Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Exotic Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Lunaris on 10-02-2009, 06:08:16</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>10-02-2009, 06:08:16</strong>
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				(http://209.85.62.26/5941/107/upload/p7603956.jpg)<br><br>Nearly a full century ago, a two ancient evil dragons fought a catastrophic battle against each other in the skies over a densely populated city. And though both of them survived the fight, the city and its people were utterly decimated. Those few that survived formed a secret order dedicated to the slaying of all dragonkind. Metallic, chromatic, planar... Good, evil, or other... None of this mattered to the cult for all dragons were far too powerful and dangerous to be allowed to roam free.<br><br>But rather than capture the magical creatures, the Shattered Breath cult sought only their destruction. With hearts blackened by decades of hate and vengeance, these evil dragon hunters pursued relics of great power then used them and their focused training to obliterate their quarry. And while the cult did their best to remain secretive, one does not hunt dragons and powerful relics and stay hidden for long. All it took was for one wily dragon to escape long enough to spread word of their existence and in time, the dragons, foul and good took tore them down in pure rage. <br><br>Only a handful of the cultists escaped the dragons' wrath. Those few claimed secluded forts and abbeys as their shelters then masqueraded as mercenaries and priests of holy faiths to avoid detection as they worked to reclaim their lost strength. And though they fell far from the perch they once held, the discovery of a lost artifact brought to them power and hope...as well as the attention of those they sought to destroy.<br><br>Though neither were full dragons, the two unique women that made their way towards the temple possessed many of the powers possessed by the mighty beings and meant to take the artifact for themselves. Inside the temple however, a third walked...one that was not of elements and glistening scales, but rather darkness and malice. <br><br>This day would see the end of another sect of the Shattered Breath and the beginning of a strange journey for three powerful beings.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>10-02-2009, 22:40:01</strong>
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				She smiled into the wind, closing her eyes for a moment as she let the rushing air caress her skin, cooling her heated blood, and letting her focus on the tasks at hand. Below her, the compound lay like a blighted mushroom in the middle of the wilderness, nearby trees having been cut back and away from the walls as a measure of defense. Sighing to herself, she angled her large, leathery wings, gliding on the air currents as she slowly spiraled closer to the gray blister on the ground beneath her.<br><br>Trim and athletic, one would not expect one with her appearance to be of a non-human nature, if it were not for the blatant markers of Large, scaled wings, combined with small, but iron-hard scales covering much of her body, though her garments, long leather leggings and a light tunic, also made of leather, made it impossible to see exactly what was scaled, and to what extent. A brace of a half-dozen long knives was wrapped around her hips, each sheath looking slightly curved, following the arc of the blade within.<br><br>Leveling out only a few hundred feet from the ground, she slowed her flight by angling her body, until she stopped her forward momentum entirely, hovering in midair for several seconds before continuing along her path, circling above the Compound several times, looking for anything untoward, when she noticed that Several men were racing towards the gates, dragging a thick timber with them to barricade themselves. But, from what?<br><br>Shaking her head slightly at the idle thought, she again flew over the forest, looking for the telltale glint of silver that was moving through the thick wilderness, but, not seeing her self-imposed adversary, she again turned back towards the Compound, and, seeing that one section of the wall was devoid of defenders, she landed atop it, wings fluttering slightly as they relaxed after the long flight.<br><br>Crouching down to show a smaller profile, she brushed some loose strands of her hair away from her eyes, looking around the Compound from her new vantage point, and using her free hand to draw one of her knives, unsure if she would have to kill to get the treasure she sought.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-02-2009, 22:10:32</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Though she wasn't the stealthiest of adventurers, Soanala held the advantage of perception stretched far by her draconic aura. Wrapped in a heavy green cloak and with her skin shifted to match the environment around her, she was difficult to spot despite the soft ringings made by her mithril armor and the thuds of her heavy boots on the soil and grass. She stayed off the beaten paths and used the canopy's shade along with the trees, thick grasses, and bushes to conceal her disguised form. <br><br>As she came ever closer to the location highlighted on her map, she began to sense that something was amiss. This cult pretended to be otherwise, and they made a fair amount of traffic between their keep and the nearby towns and villages. She expected to encounter at least one patrol or caravan of supplies of goods and yet she found none over the past two days. Despite her disguises, had they known of her presence? Of what she thought? <br><br>Or...was that foolish, self-centered Green scamp working against her yet again? She narrowed her eyes and her lips set into a line at the thought. In recent months, that thief had gotten into her way many times and actually managed to succeed and snatching some of the items she worked so hard to track down. It all seemed like a game to that woman and Soanala wondered if the fool had any idea of the power held by those relics she so often attempted to snatch. <br><br>That the cult was closing the palisades when she arrived only added to her suspicion and a lopsided smile touched her lips in a mixture of irritation and feelings she absolutely hated to have. Deep down, some part of her actually relished her rivalry with her draconic rival. On those rare occasions where she was able to pursue an item of power without an appearance from that woman, she actually missed her. <br><br>She'd probably never admit it though, and besides, she had bigger problems to deal with...namely finding a way into that keep. Though she could easily scale the walls or perform a great leap to soar over the palisades, the loud shouts and noises of movement and weapons getting ready convinced her that such an act would be bad for her health. In the end, she approached the keep from the side...discarding her cloak once she could conceal herself in the foliage no longer and shapeshifting her skin and hair to match the stone walls as she dashed for an unmanned section to listen and prepare herself.<br><br>Her enhanced hearing granted her snippets of the shouting from her spot outside the keep and she was surprised to hear that one of the clergy was found dead inside. No...wait. There was nothing surprising about it. It had to be that blasted thief! And that meant that there was no time to waste!<br><br>It was then that the dragoon threw better caution to the wind and scaled the corner of the least-noisy side of the keep with shapeshifted claws... Unbeknowest to her, the side she climbed was the same side her rival was perched upon at that very moment!
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>12-02-2009, 23:09:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She frowned, pausing for a moment, then nodded, edging away from the faint scraping she had heard, knife held tightly in her right hand as she watched the activities in the courtyard for several moments, then, when she felt the time was right, she looked over the edge of the parapet, then smiled, reaching down to pat the head of her self-proclaimed opponent. "Shhh. Something's going on, so stay low unless you want us both in a fight."<br><br>In the Courtyard, several men, each armed with a longbow, moved towards the walls, climbing up pre-positioned ladders to take up places along the crenelations that dotted the stone walls like awkwardly-placed teeth. Not waiting for the chance of being spotted, she moved along the edge of the wall, trying to get towards the overhanging roof of the keep, which filled half of the interior of the fortress right out to the back half of the fortress' walls.<br><br>This time, however, luck was not on her side, as an archer, on patrol along the wall, happened to look up just in time to see her, as well as her be-taloned compatriot of convenience, and shouted loudly, raising the alarm, even as she flung her knife at the man, not caring if blade or pommel struck so long as he fell silent.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 00:17:00</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Soanala's eyes widened when the woman peered over the wall. But when she recognized the face and familiar flashes of green scales, her gaze quickly narrowed.<br><br>"<em>YOU!</em>" she hissed under her breath as she hurriedly scaled the rest of the wall. Climbing as she was, she wasn't able to avoid the pat to her head and this only fueled her irritation. "<em>Must you always get in my way?! This was supposed to be smooth! And here you are, mucking things up with your brazen</em>--" <br><br>She halted her furious whispers when the half-dragon's words settled on her, then focused her attentions on all the activity in the courtyard. But...why were all those cultists staring and pointing towards the entrance to their keep? She was under the impression that the entire ruckus was caused by her rival and yet...there they were with their ire focused elsewhere.<br><br>Before she even had time to give the odd situation much thought, they were spotted, the alarm sounded, and the battle began. One of the cultists -no doubt a commander- pointed upward before he shouted, "They're hitting us from within and outside! Quickly! Bring that scum down!" and began to relay several orders to various groups. Whatever lay inside their keep proved a threat as well and he devoted men to that just as he ordered the archers to fire their bows and the soldiers to bring their out and follow.<br><br>The first volley of arrows found no purchase on her body as she was already fast in motion and soaring several times her height in the air after a great leap. It was during this inhuman ascent that an elegant and graceful spear bloodlessly shot out of her palm and into her hands. Its large and heavy shining blade -not unlike the fin of a great dragon- impaled the partner of the knifed archer on her descent and before she could hit the ground, she shifted grips and used her momentum to vault over him and fling him into the crowd below. <br><br>The feat was followed by split-second of concentration used to fired off a flash of silvery light from her body and in that instant, she granted herself and her annoying rival a blessing of skin and scales so resilient as to be made of iron.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 00:34:20</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Two more knives were flung at the remaining soldiers closest to the pair on the parapet, one bouncing off the soldier's helm due to the pommel hitting, instead of the blade, but the impact staggered the soldier, while his compatriot was brought low with the second knife, which found purchase through his left knee. Lifting her fourth blade, and ignoring an arrow that clattered off of the scales covering her left arm, she paused, then started coughing, doubling over and seemingly retching.