<strong>"HA!  Now <em>this</em> is more like it!!!</strong>Misty cheerily laughed, seeming to disregard the half a dozen wounds now she bore from the lizardmen surrounding her.  There was an exultant, almost joyous look on the female barbarian's face as she spun to parry a blow from the club with the haft of her greataxe.<strong>"Here's a taste of my axe, coward!!"</strong>she bellowed even as she swung the dreadful weapon, cutting through the club held up in a feeble attempt to block the oncoming blow, and then ending up buried beneath the ribs of her foe even as she almost cleaved him in two.  Her blood was singing to her and Misty lost herself in the fury of its song.  With no apparent concern for her life or well-being, she then absorbed a blow in the opposite direction, the club impacting against her right shoulder, as she barely gave a grunt even as her greataxe split open yet another skull as the lizardman slumped to the forested floor - now dead.  The resulting spray showered her with blood and brains, but Misty barely seemed to slow except to shake her head to clear her eyes before she gave a savage grin.  Around her, lizardmen corpses littered the area - as if a mighty storm had savagely blown through and tossed them about like rag dolls.<strong>"Next!"</strong><br/><br/>In contrast, Elora fought in a measured way as she followed the martial lessons drilled into her to perfection.  Keeping the heavy shield close to her armored body, there was little to strike at as lizardmen tried and failed - the elven paladin intercepting their blows and frustrating them with every single block and parry.  Only once had some claws managed to sneak into a groove of the full plate to find the tender flesh beneath as Elora could feel a small trickle of blood running down her arm.  Each block made a hollow ringing clang, sounding very much like the bell which Deon had cast earlier - except at a much more reasonable volume.  The rhythmic chiming was almost hypnotic in a sense, soothing in tone despite the frenetic energy in which the battle took place.  Block.  Parry.  Strike.  Repeat.  Smoothly, she danced through the teeming mass of the lizardmen - felling them with graceful arcs even as 'Mehgen' hummed in response.  She made sure to follow the barbarian's wild lead, ensuring they fought back-to-back and covered for one another even as she now saw her opportunity.  Raising her shield she caught the club as it descended, the impact giving a terrific<em><strong>bang </strong></em>before she countered with a straight thrust.<br/><br/>Her aim was true as 'Mehgen' slid through the thick neck of a lizardman as her foe wetly gurgled. hands coming up to clutch at the throat.  Coolly, she ignored him; he was now dead and they both knew it.  Through her visor, she glanced at the heavily wounded Misty.  The female barbarian might not feel it, but she was nearing the end of her strength.  She was literally bathed in blood, both her own and her foes', as her breath came in gasping pants even as she raggedly dodged a blow before swinging the greataxe again.  Around, she could hear the hiss of arrows from Lune, but she could not tell how many had found their mark.  There were still six lizardmen left, all sorely wounded in one way or another, and Elora was confident, feeling her faith in Torm infuse her.  The battle was theirs!<br/><br/>Another quick look confirmed that Deon was holding the earlier skirmishers in check, the iron wrought symbol of Bane displayed in his hand, even as he concentrated - the power of his new god keeping them from joining into the fray.  The sight saddened Elora a little for she remembered when it had been the symbol of Torm instead that he clutched - and silently, resolutely, she offered a quick prayer that it would be so once again.  But the thought soon drifted away at how<em>brave</em>, how<em>courageous </em>he looked.  In fact, the action almost caused Elora to catch a club in the side of her head - only her quick reflexes saved her as she blocked.<br/><br/>And as the spell's effect appeared to be ending, the skirmishers becoming more and more agitated, Elora turned inwardly.  They needed another ally, someone to turn the tides completely in their favor.<acronym title="Lily"><strong>"Shusan..."</strong></acronym>the elven paladin intoned, feeling a stirring in her breast even as she could feel her companion's corresponding cry.<strong>"To me, my faithful and loyal steed."</strong>Then, in a ghostly whisper - before being followed by a brilliant light - Shusan appeared to the battlefield.  She was a brilliantly white and pristine horse, much larger than the ones they rode and bearing a custom-made saddle for Elora.  A look was shared between the mount and Elora as she then tilted her armored head in the direction of the skirmishers as she gave her command.<br/><br/><strong>"Scatter them."</strong><br/><br/>At her word, Shusan neighed and reared before the heavy warhorse took off towards where the skirmishers were.  The warhorse cried out as her hooves lashed out, their iron-shod feet being quite a weapon.  Hopefully, she would be the needed distraction to break the backs of the skirmishers.<strong>"Sir!  Join the fray at your pleasure!"</strong>Elora cried out to Deon even as she parried and then countered another lizardfolk's strike, 'Mehgen' sinking into the creature's flesh.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Meanwhile, Lune was still guarding Beatrice as she lined up her next shot.  The half-elf's mood was foul and black because she was missing so many and the witch was not making things any easier.  Ever since she had missed her first few, Beatrice had begun to quietly mock her.  Despite the danger the whole party was in, there was a definite glow of pleasure in the tiefling's eyes.<strong>"Oh, so <em>close</em>.  You <em>almost </em>got him!"</strong>the witch said, her tone definitely snide, as another arrow was loosed and looked it was going to hit - only to have the lizardman move and avoid by sheer luck.  Lune bit off another growled curse under her breath as she continued to pull forth the arrows from her quiver.  She continued to rapidly aim and fire, holding her ground, and sighting any of the wounded ones.<br/><br/><strong>"Oh my!  Such a <em>dirty </em>mouth!"</strong>The witch's tone was pitched low, only for the two of them to hear.  She didn't want Deon to interrupt her fun of needling the half-elf - who despite her efforts to ignore the tiefling was becoming more and more heated with every passing minute.<strong>"I think somebody needs a <em>spanking</em>.  Followed by a good <em>soaping</em> and some time alone in a corner."</strong>Her breath hotly tickled at Lune's ear even as the half-elf jerked away from the sensation - the sudden motion causing yet another arrow to miss as it shot wildly overhead.<strong>"Oh, almost!  Keep trying! I'm sure you'll hit one sooner or later!"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Shut up. Or I'll use <em><span class="bbc_u">you</span></em> for target practice after this."</strong>Lune growled back even as she pulled back her shortbow and took aim again.<strong>"It shouldn't be too hard to tag you - with your fat tits and all."</strong><br/><br/><strong>"What?  Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"</strong>Beatrice mocked, cupping her chest and shaking her bosom lewdly back and forth - which was completely ignored by Lune, who was focusing back on the battle at hand.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC: Party's Intent and Action</div><div class="spoiler_body">Elora and Misty will continue to fight the six lizardmen left.  If/when Misty goes down, Elora will slowly begin to retreat (5 ft steps) so she can allow Deon to come and support her while still engaging in battle.  Elora will also summon Shusan once the 'calm emotions' spell ends and send the heavy warhorse to fight against the skirmishers. Shusan has 56 hit points, AC 18, and can either make a single attack while moving a hoof at +6, 1d6+4 or a full attack which is 2 hooves at +6, 1d6+4 and a bite which is +1, 1d4+2.<br/><br/>Lune will continue to use her Rapid Shot (+4/+4, 1d6+1) to target the remaining six lizardmen.  If any break away and attempt to engage, she will then use her skirmish ability (+6, 2d6+1, AC:20).</div></div>