<blockquote class="uncited"><div>Before he can react, Rutus is rising from the deck, over the railing, and into the open air... then, down, down, down past the the ferry's side and into the mist-shrouded waters below with a muffled splash.</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Theron hadn't expected much out of the tiefling student, not much at all. Perhaps some ranged strikes with a light crossbow or some tossed attack magic - he had seen her pull on the aegis of mage armor earlier - but to see her rush forward so quickly and take out that massive gnoll was entirely unexpected. She moved like lightning and struck like a truck. That gnoll hadn't even had a chance.<br/><br/>The only part of the whole execution Theron found any flaw in was that if left the Gnoll alive if he knew how to swim.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>“….Fine. One. The weasel. He looks tasty. But, If I finish with him, I’m so going for seconds. I’m starving.”<br/><br/>“Rat-girl is mine. Mmm…looks delicious…” </div></blockquote><br/><br/>Eruin and Rea's argument revealed to Theron that the need to handle those flankers and ambushers was already alleviated. That was good - both looked more than capable of handling such small meals and would soon be back to assist Alyssa with the tigress, and him with, well, everyone else.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>With the first note sparking loudly in the air Eruin, Theron, Alyssa, Adrian, Rea and the little squirrel boy could feel their perception and senses heighten as if they knew instinctively when and were to strike a target. Any fear they may have felt from the current situation fleeing their bodies in an instant</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Theron's ears twitched as he picked up on the strange music, casting a glance about to see where it came from. He blinked in surprise when he noticed that along with the rabbits, squirrelboy and Jackal, a cat girl had been stranded up here as well and rather than cower she was providing them with a soundtrack!<br/><br/>Yet, Theron could detect something more there. It wasn't merely a good song, there was something to it that heightened his senses, made everything that much sharper, his limbs move easier.<br/><br/>Right, it was time to-<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>The precision of Isarr’s shot was terrifying. With barely a whoosh, the sleek streamlined projectile cut through the air effortlessly, whisking just past the tiger’s head towards the unaware tiefling. Then, with an audible thunk, the bolt embedded itself firmly into her right shoulder, coming to a stop only when it jarred painfully against the bone within. </div></blockquote><br/><br/>He'd waited too long! The cougar had gotten a shot off.<br/><br/>Theron's eyes narrowed. He would<span style="font-style: italic">not</span>let Isarr fire a second if he could help it. "Conspiracy to commit piracy. Conspiracy to commit murder. Assault,<span style="font-style: italic">and</span>attempted murder. You are<span style="font-weight: bold">guilty</span>and you will<span style="font-weight: bold">burn</span>," Theron declared as he pulled his arm back, then threw the vial, sending the fragile glass contain tumbling towards the observation deck - and Isarr.<br/><br/>He was far. Farther than it would be easy to hit, but the song seemed to guide his hand, making the distance seem entirely irrelevant.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Ranged Touch attack: +11 -2 (Isarr is beyond ten feet) + 2 (bonus from Mirage's song) = +11 bonus regardless<br/><br/>Ranged Touch Attack on Isarr (1d20 + 11): 2 + 11 = 13<br/><br/>Well, at least it wasn't a <span style="font-style: italic">one</span>....</div></div></div><br/><br/>Yet... despite with all that help, how easy it seemed, Theron knew he'd fumbled the toss somehow. He watched it sail past Isarr harmlessly.<br/><br/>At least, it was harmless at first. Alchemist's fire was no precision weapon, and as the glass shattered into a million pieces the liquid within splashed out, catching fire as it came into contact with the air. If nothing else, Theron was sure he'd helped to compromise Isarr's sniping position. He didn't have the luxury of getting into a sniping fight with the cougar, however, he still had to deal with the-<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>With remarkable accuracy, the projectile managed to find a small spot left vulnerable between the pieces of his body armor, firmly striking the back of the dog’s arm with a red-tinted thwack.</div></blockquote><br/><br/>The emotionless mask Theron worn broke briefly as the projectile thudded into his arm, his gaze immediatly whipping around to see whom was responsible. He could feel the rage welling within him as he saw the human with the bow, the human who had<span style="font-style: italic">shot</span>him. But the dog was a seasoned enough combatant to realize the full plan here - the big wolf wanted to draw his attention onto the human so he'd be caught off guard. He'd probably done it many a time before, in fact, and this human was merely the latest canon fodder for that tactic.<br/><br/>Theron was not, however, that stupid. He knew a runner when he saw one. He knew that if he brought Brion down the human would run as far as his legs would carry and lower the foes he had to deal with instantly. He could smell Tau's fear.<br/><br/>"Leave now, and I will not follow. Assist him further and you will be shown no quarter," Theron said, looking to the human as he drew his blades from their sheaths, the masterwork longswords spinning about easily in his hands, so very finely balanced.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>The warm touch of blood touched his tongue, sending a shudder of satisfaction through his tall black form as his teeth tore through cloth and skin alike, stopping just short of puncturing or snapping the bone in his grasp. </div></blockquote><br/><br/>Theron hardly seemed to react to the bite, he'd been caught off guard again, too slow to defend, but he wasn't going to let it show this time. Because<span style="font-style: italic">this</span>time he had an advantage. He was armed, in range, and Brion had just made a very, very bad move. He could tell the wolf was very good at maneuvering himself so his meals couldn't get a blow in when he bit, but Theron was<span style="font-weight: bold">much</span>better at finding those little faults in such attempts to compensate for the openings produced by such a maneuver and he had trained well his reflexes for such moments.<br/><br/>His right blade moved like a blur, slicing through the air as Theron brought it up to sink it as deep into Brion's chest as it would go.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">AoA on Brion (1d20 + 13): 16 + 13 = 29 <br/><br/>Hit!<br/><br/>(I accidentally forgot to figure in the bonus from Mirage's song on that attack roll (woops) when I rolled with Evil DM, but it's kinda irrelevant to add on now since it's definitely a hit)<br/><br/>(Base +4 STR bonus to damage +2 from song = +6 on damage roll) <br/><br/>Damage for AoA (1d8 + 6): 3 + 6 = 9<br/><br/>Brion takes damage, grapple attempt is automatically thwarted.</div></div></div><br/><br/>The thin shabby hide armor Brion wore offered him no protection from Theron's blade. With a sickening<span style="font-style: italic">crunch</span>and<span style="font-style: italic">shunk</span>Theron felt the first blow strike home, warm hot blood pumping out over his blade, repayment for the injuries he'd already sustained. Adrenaline was flooding Theron's system, he was moving so fast Brion had only just begun to react, and he realized he had to get back to a more defensible position before the wolf could strike again. He placed his foot on the wolf's stomach and wrenched his blade free, using the momentum to wrench his bitten arm free of Brion's maw as well.<br/><br/>Still maintaining the same steely glare and emotionless mask of earlier Theron withdrew a few paces, his blades at the ready to defend himself again, one slicked with the pirate's blood.<br/><br/>"Conspiracy to commit piracy. Conspiracy to commit murder. Leading a criminal conspiracy. Death threats, assault and battery, attempted murder," Theron listed off, looking over the wounded wolf. "You have been judged and found<span style="font-weight: bold">guilty</span>, you punishment is<span style="font-weight: bold">death</span>. My blade has tasted your blood. Soon, I will too...."