<br><br>Wordlessly, she moved one hand back, tapping the Dragoon's side and warning her of what was about to come forth as a haze of noxious green gas billowed forth from her mouth and nose, her breath magically changed into a weapon as she exhaled the deadly fumes, which began creeping along the length of the parapet and seeking out crevices and cracks, sinking into the open courtyard, and slowly billowing towards the soldiers that were charging towards the pair. One soldier disappeared into the cloud, followed by hideous screaming, the effects of the chlorine gas devastating to behold, and even moreso when one can only hear the effects.<br><br>Within moments, the Courtyard had emptied out, the soldiers and archers moving to the opposite wall and as far away as possible from the deadly cloud of acidic gas, forcing the zealots to charge the pair along the narrow walkways atop the walls. This time, however, they were more prepared, sending four spearmen first, each armed with a heavy kite shield and a spear designed for poking through armour, followed by a group of swordsmen; the archers, for the most part, continued to send arrows towards the pair, though the Dragoon's magical spell prevented any harm from the missiles, except for rare rips and tears in clothing before bouncing off of the iron-skin enchantment.<br><br>At the gate, three men stood, watching the formation move, as they turned the only heavy weapon they had with a clear angle towards the pair, the Light ballista designed to launch fire-hardened wooden shafts the size of small fence posts being a far more serious threat than the rain of arrows.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 02:03:26</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"Gods, you stink." Soanala taunted as she leapt from her ally's side to intercept the approaching spearmen. Though most of the arrows missed in the burst of movement, she hissed as one of them caught her thigh in passing. Thankfully, her aura prevented it from burying itself. <br><br>A smirk touched her lips when she landed and she wondered about why the members of this anti-dragon cult would approach in such a fashion. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled a mighty, swirling cone of bitter cold and frost their way. The foremost two of the four caught the brunt of the devastating breath attack and found themselves frozen solid while the other two slowed as they found themselves shivering uncontrollably and coated in ice. They crashed into their comrades and the fall broke brittled bones and joints. <br><br>A gust of minty frost left her lips as she quickly yelled out, "Move!" to her green-scaled rival. Last thing she needed was for the scoundrel to get impaled by a ballista bolt. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 02:19:51</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She ignored the taunt, knwoing that the stink of the chlorine would follow her for a few more moments as she rearmed herself with a sword that had been scabbarded at the hip of one of the archers that had fallen in the first moments, then, with a quick burst of energy she leapt into the air, her wings unfurling and letting her sweep across to the opposite side of the yard, landing, sword-first on an archer, before growling, her feral nature seething under the surface as she lunged at a second archer, inch-long talons tearing into the hapless soldier's face as she ripped his sword free from his belt, and continued moving, stalking towards the twinned ballistae at the gate.<br><br>Sneaking a glance to the side, she saw The Dragoon making short work of the second pair of spearmen, before the swordsmen charged in, preventing the ballista from firing for fear of hitting their own troops. Instead, the already-loaded construction swung towards her, creaking slightly as the three men at the weapon cursed.<br><br>A moment later, the Ballista bolt tore through the air, but flying low, though it moved with such speed and force that it punched into the heavy stone wall by at least half a foot, looking like a particularly short flagpole. Distracted by the impact of the bolt into the wall, She grunted with pain when an archer, less than twenty feet away, fired an arrow into the scales of her right shoulder, the barbed tip of the arrow opening up a rather large cut. In response, she charged the archer, bashing him in the helm with the pommel of the sword, and continued moving, heading around to attack the swordsmen from behind.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 02:33:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				The swordsmen seemed to have underestimated the length of her polearm their engagement. Soanala spun the exotic spear in a wide arc as the men hopped over the frozen and broken bodies of their comrades, and its magical blade sheared through half of one's neck and across another's belly. A swift stab impaled the latter before she wrenched the weapon free and gritted her teeth an arrow bit deep into her shoulder and another bounced dinged off her mithril breastplate. <br><br>She barely parried a slash from the next swordsman while the distraction from the ballista shot granted another a shallow hit on her arm. With her ally out of range and apparently safe, she diffused her toughening aura and flashed a bright white as bitter cold enveloped her and blasted the soldier that struck her.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 02:57:54</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She smiled slightly, moving further towards the swordsmen, but paused when faced with the ballista platforms. Pondering for a moment, She saw that the second ballista, on the near side of the gate, and furthest away from the fighting was both unmanned, and loaded.<br><br>Chuckling, she scaled the wall of the platform, and, with a complete lack of abandon, chuckling to herself, she turned the ballista towards the one currently being manned, and, lining up carefully, she fired her commandeered weapon, sending the wooden bolt into the manned ballista, shattering the crossarm of the weapon, and rendering it useless.<br><br>Hopping down onto the walkway, she ignored the shouts of anger from the commanders, dashing directly into the fray ahead of her, the sword she had collected leading the charge with a neat piercing blow to one swordsman's spine, followed by a slash to the kidneys.<br><br>The three remaining swordmen, cornered, and pinned between a massive polearm and a long sword, decided to take the offense to the one that seemed weaker, charging the dragoon who had somehow recieved more scratches from the now-finished arrow barrage.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 03:18:33</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				A trio of archers perched at the windows of the keep launched an arrow each at the pair...one veering far off and the others sailing towards the rogue's chest and dragoon's thigh. <br><br>Soanala unwittingly dodged that arrow as she hopped back to avoid the pursuing swordsmen. The lead of their group got unlucky when he landed a second hit on her and her aura blasted him with another surge of bitter cold...this one freezing and shattering his hand and forearm. He fell to his knees with an anguished cry before receiving a direct blast of deadly cold in his face as the dragoon loosed another blizzard from her lips. <br><br>The kneeling one was frozen solid while the others crumpled in shivering frost-bitten heaps. Soanala quickly put them out of mind and pointed towards the archers as she flashed that golden aura of toughened skin once more and drew her crossbow. "The windows!" <br><br>One of the archers actually wet himself at that and fled into the recesses of the keep to avoid what he felt would be a horrible death while the other two nocked their arrows in preparation to fire once more.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 03:37:40</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				The arrow that hit her in the chest hit hard, and penetrated, lodging its tip into her collarbone, causing her to curse and pull the arrow out, ignoring the pain of the barbed tip cutting into muscle and skin. Turning away from the downed swordsmen, she faced the three commanders that had been working the ballista earlier, and, dropping into a crouch she brandished her sword, smiling slightly.<br><br>Behind her, she heard the 'Chuk-Thock' of the crossbow in operation, followed by a scream, as one of the two remaining archers took a bolt high in the chest. The three commanders spread out as best they could, each one pulling a hand and a half sword, and began to try to encircle her, the large blades holding the advantage until she inhaled, then spat, the glob of sputum mixed with chlorine gas turning into a strong acid that sizzled into the armour of the lead commander, causing him to fall back, frantically scrabbling at his armour's buckles and straps to try to rip the damaged plastron off before the acid got to the flesh underneath the metal.<br><br>Smiling, she looked at the other two, waiting for them to attack as a second scream echoed, the archer that had yelled having slipped on a pool of liquid, and careened out of the window he had been firing from, landing, with a dull 'crunch' headfirst, on the courtyard's flagstones.<br><br>She just smiled, then moved forwards, testing her skill against the two commanders.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 03:53:38</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				The perfect setup. Soanala dropped her crossbow and leapt into the air once more...this time landing to impale the panicked commander right in the acid-burned center of his chest. He let out a howl of pain and stumbled before Soanala turned around and used her leverage to force the spear's blade up his body. <br><br>That one fell back with a gaping, sizzling hole in his chest and a crimson line shooting up his face. With his life bleeding out of him, he was of no use to his comrades. The other two let out shouts of hate and rage as they split off and charged the women separately...the first one feigning a slash before suddenly thrusting his blade at the rogue while the other attacked with all power and malice, his blade hitting hard and blasting through Soanala's mithral breastplate to leave a shallow cut and giant bruise on the center of her aura-toughened chest. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 04:11:50</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Her sword slid past the larger blade wielded by the commander, deflecting it away from her midriff, and allowing a riposte that skidded off of the large warrior's plate armour, but it allowed her to slip in close and knock the large warrior back with a punch that, fuelled by anger, and draconic strength, pounded a deep dent into his helm, stunning the warrior, and forcing him to remove the helm to be able to see.<br><br>Parrying a wild swing from the commander's sword, she locked blades for a moment, twisting her hip to deflect a iron-shod kick that, if taken squarely, would have left a hefty bruise regardless of armouring. In response, she kicked back, denting the commander's codpiece.<br><br>Hopping back, and wincing, she hissed a curse at the commander, then lifted her foot and shook it, working out the numbness caused by planting a solid kick to his groin, though the commander didn't take advantage of it, instead gasping for air and red-faced from the shock of the impact, even if the blow had not hit him directly.