorter than the man. Why, then it's just plain annoying having to crane your neck so much just to talk to someone.

The spy of Directus walked up to the Brute and secretly marveled a his size. Had he gotten taller? Or had Paul gotten shorter again? Oooo, hope it was the second one! It made the saddlebag rides so much easier. "Hey Jace," he said. "I need to speak with ya all private-like."

[Inactive Account]

"Demons only wreck and burn; they are not so different from humans really," Tanair replied with a shrug. "Helenos corrupts, which I cannot allow."

--------------------------------------------

"I think she's all right, she been healed, she's a strong one," Tobe reassured Henry, hugging Amari around the neck. "I just wanted to make sure. An' I said watch those ones, else they's going to wander off while I checks the others." He moved on to see if Altion's generally unfortunate horse was all right.

[Phoenix]

Mercenaries

At Morgan's question Lev gave a cute smile.

Lev: Well you've got me. In all seriousness though we are a mercenary company so it takes gold to get most kinds of assistance. Even the shields were paid for by our Halton companions if I recall correctly. I'm not sure what we could really do about someone like Helenos though. If Ixion wouldn't be enough to turn the tables on her I doubt anyone else would be able to. He's not really one of us though so I suppose you don't need money to get him involved. (Not that I recommend getting him involved with what he's planning at the moment)

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan rolled her eyes at the dragon's shortsightedness, but decided further discussion with her was pointless."Ixion has some talent and Ivanko is supposedly a great warrior. The other mercenaries can serve as cannon fodder at the very least. Still, you have the point that I do not possess enough funds to hire an entire mercenary army." Morgan gave an exasperated sigh. "Why is it that people think the Lord of Azure Flame's return is the perfect time to fight each other? If we could somehow stop the fighting and rally the people we could organize them against the demons, but I know little of such matters."

Edited December 30, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Phoenix]

Levski

Lev: Does anyone really believe the demon king's coming back at all?

OOC: I hate one liners but it's late.

[Snowy_One]

"Ixion. Please slap her for me. If I slap her, I might keep slapping her, and won't stop until my hand is bloody."

---

Altion's horse had, somehow, managed to escape from the fierce combat largely unharmed, as had his master. Sitting on top of his steed, Altion had been engaged in the combat as well, his armor plating managing to protect him very well from the monsters assault. However, despite his best efforts, Gluebag had shown to be very disobedient! VERY DISOBEDIENT! Turning and rushing away from the undead, Altion had only been able to get two rounds of combat in before losing control of the animal and being forced away from the giant undead dragon. "Hey. You're that boy that knows stuff about horses, right? Can you help me out? I don't know why, but Gluebag is acting weird. He balked at advancing and rushed away from the undead."

[Phoenix]

Irvinheim

Miranda: Oh relax. It's not like my guess was right on the gold ... or was it?

She gave Mana a sadistic grin before being gestured at to stop by Ixion.

Ixion: Alright, explain what the issue with your dreams and Damian's progress is.

[Inactive Account]

"That's easy enough t' answer, not so easy t' fix," Tobe replied. "He's a riding-horse, innee, not a warhorse, so he still got the sense t' run away from monsters, right? They has t' be trained t' fight, you's lucky he didn't throwed you." The horse was still shaking a bit, he noticed, so he stroked its neck and talked soft nonsense into its ear until it properly calmed down. "'sokay, 'sokay, nothin's goin' t' eat you," he muttered.

[the_whistler]

General Jackson sincerely wished someone would update him on what exactly had happened to Helenos, but he supposed that would have to wait. For now it seemed the group was still debating what to do next. "I think it would be best if we left defeating Helenos to the Earth Dragon over there. Even if she is unable to defeat Helenos entirely, that should buy us enough time to seek out and eliminate other threats, such as the remaining demons or the Reformists," he concluded. "Though they are not the only enemies we have, I believe they have proved themselves to be the most persistent."

"As for rallying the party itself to stop the fighting, I believe that is not necessary. This group will follow, uncoordinated as they are, if they have the incentive, whether it be gold or relations or food or whatever other nonsense," he stated bluntly. "If however you were talking about uniting the three countries to stop fighting, that is far and certainly beyond the capabilities of any one person," glancing back at the man. There's a fair chance this is Jace the Brute himself, but in so far I haven't seen him make a single move towards the princess yet.

[riariadne]

Still disappointed with his performance, Chase silently raged at his own incompetence until noticing yet another person he didn't know. "Ugh, why don't I know anyone anymore?" he blurted out angrily. Thoroughly vexed with the difficulties he was having just keeping up with what he should've already known, it occurred to him that he had missed much more than he thought, and sighed. Figuring all this out is really gonna suck...

Edited December 30, 2010 by Luka Megurine

[Snike]

Belief

"Septimus didn't start a war, we just got invaded, first of all," Jace began, sighing. "As for the Lord, while I do agree that the seal is weakening, to some extent, I honestly don't believe he'll break free so long as your group stays away from the south. Though, to be certain, I will have an old friend check it out at some point, upon my return."

"... Just a moment," he finished upon hearing the spy addressing him. "If you'll excuse me..." The Brute distanced himself from the rest of the group, and as Paul arrived, he said, "Yes..?"

