<span class="bbc_u"><em>Flashback: the night before the battle</em></span><br/><br/>Ishtar came together with Rayne, the two of them riding out their climax together. True to her word, she wasn't draining any energy from Rayne, but the excess life essence released by her lover's orgasm, freely given, had never tasted sweeter.<br/><br/>Cuddling after the act, the succubus lazily stroked the half-elf's body, tracing her feminine curves. "Normally this would only be the beginning of a very long night," she giggled in between kisses, "but we have to conserve some of our strength for tomorrow."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><em>The battle vs Telethrax</em></span><br/><br/>Telethrax moved through the water much more gracefully than Rayne could, who was forced to wade through it with brute force. He was ahead of her, hind legs kicking off the floor, a great downwards stroke of his wings propelling him higher in the air - but his wounded wing was not what it was, and the uneven lift made his injured side dip down. His tail was long and still in the water, taking a few seconds to follow the rest of his body, a few precious seconds which gave Rayne another chance...<br/><br/>She tried to reach him with the dragonslaying arrow, coming so close but missing by a hair's breath, as Telethrax's tail flicked away to safety. The dragon turned his head to gaze at her mockingly, his jaw a toothy mocking smile, as he ascended out of her reach and righted himself in the air. "Once more you have failed, pathetic worm. Now, watch more of your friends fall!"<br/><br/>He opened his maw wide and breathed out another stream of acid that ran down the length of the hall, covering rescuer and prisoner alike! Unprepared and disoriented, the B team took the worst of it. His parting gift given, Telethraw made good his escape, his victorious laugh trailing behind him as he flew out of sight into the (absurdly spacious, to be able to fit a flying dragon) sewers! "My servants! Come partake in the bounty of Telethrax!"<br/><br/>"Rayne! You - *cough* - you dropped this!" A coughing-up-water Starstrike waded through the water to get close enough to open up a trade request with Rayne, offering her bow back. "What a mess..." She looked not too good, drenched from head to toe, her robes eaten away in spots by the acid, and Rayne herself probably didn't look that much better.<br/><br/>Half a dozen members of B team had fallen to the dual assault of flash flood and dragon breath, Lizzy included among them. Of course, this being EHO, they couldn't simply respawn right away, instead they were lying out here vulnerable to anyone who would take advantage of them while they couldn't defend themselves. The respawn timer lasted a minute during which fallen players were fair game. If no other player or monster chose to have their way with them in that time then they would have the chance to respawn in the relative safety of the fort, but it was a minute they didn't have, as a group of monsters had heeded Telethrax's call and was coming into the breeding hall from the sewers outside, their eyes glinting with perverse anticipation...<br/><br/>Of the B team, Ledude, Moonshadow, and Ishtar were still standing, the former two barely hanging on, while the succubus had fared a little better with her flight and natural resistances. Of the A team, Zombs and Grogza were nowhere to be seen, but Starstrike had survived, as had too a Sabrith who was scowling like a drenched cat.<br/><br/>"We almost had him!" Sabrith snarled, followed by a string of unrepeatable obscenities. "Quick, we need to 'port Dixon and Drakula here, there's still a chance we can catch up with the bastard in the tunnels."<br/><br/>"But what about them?" Starstrike protested, gesturing to the fallen players. "You two are our strongest fighters left, we can't hold back the monsters if you fly off!<br/><br/>"Call in Team C for support then, but we've gotten too far to stop now, we might never get another chance to finish off Telethrax like this! Worst comes to worst, we'll come back for you after we make sure he's dead!" Sabrith insisted.<br/><br/>Starstrike slapped Sabrith on the cheek, causing a stunned silence. "Listen to what you're saying! You want to abandon these people just for a shot at glory? Team C's first or second level, they won't stand a chance! Remember why we're here in the first place!"<br/><br/>They turned to Rayne, looking up to her for her decision. She would have to be quick and decisive - the monsters certainly weren't waiting for them!<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Another breath attack! 49 acid damage, DC 23 reflex save halves, Resist Energy further reduces 10 damage.<br/></div></div>