<br><br>'Green' Recovering faster, Moved in again, and Shoulder-checked the larger warrior, knocking him over and forcing his sword over the edge of the wall, and into the courtyard. Pausing for a moment, she looked at the warrior's face, then frowned, and stabbed her sword down, killing him instantly by wrenching the blade back and forth, crushing into the commander's skull, and compressing bone fragments into the warrior's brains.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 04:31:49</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Reeling from the devastating blow issued by her enraged opponent, Soanala was already stepping back when the brutish soldier launched an easily avoided backhand swing.<br><br>After leaning back to escape the blow, the dragoon swept him with a wide swing of her spear before leaping into the air to attempt an impalement. He quickly rolled out of the way though, and the blade sank into the bricks before she kicked it free and hopped forward to smash his spine as he attempted to get up.<br><br>"You bitch..." he coughed after he fell flat on the ground from the impact. His second attempt to rise was quickly ended when the dragoon whirled the spear over her head and used the momentum to blast his back once more...shattering his spine. Despite this...he 'still' did not die and gripped his sword tight as his inhuman rage let him push far beyond the threshold. <br><br>It didn't help him much though, as he was paralyzed from the waist down and could do nothing to stop the dragoon from piercing through his back and chest with a mighty stab. That last strike ended the soldier and Soanala murmured, "Enough." before she brought a hand to her aching chest and used her spear to prop herself up as she caught her breath. <br><br>"Stick close." the dragoon said in her airy voice before she flashed a bright bluish-green and sent a surge of soothing warmth though their bodies. With this aura, their wounds began to heal at a deeply accelerated rate until the most grievous of their injuries were repaired.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 04:45:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She nodded, testing her foot, and hissing in pain though the cooling sensation of the healing aura lessened it quickly. "We'll have to wait a moment. feels like I broke my foot."<br><br>She smiled slightly, then offered the Dragoon a small bottle, the label clearly marking it as a curative draught. "Want something for your scratches and scrapes?"<br><br>She then paused, then stretched, picking up the fallen hand-and-a-half sword from the warrior the Dragoon had fought. "I wonder what set them off before we got here. They were making noises about one of their leaders being killed." Putting the large sword down, she flexed her ankle, feeling the bones knit due to the effect of the aura. "So, do you have a name?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 05:03:55</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Surprise, concern, and distrust all blurred through the dragoon's expression as she looked at her rival. "You should...keep it. Use it for yourself. I have my own." As time passed, her breathing became less labored and most of her injuries faded away while her magical armor mended itself back into proper form. She finally did away with her camouflaged skin and the rogue was greeted with the familiar colorations of her rival's appearance.<br><br>When she reached up to brush her crimson hair out of her eyes, the act revealed the face of a twenty-something year-old woman with a mix of Tethyrian, Calimshite, and draconic features. Mending cuts and bruises aside, her skin was of a smooth, nearly glowing amber tone and faint clouds of icy mist escaped her full, ruby lips as she answered, "Soanala." before she chuckled. "I never thought I'd see the day you did something other than annoy me." <br><br>Large scales of blueish-gray with silver highlights rested on her forehead and traced along her hairline and jawline then up the center of her scalp. More of these scales rested on smooth shoulders. Though her mithral breastplate masked her ample bosom, the torn gown she wore did little to mask her voluptuous hips and derriere and her toned thighs. Metallic green eyes focused on her temporary partner as she continued on. "But this cult is an enemy to us both. Know you their motives and what they intend to do with their prizes?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 05:19:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She shrugged at Soanala's comment about doing something other than vexing her, then testing her foot again, she smiled, pleased that it had healed enough to no longer prevent movement. "I go by a few names, but please, call me Ceres." She paused, then grinned. "Something to curse at when I steal your prize out from under your nose."<br><br>She paused, looking at her own light clothing, then pulled a knife from her belt, slicing off the tattered remains of the long pants, leaving what amounted to leather short-shorts, followed by peeling off the ruined top, slicing it into several bands, and converting the wrecked shirt into a long strip of leather, which she wrapped about her bosom, leaving most of her body bare. Her own heritage was obvious, the dark green scales, in some places nearly black, covering her arms like long gloves, reaching from the apex of her shoulders down to the back of each hand, while more scales guarded her flanks and upper back, reinforcing the points where her wings grew from her upper back, while protecting each side, while leaving much of her trim abdomen and torso unscaled. Looking lower, the scales wrapped about her legs from mid-thigh to ankle, with a pair of light ankle boots covering her feet.<br><br>Ceres paused, looking at the keep as she registered Soanala's question. "Well, based on their permanent mad-on for anything with draconic blood, I'd assume that they're trying to subvert a relic or five to be used as weapons."<br><br>Carefully, she stood up, Stretching slightly and allowing her wings to stretch wide, the span nearly twenty feet. "Figure we should aim for the top floors of the keep, instead of fighting through whomever is left on the bottom floors? If you can't reach it, I can give you a lift, in exchange for a fair challenge when we get the treasure."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 05:50:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ceres..." She repeated softly before a smirk touched her lip. "Hard to believe a scoundrel like you could have such a lovely name. Or is that just an alias you've given yourself? And if you happen to get this one, consider it an item on loan. I'll let you keep those things safe for now."<br><br>Though their concerns initially freed her mind from any lustful descent when Ceres began to shred those garments, a few passing moments led to a brief instant of appreciation for the winged woman's beauty. When she realized that she'd actually fallen into a bit of gazing, she quickly turned her eyes to the tower and downed a potion of her own to mend her wounds even further. "Nice to know that you stay informed..."<br><br>"I get the feeling that something or someone else might be after the same thing. If we're lucky, whatever has this cult in such a frenzy will see us as allies." At the offer of being carried, she looked thoughtful for a long moment before asking, "And how do I know that you won't just drop me? Granted, heights mean little to me." She smiled to paint the question as a joke. If the rogue were going to betray her, there were ample opportunities for such in the passed battle. "I could leap a good bit of the height...but I'd still have even more to scale after that."<br><br>The dragoon swallowed some of her pride and finally gave a real answer, "I would...appreciate it." before she unshouldered her pack and pulled off the heavier pieces of her armor. For strong as Ceres seemed, carrying a draconic woman clad in a breastplate, greaves, and gauntlets would be a tremendous strain on one's wings. When her breastplate came off, the low-cut of her gown and sliced-through the fabric revealed much of her generous bosom. Her bending to place the items into her magical pack only revealed more and a brief glimpse of brown peaks slipped into view before she stood her full height once more. <br><br>She shouldered the pack then stepped closer to Ceres as she gazed up at her with a feeling of awkwardness. "Alright... How do you want to do this?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 06:12:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres chuckled slightly, shaking her head. "I'm hardly a scoundrel. I just enjoy the freedom of adventure, and the idea of living off of the gains of the wealthy, acquired through my own efforts are rather.... appealing, to me."<br><br>Listening to Soanala's comments about a potential ally, she frowned, looking at the Tower that dominated the centre of the sealed keep. "If... seems like a pretty large chance. For all we know, whatever's in there will be even more hostile than what we met out in the front yard."<br><br>Looking at the Keep for another moment as Soa stood before her, ready for a quick flight, Ceres smiled again at the Dragoon's question. "Simple, really. Hug yourself to me, and hold tight; Taking off from a standing start is a bit of a strain, but I can't exactly pull off a running start while carrying someone." She then pointed at a lonely window on what appeared to be the seventh floor of the keep. "I'll be aiming for there, so as soon as you're close enough, grab the ledge and pull yourself in."<br><br>She checked her equipment for a moment, picking up the sword she had salvaged and strapped it to her knife belt, letting the naked blade hang loosely as the be-gowned Dragoon paused, then awkwardly put her arms around Ceres' waist, squeezing tightly so as to avoid slipping. Ceres, for her part, concentrated, then moved, her wings pulling both women into the air, though slowly, the strain apparent on Ceres' face and furrowed brow as the additional weight, and earlier hours of flight made themselves felt, the strain building too quickly for comfort as Ceres arrowed upwards to the seventh floor window, before practically trying to shove Soanala into the room, her taloned fingers accidentally leaving a few tears in Soanala's dress.<br><br>Only after the Dragoon was safely inside Did Ceres pull herself in, her wings furling into themselves tightly as she leaned against the wall, breathing slowly. "Well... that took a bit out of me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 11:49:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Aaaahhh..." Silet let out a sigh of satisfaction as the last of the cleric's soul rose into her, suffusing the succubus with a warm glow.&nbsp; "My compliments to the chef," she smirked, dragging a fingernail down the fallen cleric's still face, frozen in his last moment of bliss.&nbsp; She lifted herself from straddling his corpse, laying down on the silken bedsheets, stretching her lithe form briefly over the mattress to bask in victory's warm embrace.&nbsp; <em>This never gets old</em>, she thought to herself, rolling from the bed, throwing the silk sheet over the dead cleric before roughly booting the lifeless body over the edge of the mattress, the corpse landing with a dull thud against the stone floor.&nbsp; Silet always took great pride in seeking out only the highest and mightiest, the noblest and most dedicated people to claim.&nbsp; Some took months to fall, others withered almost as soon as their eyes lay on her.&nbsp; As she looked into the mirror, she couldn't blame them, though; she was always quite the catch, no matter how she came to them.&nbsp; Smouldering red hair, pale yet radiant skin, eyes glowing with confidence, lush ruby lips...