Dal'tek watched the others with his continued curiosity. He felt that he could spend years watching each of them, much as he had spent years watching Kali, and still likely never learn everything there was to learn about them. Of course, he assumed that these outlanders, like Kali herself, would not wish to stay in one place for long, and also like the elf, they would wish to move on. So Dal'tek decided that he would simply enjoy their presence while it lasted, and learn what he could from them before they left.<br/><br/>His eyes followed Y'vaste for a moment as the blindfolded elf rose and walked a short distance away, towards the edge of the platform. Dal'tek was about to call out to her – with her blindfold, perhaps she would not see the edge? But she stopped at the last moment, and then sat down at the platform's edge, over a hundred feet up form the forest floor. For a moment, Dal'tek believed he heard the woman begin to sing, but it was gentle enough that he could not tell for certain.<br/><br/>The humans and Kali and a few of his kin still remained around the feasting table, talking and eating (or at least, some of them were), when Dal'tek suddenly turned his head to the side. For a moment, he thought he had heard... yes, there it was again.<br/><br/>A scream.<br/><br/>He rose to his feet, his calm visage now turned to one of curiosity – and concern – and made his way over towards the platform's edge, not far from the blindfolded elf. As he neared it, his pace quickened, for he could hear another scream... then another... and what was at one moment a lone cry of pain in the night, turned into a small chorus of sadness and death.<br/><br/>Reaching the edge, he set the end of his staff down onto the platform and looked down towards the source of the screams. Laid out before him now was a scene most terrifying, as if it had been plucked from a nightmare and made manifest. The ground far below them was -moving-, as if crawling with countless insects. But Dal'tek's eagle-like vision bore him the truth: invaders. They were being attacked.<br/><br/>Immediately, Dal'tek turned his head and lifted his face skyward, and let out a loud, croaking bird-like call. It was a simple call, one he had never had to make, and those of his people in the higher branches would instantly recognize the warning: invaders from below.<br/>For those of his people that were nearest the ground, it was already too late.<br/><br/>He turned his head quickly to face the humans and Kali. He spoke quickly, but calmly.<br/><br/>“We are under attack. Unless my eyes deceive me, there are hundreds, perhaps more, and they can -climb-. I suggest that you each make your way to safety – towards the docks. There are boats there. These invaders might be able to climb, but we shall see if they can -swimn-,” he said.<br/>A moment later, a small group of aviari warriors landed on the platform next to them in answer to Dal'tek's call – including Joo'tan and Pal'kar, whom he had taken with him earlier to retrieve the outlanders.<br/><br/>“Try to slow them down. As far as we know, they can not fly. Delay them as long as you can, so that we can get as many of the young away from the village,” the shaman commanded in a low voice.<br/><br/>“But shaman, that will leave the village unprotected!” Joo'tan cried.<br/><br/>“The village is -lost-!” Dal'tek snapped, more harshly than he intended. “And every word we speak means another of our kin slain. Now GO!”<br/><br/>Without another word, the dozen or so warriors, long-spears in hand, simply leaned over the edge of the platform, letting gravity do the rest.<br/><br/>Dal'tek turned his attention to the two humans and the two elves. “The alarm has been sounded. Your friends will likely be guided or carried to the ships. I suggest you head there, as well, on foot, or by air,” he nodded, as a few larger aviari, who obviously -weren't- warriors, stepped forward, offering quietly to carry each of them to the docks.<br/><br/>“Go. Survivors will flock to the ships. Please – protect our young. I will meet you there soon... if I can,” he said, and with that, he gave a last long look to Kali before he, too, leaned over the edge of the platform, plummeting downward – and was gone.<br/><br/>* * * **<br/>The dozen warriors fell from the platform like lead weights – spears pointed downward. Happy and reveling in their slaughter, few of the enemy cared to look skyward, as no resistance had come from that direction.<br/><br/>Until now.<br/><br/>The first warrior crashed dead-on atop one of the yanuhs, crushing it beneath its weight. To make sure the warrior would not rise again, the spear tip also sank through the creatures chest – and into the ground beneath it, the fall and the aviari's weight providing ample momentum to pin the dead warrior to the ground where it crumpled.<br/><br/>Like massive stones, eleven more of the aviari warriors chose targets as well, spears skewering any unfortunate enough to be in their path as each of them quickly pulled their spears from the corpses of dead invaders, for even though they had surprise for a moment, as well as speed and momentum, now they were earth-bound. And where a handful of yahnus may have died or been badly injured, there were countless numbers set to take their place.<br/><br/>The twelve knew that they were doomed, but their shaman had ordered them to buy time for their kin – and they would sell their lives doing just that. This particular aviari village was a peaceful one and had not seen open warfare in generations. But a few held to the warrior's path – fewer each year – and now that shortsightedness was being exposed brutally.<br/><br/>They fought bravely, they fought well – but they died the same as the yahnus instantly reacted, their own training kicking in instantly as they set upon the small cluster of armed resistance. The first clash of weapons sounded through the forest, mingled with the screams of the dying and the stomping feet of the invaders.<br/><br/>Dal'tek alighted on a platform lower towards the ground – but still a fair distance above the chaos. His heart wept as his sharp eyes could see the many dead bodies of his people scattered about the ground. With a force of will he pushed that to the back of his mind, for he knew if he and his few remaining kinsmen didn't do something -now-, the body count would simply continue to rise until -all- of his kin were slain.