[Script]

A Paul

"Well, you sure haven't lost any of your gusto haha, wait, have I seen you in action before? I think, but well, wait, yeah, that probably doesn't matter, but yeah. Anyways," Paul dug around his cloak and dragged out a scroll. "I was under orders to give you a listing of the current demons these idiots have faced. I don't know why, internal security? Whatever. Anyways, besides the flying dead bitch there's about five other--wait, four, one is confirmed dead, I think--demons to look out for. Big rocky bastard named Petros, a "shapeshifter" named Shanice, some one called Ruby that I've only heard talk about--actually I've only heard talk about Shanice as well. There's one girl that got exploded real good already and the big whamy, though you've already figured that out, is Eric, the little Princess' bodyguard. Ohh oo that was a riot. Nearly gutted them all."

[Ether]

The dragon was huge, and was dealing immense amounts of damage to the Crimson Brigade. After her failed assault on a lick earlier, Aiya was wary of approaching the dragon.

Then, an immense blow.

The dragon was felled, and fled.

'The Brute... here?' Aiya questioned, but the sight of the man was far from mistakable, it was surely him.

"Captain. Captain, are you there?"

The voice rang through Aiya's head, snapping her out of her reverie.

'Yeah... I'm here.' Aiya replied, concentrating her mana into the sending stone.

"Keep track of the Brute. With you so close to him, we can trace his coordinates... hahaha... and he is so, so alone. This is perfect... just don't act hostile towards him."

*******************

Ixion had raised an interesting idea the night before. Wielding both the Gae-Borg... and the Gungnir? Such a thing seemed almost impossible. He had seen dual-wielding Lancers before, the concept was possible, and effective if done right, but those two?

Damian looked to his right hand, remembering the pain of simply gripping Gungnir without suppressing Gae-Borg. Pulling out Gungnir from it's place on his back, Damian held it in his right hand. Bracing himself, he summoned Gae-Borg in his left...

"Tch...!" Azure flames licked the demonic spear, while the heavenly lance began to glow an eerie cyan. Damian's left side left warm... hot, burning. The flames of hell assailed his psyche, while his right was cold... frozen, the whipping winds of the skies above, combating the flames, his own body the battleground.

As Damian retracted the Gae-Borg, the sensations stopped. The glowing of the heaven lance stopped, and Damian dropped to his knees for a brief moment, before standing again.

"This will... take some work."

Returning Gungnir to it's holding place, Damian moved to meet with Ixion. The dark druid seemed confident in the outcome he had envisioned, and Damian had begun to grow optimistic about it.

'To think I might actually conquer this thing... I don't think I have ever felt this way before.'

Then it dawned on him. He had run off, in such a state.

"Damn... sorry Ixion... looks like a detour will be necessary." Damian muttered, running off towards the city of Irvinheim.

Reaching the clinic, Damian opened the door, and stepped inside.

"Angel? You there?"

[Phoenix]

Irvinheim

There didn't seem to be anyone in the area, but a distance voice called out from the next room.

???: Yes, who is it?

OOC: Crud. Three small posts in a row.

[Ether]

"It's Damian. I just wanted to apologize for running out earlier. I wasn't thinking about it at the time, but I must have startled you... are you okay, you sound... off?" Damian said warily, eying the entrance to the next room with curiosity.

[-Cynthia-]

"Yes, part of the problem is that people do not believe in the Lord's return." Morgan replied to Lev. "You think incredibly unusual seismic activity and events like these would be evidence enough, but humans are often foolish creatures. And if I understand things correctly, you instigated several large conflicts yourself so do not act as if you are blameless in this." she said to Jace

"I was speaking of uniting the nations themselves yes. You are right that it is too great a task for only one person, but examine the composition of this group: military leaders from all the nations, princesses, high ranking officers in the largest mercenary force on the continent. Surely you all must be able to muster some kind of forces if you set your minds to it." she replied to Conrad.

[Phoenix]

Forces

Lev: (Interesting she mentions that. It's not a stretch really. Once Zaftra is restored we sure as hell won't just sit back and let the demon king steamroll over us AGAIN. We'd unite for the greater good if only temporarily. For now we're just a mercenary contracting company. How cleverly misleading.)

Other Forces

As Damian drew a little closer, Angel peeked out from the next room donning a bandage on her forehead and a small cloth held up to her nose with a few drops of blood on it.

Angel: Um, yes? Oh Damian? It's okay, as long as you're alright and didn't injure yourself I can forget all about that.

She was silently praying to herself that she wouldn't have to explain exactly why she was in her current state.

[Ether]

"Hey... Angel, are you okay?" Damian asked, concerned. Moving towards the nurse with long strides, Damian tried to get a better look at her injury.

[Phoenix]

On Steady Ground

Angel: I don't know if you felt that earth quake from yesterday ... but there was another smaller one this morning. Maybe an aftershock, but I lost my balance and ... well my nose still hasn't stopped bleeding all the way yet ... or at least I haven't bothered checking.

Removing the cloth it appeared that the swelling had gone down and her nose was in fact no longer bleeding. Sighing in relief she put down the cloth and felt her forehead. It of course still hurt, not as much as her nose, but enough to force a small moan when she checked. Deciding to ignore her current issue, she chirped up again.

Angel: So what happened to you? Why did you leave in the first place?

[Ether]

"Well, I'm glad that it doesn't seem to be anything serious, at least." Damian replied, glad that she was okay.

"I guess it probably doesn't matter now, but this is the least I can do." Damian continued, handing Angel a vulnerary.

"As for me. I had a vision. This lance here, my father's Gungnir... I felt... that this was the key to curing my ailment... when I realized it, I rushed to tell Ixion... what was going on around me didn't even register anymore at the time... I needed to tell Ixion what happened before... it came out again. But I was hasty... I should have been more reserved... and I apologize if I made you worry."