&nbsp; Even without the velvet leathery wings and narrow, whip-like tail she no longer bothered to conceal, there was something of a otherworldly beauty to the woman; a precious yet dangerous flower.&nbsp; <br><br>Glancing at the foot of the bed, she found her clothes; high-cut leather undergarments, and a slightly more modest silk robe that still left little to the imagination.&nbsp; She disregarded them for now, there'd be time for that later.&nbsp; <em>Now for the prize...</em>&nbsp; Silet sashayed over to the vanity unit, deciding to commence her search there.&nbsp; A man of such piety and righteousness usually has some pretty trinkets, the kind worth holding on to.&nbsp; Silet had quite the collection of such artifacts from her victims over the years.&nbsp; It's part of why she did it, really; if not for the less tangible prize of victory, the thrill of the hunt, then for the pretty little toys they always collected, relics of power entrusted to them to keep safe from the forces of evil.&nbsp; Forces like her.&nbsp; She didn't need them for their use, however; to Silet they were nothing but trophies, for taking their heads to be mounted on her wall quickly proved to be impractical.&nbsp; <br><br>It was in the bottom shelf of the vanity she found what she desired; a small item, bound in so much ruddy cloth to mask its shape or colour, but oozing enough power to bring a smile to her lips, whatever it was.&nbsp; In the back of her mind, however, questions arose.&nbsp; <em>Why the cloth?</em>&nbsp; Relics such as these were usually displayed proudly, they were allowed to shine brightly.&nbsp; Usually it was her job to secure it; ensure that its purifying touch would not harm her.&nbsp; <em>So why was this already safely wrapped?&nbsp; Was this intended for someone else?&nbsp; Another demon?</em>&nbsp; Silet glanced back to the far side of the bed, addressing the corpse of the cleric.&nbsp; "Mmm, someone was a bad boy, even before I came along..." Silet said with a sigh; to know about his shady dealings took away from her accomplishment of corrupting him.<br><br>Outside, the sounds of battle were fading, a quiet hush falling over the room.&nbsp; Silet perked her ears, just making out discussion on the embattlements.&nbsp; No war-whoops or victory cries; the chumps that were defending this place had failed.&nbsp; The succubus chuckled to herself before donning her clothes, taking a seat at the table across the room, and waited for her guests to arrive.&nbsp; The prospect of another meal sent shivers down her spine, her tail swaying gently to and fro with anticipation.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 20:56:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The cult knew something was amiss. Ever since <em>that woman</em> came into their midst, their leader had been acting ever stranger by the day. The present mages sensed something amiss and eventually reasoned that the man's will was no longer his own. They could see it in his eyes and hear it in his reverent words for their guest. He was deeply entranced and those that spent the most time in her presence began to act strangely. Envy...spying...plotting. The lust she inspired was completely unnatural, even with her comely looks. <br><br>And then there was the fact that she arrived just after their leader claimed an artifact that would prove instrumental in their rise back to power. Thwarted as they were many times in the past by dragons and their progeny, this had to be such a case now. They had to stop what they <em>knew</em> must be one of the dragons or their allies from further asserting her sway over the Shattered Breath and they had to do it before she could claim what she undoubtedly sought. Today was supposed to be the day that a glorious trap would catch her. Though the grunts knew not why they were ordered to close the palisades and take positions, the leaders understood what had to be done. <br><br>That woman would be captured or destroyed and if their leader was completely under her influence then he would die, too. The arrival of two dragonspawn was unexpected but it only gave further support to their suspicions. So deep was the dragons' drive to claim the relic that a green and silver -two types that should have been murdering each other- worked together in a surprise assault! That woman had to know. She must have plucked the plans for the ambush from a traitor within their ranks.<br><br>They were unexpectedly powerful. Years of training did little to stop them. The Shattered Breath was weak! They relied too much on relics when they should have been seeking the lost training regimens of the lost leaders of times passed. The last true leader left in the keep, a wizened wizard, gazed upon the door to the charmed clergy's room with a heavy scowl. This battle was lost, the keep's lord pathetic and lost to lust for a reviling creature. For such failure they all deserved death. The wizard relayed one last command... for the small group of soldiers at his side to break down that bedroom door and kill the infiltrator. <br><br>He knew they would fall. Maybe now the other splinters of the Shattered Breath would listen to his wisdom. His men were surprised when his arcane gestures and words resulted in him disappearing from their midst. He had news to report to the other branch leaders and a new mantle to take...whether through persuasion or through force. The dragons' victory would only strengthen the Shattered Breath by weeding out the weak and foolish...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 22:04:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres finally recovered from the strain of the flight into the keep, and, looking about, she smiled, picking up a pair of silver candelabras, as well as a bagful of coins that had been resting on the table in the centre of the room. Tossing the loot over to Soa, she grinned. "Easy pickings. If every room is this opulent, you'll probably stuff that pack of yours with coins and have enough left over for a small bucketful of gems."<br><br>Above them, they heard several shouts, followed by a loud, deep thud. Raising an eyebrow, Ceres pointed up, and held up four fingers. "At least four, possibly five or six. Sounds like they're trying to beat the door down, too."<br><br>Moving to the lone door leaving the room, she eased it open, looking in each direction several times before slipping out into the hall. To her left, a spiral stair rose upwards, while, to her right, another stair sunk into the floor below. Half-crouching, and holding one of her few remaining knives in her left hand, she slowly edged partway up the rising stairs, and, seeing a half-dozen guardsmen, she ducked back, concerned that they saw her. After a moment, and hearing a loud 'BANG' from above, she looked again, then grinned, seeing that all six guards were occupied with a short ram, and trying to knock down the door.<br><br>Ducking back down, she looked over at Soa, waving her unlikely compatriot over, and whispered to her, asking that Soa blast the guards as soon as she wants to. Then, grinning, she stole back up the stairs, testing each step to avoid creaks and groans, and, sneaking behind the rearmost guard, she slipped her long knife between two ribs, just below the armpit, which poked a rather nasty hole into the guard's lung, and his heart.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 22:39:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Soanala thought she'd heard something rip when Ceres pushed her through the window, but it wasn't until a draft her her backside that she realized that she had a large tear in her gown exposing her derriere to view. She gasped and quickly covered her rear with her hands, then glared at the rogue. "You..." Distracted by that as she was, she barely caught the coinpurse before murmuring, "I suppose it'll go towards replacing my clothes." <br><br>After sighing, stowing away the purse in her back, and quickly replacing her armor while the rogue continued her looting, she looked up at the noises and whispered, "<em>So there </em>is<em> another in this place!</em>" then followed Ceres up the stairs. Another brief aura flash heightened their sight and hearing as they crept though she almost undid their efforts when Ceres crouched right in front of her. A look of annoyance touched her expression when she was given a sudden full view of her rival's arse and she found she had to suppress the urge to smack it and tell the woman to move. <br><br>The brief interlude did not keep her focus from the task at hand, and she was wondering how they'd approach the soldiers when she received that whisper and nodded. Though the thief was cutting it close by running up to assassinate the rear soldier, the surprise gave the rogue ample time to roll out of the way. The soldiers dropped the ram when they heard the noise though as they turned, the least attentive of them let out a scream of pain as his foot was smashed by the dropped heavy beam. Out came their weapons, but they all caught a potent blast of icy breath before they could do anything with them. <br><br>With the men frozen solid in agony, Soanala quickly used her spear to push and smash their husks out of their way and smirked as the door was weakened by cold and the ram. At first, she was going to simply smash it open, but then she remembered that she'd no idea what awaited them beyond that door. She paused then moved to press her back against the wall next to the door as she gave Ceres a questioning look.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 23:01:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres moved silently to the edge of the doorframe, then looked at the nearly-wrecked door. Tapping gently on it, she felt that the lock had been warped, jamming it, and shook her head, then whispered. "Can't do this quietly. That ram did a number on it and it won't open."<br><br>Looking over at Soa, she smiled, then unsheathed the sword at her side. "Guess it's a kick-in-the-door style. Shall we?"<br><br>Letting Soa prepare herself, Ceres waited, then, with all the strength she could muster, she planted a solid kick into the door, just at the level of the damaged latch, popping it open, and revealing the opulent room to both women, the richness apparent in the tapestries and gilded furniture, though the corpse of a corpulent man, laying face-down next to the bed, and tangled in the sheets was enough for both of them to remain fully on guard as they slowly entered the room.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>13-02-2009, 23:24:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Silet watched intently as the door pulsed with the efforts of the guards, anxious to see if they could actually break through the thick door.&nbsp; For a few strokes of their battering ram she'd definitely heard splintering; they were about to break through.&nbsp; Silet stood up, wondering what calibre of warriors she was about to face, second guessing herself.&nbsp; That window was beginning to look quite tempting...<br><br>A surprised cry followed by the dull thud of their battering ram against stone told her something had gone wrong.&nbsp; Silet sat back down as a scream of pain issued from beyond the warped door, before what sounded like a strong breeze blew past.&nbsp; A woman's muttering, then a sharp strike knocked the door down, it falling forward with a loud crash.&nbsp; Silet cursed inwardly.&nbsp; <em>A woman... she had better not have ruined my fun...</em><br><br>Silet leaned back in her chair slightly as two women entered the room, eyes pinned to the cleric's body.&nbsp; Clearly an odd couple, a rogue and a warrior of some sort, by the spear she hazarded a guess at dragoon.&nbsp; But something was further strange about them.&nbsp; Silet forced herself not to laugh when she realized the both of them were dragons; and not only that, silver and green.