<br/><br/>The shaman saw the small band of warriors he had sent to their doom being set upon by a virtual horde of these highly trained enemies. Quickly, he raised his staff, and the quartz gem set into the end of the long, ivory-white wood flared to life, a bright red hue – the color of blood. He felt the sudden drain on his body as part of his own spirit quickly left his person to 'power' his spell, and the results were almost instantaneous.<br/><br/>Below, the ground itself responded to the nature shaman's will. Roots, vines, tree limbs... all of the plants in a large area began to -move-, slowly at first, but quicker with each passing heartbeat. Dal'tek could see the effects immediately as some of the attacking warriors tripped, stumbled, and caught themselves. Many became entangled, unable to pull a leg or foot free from the thick vegetation that sought to engulf them. Those yahnus unlucky enough to be nearest some of the smaller trees were gripped by thick, powerful limbs and branches – and simply crushed beneath nature's wrath.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, the yahnus did not panic – they simply adapted like the skilled and disciplined wariors that they were. Weapons hacked, comrades assisted one another, and though a few yahnus were slain, most were unharmed and only slightly delayed.<br/><br/>It didn't matter. The large number of yahnus that were delayed weren't actually -needed-, as the few who escaped the area of the spell were more than enough to cut down the aviari warriors that had valiantly launched what little counter-offensive was possible. So harshly they fell, so quickly, Dal'tek could not believe his eyes. Pal'kar fell to the ground, lunging with his spear, embedding the wicked obsidian-tip into the thigh of an onrushing yahnus... but was then summarily cut to pieces by a pair of its comrades.<br/><br/>Anger welled-up in Dal'tek's heart, quick to be born, and quicker to surface. He lifted his face skyward, issuing forth a quick chant. Raising his staff, the gem flared again – and despite the clear night sky that could be seen through the cracks in the foliage overhead – a soft rumble of thunder echoed across the forest, as if heralding the arrival of an imminent storm.<br/><br/>Dal'tek lowered his staff, pointing down to the center of a large group of yahnus. Immediately, the air was ripped by the shredding sound of a thunderclap, and a jagged white bolt struck the middle of the group. The one unfortunate yahnus that was in that particular spot simply... vanished, his form outlined in brilliant white for a split second before she was just... gone. The impact sent his nearby comrades flying, deafened and disoriented for the moment.<br/><br/>Dal'tek shouted out other words in his language, pointing to two other spots, and this time a brilliant bolt of lightning arced down from the sky, forking into two bolts and striking the two spots he had pointed at, with similar results.<br/><br/>The shaman staggered... the anger in his heart ebbing away, replaced by fatigue... he was not used to this. He had been a vessel of nature his entire life, but never had he struck with such rage before, and his body was simply not prepared for it. As he began to draw the attention of those on the ground below, he staggered a few paces away from the edge, leaning heavily upon his staff that had by now grown dark once more.<br/><br/>Precious seconds. That's all he and his kin had managed to buy. There would be time for mourning later, time for disbelief and shock later, time for rage and vengeance later. But despite all his actions, and those of his doomed kin, how many of the creatures had actually fallen? Ten? Fifteen? What did that matter to a fierce force that numbered into the several -hundreds-? The cause here was lost. To remain here was folly, and he knew it.<br/><br/>A sound to his left grabbed his attention, and he turned just in time to see one of the yahnus climb -over- the edge of the platform from beneath it. They were faster than even Dal'tek had imagined, as the warrior closed in giving Dal'tek a closer look at them. Three eyes... prehensile tails... they were unlike anything he had ever seen. And they were quick. The enemy drew its weapon from over its back and was on the shaman in a split-second. The aviari dodged the first swing, blocked the second with his staff – but could not stop the third. The yanhus blade cut through his shoulder, sending a slender spray of blood and feathers onto the platform next to him.<br/><br/>The yahnus's follow-through, though, gave Dal'tek the moment he needed, though he took a blade to gain that tiny increment of time. His free hand snapped toward the yahnus, and with a single word the shaman called upon the force of nature once more, sending a controlled, concentrated blast of wind into the enemy's chest... lifting him off his feet and backward a dozen feet, more than enough to send the attacker off the platform and over a hundred feet down to his death on the forest floor below.<br/><br/>Pain shot through his shoulder and his arm – the wound was a nasty one, and had it been a few inches to the left, it would have taken part of Dal'tek's neck along with it.<br/><br/>Another noise to the side drew his immediate attention. Apparently, not all of the outlanders had departed with his warning. One of the smallest among them, the human Verita, had stayed behind for some reason and now found herself cornered by three yahnus slowly closing in on her. Strangely enough, the yahnus had sheathed their weapons, and were apparently trying to -capture- her alive.<br/><br/>Narrowing his eyes, the quartz at the end of his staff flashing a brilliant red once more, Dal'tek turned and directed his focus at those three enemies. He had to be careful - being so close to the woman, Dal'tek's magic would have to be carefully used lest he strike her by accident. But Verita was a guest still, even as his home was being ravaged around him, and the shaman was determined to see her -leave- the village safe and sound - one way or another. Weariness creeping through his limbs with every passing moment, he raised his staff, prepared to do whatever it took to protect the human.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>