&nbsp; Was this cult so much a threat that two like these would team up?<br><br>Silet stayed seated as she addressed them, concealing her identity for now.&nbsp; "I know it's polite to knock, but perhaps you need to work on your technique a little," she sighed from the chair, "I could have been dressing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-02-2009, 01:05:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As she thought about it, the dragoon realized that a stealthy approach would not have mattered anyhow. At least...not after the soldier's attempt to ram the door down and skirmish that took them out. She nodded and reversed the grip on her spear to point the blade away as Ceres kicked the door down. <br><br>The sights revealed within gave her answers and questions both as her gaze immediately flew to the dead body, then around the room until it landed on the strange woman. It didn't take much to figure out that the woman was much more than she appeared to be and that something was clearly wrong. <br><br>"Perhaps." The dragoon answered to the stranger's comment. "I think those men did enough of that for us both, to be honest." She glanced at Ceres for a moment before her eyes settled on the strange woman once more. "Seems like none of us were all too-popular with the zealots here." She pointed to the corpse. "I assume they weren't too thrilled with that... And I <em>know</em> that you're more than you appear to be." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>14-02-2009, 02:01:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres chuckled slightly at Soanala's comment, her keen eyes moving about the room, constantly searching for hidden threats, in addition to the unquantified threat that lounged, appearing, on the surface, to be little more than a debauched noblewoman.<br><br>Carefully moving along the perimeter of the room, she checked each door, be it to wardrobe, closet, or private bath chamber, and, finding nothing amiss, she moved to the corpse, examining it for foul play. "It seems odd to me that a cadre of elite soldiers was ordered to force the door, when the only occupants of the room are, respectively, deceased, and apparently, a harmless noblewoman."<br><br>Her eyes flicked over to Soa, one hand moving quickly behind her back to use the sign language of the Thieve's Cant to try to tell Soa to keep well on her guard and ready for anything, though she held little hope that the Dragoon would know the finger codes. Keeping a wary eye upon the noblewoman, Ceres rolled the corpse over, seeing the distinctive pallor of one having been dead for a short time, but no sign of what had killed him. Muttering to herself, she shook her head slightly, pilfering the priest's personal wallet that rested on top of the bedside table.<br><br>Turning back to the noblewoman, one hand resting easily on the hilt of her knife, she again looked at Soa for a moment. "So, care to explain why you're here, and apparently, wanted for the murder of a prominent cultist?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>14-02-2009, 05:05:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Very perceptive, my dear," Silet lauded the silver, with a gentle smile, "but for the record, they expected him to at least resist."&nbsp; She watched the green cross the room, the gentle smile widening at the words 'harmless noblewoman'.<br><br>She glanced at the body, watched the rogue pilfer what belongings he had in his robes.&nbsp; "Humans... to know full well one of their own was going to die, and sit by to watch his fate unfold...&nbsp; They knew he'd die, just not today.&nbsp; He must've been a thorn in someone's side, for them to leave him out as bait..."<br><br>"And give me some credit," she met eyes with the rogue, her expression conveying mock indignation, "I can't be wanted for something if no one knows about it.&nbsp; The men outside were going to fall just as easily, by your hand or not.&nbsp; The only unplanned factor in this affair is you two, and the pair of you, together... that's more suspicious than I'll ever be."&nbsp; <br><br>"So tell me..." Silet asked, leaning forward in her chair, "what could bring a green and a silver to join forces?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-02-2009, 23:35:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Though she did not understand the hand signals sent her way by Ceres, she didn't need them for she already was on-guard, though she still kept the blade of her spear behind her for diplomacy's sake. To add to the possibility of drawing answers without battle, she switched auras once more...though this one did not give off a tell-tale flash. Instead, it granted a minor enhancement to her own and Ceres' looks and voices so that they would appear and sound more attractive, persuasive, and intimidating if need be.<br><br>The way the strange woman spoke of humans gave Soanala even more evidence that the lass was anything but the lie her appearance displayed. A shapeshifter and expert at disguises herself, she respected the crafted image in some ways, though she trusted the stranger even less because of it. <br><br>She glanced over and twisted her lips briefly when she noticed Ceres pilfering the corpse and wondered why the woman couldn't at least wait until they'd assessed the stranger's potential danger before indulging in hoarding. She smirked when the disguised woman pointed out the unlikely alliance between herself and the rogue, then put her answer bluntly. "That must be a rhetorical question. This evil cult exists for the sole purpose of trying to destroy <em>all</em> dragonkind. We are wise enough to set aside our differences long enough to bring an end to these fools...for to let them grow in power would recreate a potent threat."<br><br>Soanala dared not mention her ulterior motive for being at the keep and hoped that the thief would keep her lips sealed as well. No body language or tone changes betrayed her either, for she much experienced in half-truths and keeping appearances. "But you, fair lady, would have had to face down an entire keep had it not been for our unexpected arrival. When we arrived, we had the element of surprise due to their plans to get to you being in motion." She smiled, "I suppose I should give you my thanks for providing such a distraction."<br><br>"That said... Now that you know our purpose her, might you be so kind as to share your own with us? We all have a common enemy here and that hopefully, will make us friends." She shot a knowing grin at Ceres. "At least, for the time being."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>15-02-2009, 03:27:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You're welcome," Silet drawled, rising from her chair, pacing toward the silver with a slow, steady rhythm, keeping her more esoteric features unseen.&nbsp; "There's no point gilding the lily, I suppose.&nbsp; It was my intention to watch as every single one of these men fell to my feet.&nbsp; I would make them my own over the course of a week, partake of the valuables they had and be on my merry way.&nbsp; I ask for something, it is given to me."&nbsp; She locked eyes with the silver, the lavender orbs sparkling with confidence.&nbsp; "That's what goddesses do."<br><br>She took care not to touch the stranger, but leaning over the dragoon's shoulder gave Silet a vantage point of the corridor, and the frozen bodies.&nbsp; "But you had to go and kill them all," she sighed, disappointed, "And everything was going so well.&nbsp; I do hope you left some alive downstairs..."<br><br>"If it helps," rolling back on her heels away from the dragoon, "I hold as much disdain for their ideals as you do.&nbsp; It's more their... conviction that draws me."&nbsp; With that, she gave a mock curtsie, her ashen burgundy wings unfurling through strategic holes in her robe behind her, curved horns sprouting from beneath her hair, tail uncoiling from the base of her spine.&nbsp; "Silet, daughter of Malcanthet."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>15-02-2009, 03:54:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres snorted, nonplussed at the sight. "Well, at least you're forthright and honest enough to flat-out say that you're a demon."<br><br>Moving around the bed, she raised an eyebrow at the barely-open armoire in the corner, and, moving to it, she looked over the contents for a mere second, then shrugged, her wingtips twitching slightly. "So, seeing as how your 'position' here has been rather abruptly eliminated, what should we do in regards to this development?"<br><br>She smiled slightly, moving to lean against the windowframe, and keeping a sharp eye on the Succubus. "Now, in all honesty, you didn't come here ~just~ to kill one person and brag about it. Care to show off what else you claimed, either in the course of valuables, or knowledge, though, to be blunt, both would be best for your long-term well-being."<br><br>Down below, in the bowels of the fortress, the last group of Soldiers, all elites that had been hand-picked by their commanders for the great battle against the scaled menace finished girding themselves with what remained of their stockpile of specialty equipment. A full half had pulled masks over their heads, filters in the enchanted helms working to clear the air before it reached their lungs. The other half, all equally large and burly men, proven in battle against bandits before they joined the members of the fort donned Wolfs-headed cloaks, the white furs supposedly capable of protecting them from the chill grip of winter, regardless of how unprotected they'd normally be.<br><br>The men formed up into two lines, each armed with a large shield, and a heavy sword or axe, and began marching slowly up the steps to the floors above, loudly Chanting "Death to the Interlopers! Slay the Beasts!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>15-02-2009, 22:14:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>A seducer.</em> Soanala thought as she met the woman's gaze with her own and clear wariness. The dragoon took heavy measure of the woman as she approached and though she kept her spear turned away, she intook air through her nose and held in a blast of cold. <em>And a thief.</em><br><br>That breath was finally released when the woman stepped away and revealed her true nature, though it left Soanala's lips as a frosty gasp, not a blizzard. That the woman was a demon explained the powerful, unnatural allure. Such dark beauty loosed a spark of lust in the dragoon...one that confused her until she beheld the wings and other fiendish features. And yet, despite this, she only felt farther betrayed by her body and wandering gaze after the reveal. <br><br>Her mind screamed for her to prepare to defend herself while her body flooded her with an aching desire to be touched by the demon. She forced herself to look away but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her as it had earlier with Ceres. At least her rival didn't catch that one... She was surprised and concerned when the rogue gave Silet a not-so-subtle threat and wonder if the half-dragon truly understood just how powerful fiends could be. <br><br>She furrowed her brow as she finally caught notice of growing noise nearby, then looked towards the stairwell when the chanting and marching became clear. Finally, she readied her spear for a fight. "The introductions will have to wait, demon. It looks like you've got the men you wanted. Shall we leave them in your care?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>16-02-2009, 02:57:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Silet's predatory grin widened at the dragoon's gaze, feeling it run over her body like ice.&nbsp; The silver's cheeks were flush with colour, her body taking her places her troubled face showed she didn't want to go.&nbsp; She could already tell being around her would be quite fun.&nbsp; Deciding to belay commenting on this, she instead turned to the rogue's words, pouting at the tone.&nbsp; <br><br>"Now, now, there's no need to resort to violence," she tried calming the rogue, "we can get to whatever you were looking for just now a little later.&nbsp; In the meantime, however, we'll need to watch out for..." She was interrupted by the sounds of clashing armor rising from the stairwell, along with a steady chant.<br><br>"Hmph.&nbsp; Sounds like they're here for you two," Silet lamented, "I would hate to deprive you of your hosts.&nbsp; Oh, but how rude would it be of me to sit by and let you do all the work?"&nbsp; The succubus strode toward the bed, resting her rear on the foot of the bed.&nbsp; "If you think you can keep your eyes on these brutes, and off me," Silet goaded to the dragoon, "keep them occupied for a moment.&nbsp; They are naught but ash, just too dense to know it."&nbsp; Figuring they still had enough time, Silet beckoned both dragons closer with an outstretched hand.&nbsp; "I can help you hold them off, so long as neither of you get plane-sick."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>16-02-2009, 03:36:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres paused, frowning, then grinned, a particularly wicked thought forming. "I think I can do one thing first. You might want to avoid going near the door, however."<br><br>Stalking over to the door, she chuckled, then hopped down to the Seventh floor, moving over to the stairwell that led to the Sixth floor. Standing at the peak of the stairs, she paused, took in a deep breath of air, and let her heritage do the rest, converting the air she had inhaled into the deadly gas that she slowly exhaled down the stairwell, the greenish-gray cloud slowly creeping down each step like a misty waterfall. A few moments later, the chanting was suddenly halted by choked screaming, the noises akin to hearing something trying to yell while gargling something thick and liquidy.<br><br>Practically Skipping back up to the top floor, Ceres giggled maniacally all the way to the top, then entered the room to see Silet and Soanala still at an impasse. "Well, that was fun. And, before you ask again, No, I'm not going to go plane-hopping for practically any reason." Several moments later, the chanting returned, though, while diminished somewhat in sheer volume, was closer than before, and sounding a lot angrier.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>17-02-2009, 02:48:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				If Soanala heard the succubus' comment about her eyes, there was no way to tell as she displayed no signs of such. The imminent danger took far more precedence over that demoness' comely looks though she did pause to glance at the fiendish lass at the mention of something in dealing with planes. Unlike Ceres, she quite get what the woman meant and asked, "What do you mean?" before taking a few steps forward to try and keep tabs on what her green-scaled rival was doing.<br><br>Ceres' actions gave Soanala an idea of her own, and she quickly stepped in to let out a heavy breath to coat the staircase in a thick layer of slippery ice and frost. With any luck, that would further slow and injure the men as they came and make them nice and soft for the she and her unlikely allies would surely set up.<br><br>She jogged back to the room, then pointed towards both sides of the doorframe before hopping behind one. "Perhaps we should let them in or let them get closer...unless they have mages with them. Getting fireballed while we sit in here isn't an appealing thought."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>17-02-2009, 03:51:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Suit yourself," she sighed, muttering an incantation to herself.&nbsp; The succubus was bathed in a pale, evanescent light, and as the light faded, so did Silet's body, flickering into and out of sight as if a candle in a gentle breeze, before picking up speed and giving her form.<br><br>"I mean," she said, her reach turning away from the uninterested rogue, her voice broken so finely it sounded like a clear echo, "for a time I can make you a ghost.&nbsp; Your enemies' blades will pass through you, and your strikes will come from nowhere."&nbsp; As she said this, she stood up through the bed, disappearing through the mattress up to just above her knees, before approaching the dragoon, making note to step through her spear.&nbsp; "And if you can draw them here, and buy me enough time, I will send them all straight to hell.&nbsp; Well, except for one or two, perhaps..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>17-02-2009, 04:28:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres simply rolled her eyes, re-arming herself with a knife, and her salvaged sword. Then, to deliberately taunt the cultists below, she whistled loudly, and shouted in the direction of the stairwell. "Come on little wimps! We'll defile your holy places by being alive!"<br><br>The roar of anger from one floor below was replied with a loud shout of alarm, and a resounding crash of metal rebounding off of iced stone, followed by muffled cursing, and a loud scream of pain, followed by a clear, and sharp Cracking noise. Ceres ducked back into the room, Nearly ramming into Soa before she spun away, taking up a position on the opposite side of the doorframe.<br><br>Smiling, she knelt, fingering the edge of her knife, then looked at Soa. Whispering to her, almost impossible to hear over the shouts from below unless one had greatly enhanced hearing, Ceres' voice managed to reach Soa. "So, when this is done, perhaps we should consider working together for a time. Despite our conflicting natures, we do work well together, and this... cult, seems far more organized than this keep suggests."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>18-02-2009, 17:22:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>A sorceress...</em> The dragoon thought to herself as she witnessed the casting. Though she still did not trust the demonic woman, she saw the advantages in using such a spell and answered, "Very well..."<br><br>When the spellcaster said she would send them to hell, Soanala couldn't help thinking that the demon meant that very literally. Even if the cult was full of reviling hatred, she still accepted the notion that some of them may have been misguided or vengeful from personal loss. The latter was something she thorougly understood and so she asked, "What exactly do you intend to do and how much time are we talking?"<br><br>She smirked when Ceres darted out to taunt the men into slipping in falling, though she heard not the woman's whispers over the shouting from below. She asked the rogue of what she was saying through a look before she turned her gaze back to the hall and waited from her chosen spot of ambush.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>18-02-2009, 22:19:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres just smiled, then silently mouthed the words 'We'll talk after' to Soanala, Shortly before the first of the Elite guards charged into the Room, sword up and ready to cleave into his foes. However, he didn't expect to be attacked on each side at once, Ceres' long knife sliding between the plates of his armour to Dig into his Liver, while Soa's powerful spear Slammed, point-first into the side of the warrior's helm, splitting the metal and crushing his skull, killing the soldier instantly.<br><br>Ceres, pulling her knife free, picked up the longsword the warrior had dropped, and readied herself, crouching slightly and holding the sword in a vertical position, ready to swing hard at the next guard's midsection as soon as he edged into reach. "So, Soa, Why is it that I vex you so often, other than my penchant for swiping the items you have set upon being yours?"<br><br>Ceres grinned, taking a swing at the second guard, but missing, and embedding the sword into the doorframe, turning the weapon into a waist-high barrier until it was forced free or battered aside. Pulling the knife she had used earlier from her belt, she grinned, waiting for the guards to attack again, and for Soa to answer.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>19-02-2009, 03:50:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Time was of the essence.&nbsp; Silet grasped the woman's off hand for the briefest of moments before tracing a looped symbol onto her palm with a finger.&nbsp; The faint light washed over the dragoon as she came under the effects of the spell.&nbsp; "Move just as you normally would," she hastily explained, "whether you touch something or not is a matter of choice."&nbsp; The silver's hand was returned to her almost as quickly.<br><br>"As for your question," she answered, "fire.&nbsp; Lots of fire.&nbsp; I don't want to, but we don't seem to have a choice.&nbsp; Draw them into this room, then flee through the wall.&nbsp; Ceres will have to find the window."&nbsp; As the first of the troops entered the room, Silet leaped forward, through the first man and the stairs below him.&nbsp; Grasping the second's ankles, she swung herself back up through the stairs, the momentum dragging the knight's feet from under him on the treacherous icy stair, sending him to the ground with a clatter, sprawling atop the already dead vanguard.&nbsp; Silet glided back into the room in a three-point stance, regaining her balance.&nbsp; "If not, I'll need to borrow a blade."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>19-02-2009, 05:26:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres snorted, then Stepped in front of the door, only to meet an extremely Large guard, who had lifted a massive axe and was about to bring the double-bitted weapon down against the sword jammed across the doorframe, which impeded the large warrior's forward movement. Ceres' appearance, however, caused the guard to step forwards, yelling in fury as he tried to bury the axe into Ceres' lithe frame.<br><br>Neatly taking a half-step backwards, She let the axe split the air in front of her, though the spike-tip between the twin blades scraped her left thigh as the Axe's steel haft smashed against the sword, bending the lighter blade downwards, but also causing the heavy weapon to shiver itself free from suddenly-numb fingers. Ceres' response was to lean back in and punch the Elite soldier with both hands, and, while her Talons could not penetrate the plate mail the soldier wore, nor was her dagger lucky enough to find a chink in the Man's plate, the sheer impact and the strength displayed by Ceres sent him tumbling some feet back, leaving the Large soldier supine, staring at the ceiling of the short hallway between the stairs and the room the Trio were effectively trapped in.<br><br>Picking up the Heavy Axe, Ceres smiled, hefting it for a moment, then deliberately turned her back to the Soldier as his helm tilted towards her, the first sign of the soldier recovering as she fluttered her wingtips at the soldier, enraging him, before she shook her posterior at the man, flaunting her appearance, and her draconic heritage, before she threw the Axe, hard, against the locked shutters of the lone window leading out of the chamber, the weight and force of the weapon splintering the wooden shutters and forcing them wide open, leaving Ceres an Escape route as she stepped to the side, pausing behind Soanala for a moment, before moving to the Window, and handing off one of her few remaining spare knives to Silet.<br><br>Smiling, she tapped the knife once. "Try not to break it. But, if you do, well.... I understand."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>20-02-2009, 05:49:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				If the vile dragons insisted on hiding in that accursed room, then they could burn in there as well. Not all of the soldiers were reckless enough to charge in and die. They were elite amongst the others after all. Once the last pair to survive the chloro-ghost-frost maneuvered passed the various set-ups along the way, they stopped at the end of the stairwell. Instead of charging in, one threw a bottle and the other a shimmering stone. <br><br>When those objects landed together, the result was a large and wide plume of flame and deafening bang. Though the noise prevented Soanala from hearing her two allies, her lack of heightened listening -as well as a fierce inner resilience- prevented her from losing her hearing and instead left her with a nagging ringing in her ears. She wasn't as lucky with the flame and it quickly left a minor burn and set what little shreds of her gown were left aflame along with the remnants of the door.<br><br>She quickly hopped away from the doorway and said, "They're getting smart..." regardless of whether or not the others could hear her. She then took a deep, misty breath and readied herself for whatever would come next.<br><br>The soldiers, on the other hand readied strategies of their own in the form of a well-aimed heavy crossbow and tanglefoot bag ready for hurling at anyone foolish enough to pop their head out. No shouts or taunts sounded from their lips. Their seething rage was held in check by training and wits for they knew that anger and martial skill alone would not kill the beasts. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>20-02-2009, 07:00:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The blast from the concoction thrown through the door couldn't seriously harm Silet's body, but the sound still managed to disable her ears, and the sounds of the world left her temporarily.&nbsp; The dragoon mouthed something, presumably a comment on the enemy.&nbsp; Silet's eyes stayed at the doorway, noting that the attack had ceased.&nbsp; The succubus naively poked her head around the corner, only for a crossbow bolt to sail straight through her forehead, thudding into the wall behind her.&nbsp; She reflexively pulled her head back, dodging a large pouch thrown her way, bursting against the foot of the bed in a cloud of tanglefoot well clear of the three.<br><br>"They seem intent on staying there," Silet commented, realizing that the others wouldn't hear her.&nbsp; After considering her predicament, she rapped against the hardwood floor with the butt of Ceres' knife, using the floor's vibrations to grab their attention.&nbsp; Sliding the knife back to Ceres, she motioned for the two dragons to move to the back of the room on her mark, before miming a burst of fire and pointing down the hallway.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>20-02-2009, 16:18:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres was, arguably, furthest from the blast, but the loud Bang did a number upon her hearing, stunning her for several seconds from the pain, though the aftereffects faded relatively quickly, though everyone around her seemed to be speaking through a long tunnel. Her nose, however, worked fine, and the scent of burned flesh caused her to frown, before her mind realized that several holes had been punched through the membrane of her right wing, likely by flying wood splinters from the now-obliterated doorway.<br><br>Looking at Soa, She stifled a laugh because the dragoon was now essentially naked except for her undergarments and her enchanted breastplate, then at the Succubus' mimicry of a flame spout aimed towards the guards in the hallway. She frowned, chewing her lower lip for a moment, still unsure if she should trust the creature that had been spawned from the abyss, then mentally shrugged, re-collecting her knife as the tanglefoot mass expanded slightly, the semi-liquid gluey mass creeping towards the trio's collective feet as the bag's contents continued to ooze free.<br><br>Smiling, she pulled herself onto the windowsill, and scratched a quick plan into the wall, showing a burst of fire from Silet keeping the guards back while she planned to climb down to the Seventh floor, and attack the remaining guards from behind. Not waiting for acknowledgment, She climbed out of the window, her talons digging into the stone like it was loose cheese curd as she climbed down to the Seventh floor.<br><br>Easing herself into the window she and Soa had entered earlier, Ceres looked about at the room, not at all surprised that the guards had kept enough presence of mind to move their wounded into the room, as she ducked the sword swung at her and found herself locked into a point-blank brawl with at least three 'walking wounded'; elite soldiers who had broken limbs due to the various hijinks upon the ice-covered stairwell.<br><br>One man limped heavily, his left leg obviously broken and splinted, while the one that had taken a swing at her had his left arm hanging limp. The third soldier, sitting against the wall next to the door leading to the hallway was holding a large crossbow, and was waiting to get a shot off at Ceres, who was doing her utmost to keep at least one soldier between her and the heavy bolt-thrower. Above her, a Loud blast sent a cascade of dust down over the combatant's heads, though it was not the dark gray of the mortar used to cement the stones in place.<br><br>Ceres just concentrated on the fight, fending her foes away from her more than outright attacking, as the two skilled soldiers tried to flank her. At the last moment, she heard the K-Thock of the crossbow's string snapping back to its 'rest' position, followed by a searing pain in her side, causing her to collapse to one knee, the metal crossbow bolt having buried several inches of its length into the meat of her abdomen. Growling in pain, she let instinct take over, and, ignoring the attacks aimed at her, she charged, her talons more effective for ripping and tearing then her knives.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>24-02-2009, 04:16:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She tried to signal for the green to wait, but the rogue was already out the window.&nbsp; There wasn't any time to try and tone down what she had planned; she was thoroughly sick of these meatsacks.&nbsp; "I've had quite enough of this," Silet growled, her hands a blur of mystical gestures.&nbsp; Tongues of fire seemed to float around her as she channeled infernal energies.&nbsp; "Silver, that greenie's going to be in trouble where she is.&nbsp; Move like I did before, sink through the floor and get her out of there."<br><br>"Fire in the hole!" she cried to the green, as she stepped closer to the doorway.&nbsp; With a scream of primal anger, Silet had ushered forth a gout of fire, flowing down the stairwell like a cascade, engulfing all in its path.&nbsp; She'd hoped that the dragons had vacated as the flame broke into the room below, washing over the remaining guards with unholy fire.&nbsp; When the inferno ceased, Silet was surprised to see one of the knights still alive in the stairwell, helmet off, horribly burned and writhing in pain.&nbsp; His breath gave in short gasps, signaling his time was near.<br><br>"Aww, dear," Silet said, gliding over to him, calming him with gentle hushes, "it wasn't supposed to end like this.&nbsp; I never wanted to see you in pain.&nbsp; The least I can offer is a quick release."&nbsp; She placed her lips against his, his grimace of pain at the contact quickly silenced as the succubus forewent all foreplay, draining his soul from his mortally wounded body as quickly as possible, sparing him a slow death from his burns.&nbsp; Silet could almost feel his gratitude as she felt his essence suffuse her.&nbsp; With that, she proceeded downstairs, hoping to see her two allies unscathed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>24-02-2009, 23:02:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres had heard the shout, and, hearing the hissing roar of fire moving fast, she simply grabbed the two guards that were standing upright, and pulling hard, she placed them between her and the open doorway, before she leapt backwards, her claws catching the windowsill and allowing her to hold on as the room erupted in flame.<br><br>The blast was quick, and weakened by distance and the fact that it had to travel Down a Spiral staircase, so it only sent a short gout of fire out the window, though the heat was enough to curl some loose hair that was too close to the windowframe. Slowly climbing back into the room, which was now nicely charred and dotted with still-hot embers, she poked the still-standing suits of armour that were only a few feet from the window. Both had taken the worst of the blast into the carapace of their platemail, causing them to be flash-cooked inside their steel plate.<br><br>The third soldier in the room, the one with the crossbow cradled in his arms, was still alive, having had much of the blast deflected away from him by the door, which had acted like a shield between him and the worst of the blast. Ceres, however, not too pleased at having taken a crossbow bolt in the first place, simply stalked over to the immobilized soldier, and, without a simple iota of pity, snapped his neck like a dry twig.<br><br>Then, tired, sore, and in no mood to be bothered, she simply sat down in the middle of the room, on the heavy oaken table that was scorched, but not badly burned, and began to slowly work the crossbow bolt free.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 03:18:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I will never get used to this." Soanala murmured before she did as asked and allowed herself to sink through the floor. She was surprised to see the rogue already exiting through the window when she arrived in the room, and her eyes widened as she could hear the oncoming blaze surging her way. <br><br>Again she sank through the floor...this time to wind up in a room unfamiliar to her. Luckily, there were no troops within it. Nor were there any outside of it, she realized, after she pressed her ear to the door for several moments. She opened the door carefully and looked around the halls just the same before rushing her way back up the stairs. If that was the last of them, she needed to claim that relic before the others could slip their claws around it. <br><br>It probably would have been easy for her to do if not for her conscience prompting her to check on the room above and see if Ceres was in good health. It seemed like the woman wasn't wounded too badly when she found her but she took a moment to flash on her healing aura as she approached the rogue with a sigh. "Bloody reckless, you are. Let me help with that bolt." After carefully removing the object, she murmured, "Probably not a good idea to leave that woman alone for too long..."<br><br>Though she didn't specifically mention the relic, this was what concerned her more than anything else. The item in the hands of a cult was bad enough. The last thing they needed was for it to fall into a demon's hands. Without another word, she rushed out of the room and up the stairs to find that very same woman kissing a dead man. <br><br>"What are you doing?" left her lips before she realized what she was saying. "If you're that desperate for company, I'm sure you could do a lot better." She smirked as she walked passed the demoness and though she did not look back, she tensed up in the case that the being attempted anything dangerous. In some ways, she almost hoped that the woman would for part of her mind screamed that the lady should not be allowed to roam free. <br><br>She quickly began to search through the room for the artifact she sought as she spoke again. "So... Demon, what do you intend to do now that these cultists have fallen?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 03:54:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Misguidedly prejudiced as they may have been, you should show some respect," Silet said quietly, "these men died fighting for what they believed in.&nbsp; More than can be said for many humans in this age.&nbsp; He deserved a merciful end."<br><br>Standing up now, she turned to face the silver dragon.&nbsp; "I'm still very disappointed.&nbsp; I expected more of a meal from these men.&nbsp; It doesn't leave much reason for me to be here any more.&nbsp; I'll just drop by the treasury, take a souvenir or two and be on my way.&nbsp; I hear these guys have another base a little further north of here."&nbsp; As she spoke, the silver dragon's snooping around the room became more and more distracting.&nbsp; Feeling the bundled shape press through the pouch against her inner thigh, she decided to play dumb for now.&nbsp; "Forgive me for asking, but are you looking for something?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 05:24:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The demons words were met with a shocked look as Soanala <em>never</em> thought she would get a lecture on such from such a creature. "What? I can't believe <em>you</em> of all beings would say such a thing. And I'm not seeing how kissing his corpse is an act of mercy. A kind a symbolic gesture perhaps, but what aid does that provide to someone who's been charred to death?"<br><br>She'd encountered demons and the demonic a few times as she seized her freedom from that hated black dragon in her past and none of them cared anything for mercy or respect for anything other than themselves. Ruthless, murderous, and utterly despicable as those creatures were, it was quite a shock to see otherwise with one of their kin. Or was it just an act? She was not well-versed in the workings and abilities of fiends and so the mention of expecting a meal confused her. Did she mean their souls? <br><br>"Another base?" She echoed in a surprised whisper. "Just how thick is the membership of these zealots?" In answer to the question, she smirked and answered simply, "What? Does the color of my scales suggest that I would not relieve them of their things? Every dragon has her hoard, yes? I may not spew poisonous gas and engage in acts of evil, but I'm still an adventurer and dragon both."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 07:11:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No," she began, "not to death.&nbsp; Most of his skin was burned off, but he still yet lived.&nbsp; I imagine you would've done the same thing."&nbsp; She sashayed toward the silver, not stopping until she was well within the dragoon's comfort zone.&nbsp; "I may prey on the souls of humans, dear, but I'm not cruel.&nbsp; My prey tend to enjoy their final moments.&nbsp; And you, judging me based on what I am?&nbsp; Perhaps you have more in common with these 'zealots' than you think."&nbsp; Her eyes again locked with the dragon's, searching for the signs of fading conviction.&nbsp; <em>Let's see you mull that over in your mind, paladin.</em><br><br>Striding back across the room, she continued.&nbsp; "But we could talk about the ethics of religious persecution and biological imperatives all afternoon," she sighed, "or you can give me your name, and we can leave this bedchamber and go to the treasury, where the loot you seek would be lying."&nbsp; A grin spread across her face.&nbsp; "Unless of course, you're looking for something beyond silver and gold?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 20:41:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres walked up behind Silet in time to hear her last comment and, due to the crush of cadavers choking the short hall, brushed against the Succubi's flank for a moment as she walked past. "Personally, I don't give a damn where someone is from. So long as they treat me and mine with the respect that I'd treat them with, they can live as they please, how they please."<br><br>Her fingers gently danced over the bandage on her side, the movement reminding her that she got overconfident as she looked at Soanala. "While it is interesting to hear you two discuss your relative beliefs and insult one another in the same breath, perhaps we should put such commentary aside until after we loot the place and leave this forsaken pit?" She then paused, and chuckled. "Oh, I do hope you have a spare set of clothes. Between the fight outside, and the bomb those guards tossed in here, there's only enough of your garments to ~mostly~ cover your modesty."<br><br>She then turned, heading back down into the keep to begin looting the contents of the fortifications, leaving the Succubus and the Dragoon to their own thoughts and comments, busying herself with the art of selecting the most valuable items out of the building full of potential valuables.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>25-02-2009, 21:53:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Kiss him goodbye? In case you hadn't noticed, they despised us. If anything, it would have been taken as a vicious taunt had I touched his lips." She narrowed her gaze and visibly tensed when the demoness moved closer. She was fully prepared to impale the evil being at the first sign of a threat. "I find it strange that you can admit to preying on souls, then name yourself as un-cruel in the same sentence."<br><br>The search for a faltering in conviction was only met by a rolling of her eyes and incredulous look followed by irritation. "Final moments in this world, perhaps. But what awaits them after that, I wonder? And don't you dare claim I have anything in common with these hateful fools." <br><br>She quirked an eyebrow when Ceres finally popped up, then crossed her arms as a smirk formed on her lips. "Yes, yes. Of course <em>you'd</em> vote to loot before anything else. I'd expect no different, <em>thief</em>." The tone of her voice and mischievous look in her eyes painted the words as little more than humored taunts before her cheeks rosed over at the comments about her garments. She pointed at the rogue and added, "And let's not forget your busy little claws! Since you played a hand in this..." she waved a hand over the barely-there tatters of her gown, "Maybe I should let you replace it...and get something for yourself while you're at it."<br><br>The dragoon then turned her gaze to the demoness and she quickly banished away her disdain to soften her voice and gaze. "You seem to know a lot about this place and these cultists as well as their treasures. You even know about other locales they congregate in. Were they setting any plans in motion? Knowing those and how they plan to set those in motion would certainly be more valuable than the material treasures they have here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>26-02-2009, 00:58:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She gave a start at the brush to her side, a grin spreading across her face as the green walked past.&nbsp; "I like her," she said to the dragoon as she left the room.<br><br><em>Perhaps it's too much to ask the fates that she understand how a succubus works,</em> she thought to herself.&nbsp; "I thought you would know better than to take a succubus' kiss at face value.&nbsp; Tell me, are you a vegetarian?&nbsp; Or do you exercise cruelty to those unfortunate enough to be born below you on the food chain?&nbsp; And as long as your body's tensed up like that, waiting for any excuse you can use to kill me for what I am, I see every right to compare you to these men."<br><br>As the dragoon's features softened, Silet walked away, quietly saying 'good girl'.&nbsp; "I did spend a week with these men, after all," she began, "most of the other camps have suffered similar attacks.&nbsp; Their larger compounds are all further north; when an outpost like this falls, the remnants move north, to one of the bigger bases.&nbsp; They're on the defensive, barely surviving the dragon attacks.&nbsp; But that's what happens when the weak stand up to the strong."&nbsp; Silet wound her fingers together, and stretched her arms over her head.&nbsp; "If you want to take one of those on, though, you'll need a few more dragons.&nbsp; At least three times as many men, and infinitely better organized."<br><br>"But let's get back to the here and now," she said.&nbsp; "Forgive me for finding it odd you're looking for treasure in a bedchamber.&nbsp; The cleric had taken a vow of poverty; all he really owned was some strange relic thing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>26-02-2009, 05:54:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No surprise there..." The dragoon murmured with a roll of her eyes in response to the demon's comment on Ceres. "A succubus..." she echoed, "Forgive my lax knowledge on demonkind. I know of those I've encountered previously but I don't spend my time researching them." She still had hearsay and rumours to go on, though. "A temptress, right?" She smirked. "Fitting." <br><br>That smirk vanished at the words that followed though she saw no point in taking the bait and prolonging a discussion that was quickly growing tiresome. She had more important things to concern herself with than trying to debate with a demon of all things. And while she felt the woman also underestimated the might of true dragons, she wasn't about to reveal that she was not a full dragon herself. Perhaps that missing knowledge was what kept the temptress passive.<br><br>Soanala quirked an eyebrow when the woman spoke of the cleric and her eyes widened when she mentioned a relic. She quickly hid her excitement at that and feigned her pre-existing knowledge of the item. "What kind of relic?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>27-02-2009, 21:11:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Several floors down, in a small storage room just off of the main barracks (which had been completely ransacked in the pursuit of monetary and material gains), Ceres reached up to the top of a stack of woven baskets, and deposited a small bag in the topmost basket, the contents of said bag having ridden upon Silet's person no less than twenty minutes beforehand. Then, to further mask the relic's presence in the storeroom, she wove a simple spell, one that she had learned from her blood and what felt like ancient memories, which shrouded the Relic's presence, hiding it behind a veil of mundanity.<br><br>Then, moving out of the storeroom and closing the door behind her, she continued on her jaunt through the lower floors, neatly stacking each room's valuables into small piles at their doors for Soanala and Silet to collect when they got off their collective posterior and began to head down to the ground level.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>04-03-2009, 02:42:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Silet smirked at the dragoon, silently praising her powers of subtlety.&nbsp; "A relicky kind of relic," she joked, "something the cleric already had wrapped up in enough dirty gauze to completely mask it's goody-goody aura...&nbsp; Whoever it was going to, they didn't want to touch..."&nbsp; Silet paused as she felt her thighs rub together.&nbsp; Without her pouch.&nbsp; Her hands flew to her left leg, reaching for the inside of her thighs, her composed expression fading with shock.&nbsp; "Wait... how did..?"&nbsp; <br><br>She looked up at the dragoon as the answer hit her, a broad grin spreading across her face.&nbsp; <em>How in the </em>hell<em> did she manage to reach that far?</em>&nbsp; "Ooh, she's good," she commented, standing upright, "Seems like your friend has decided to rob us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>04-03-2009, 19:25:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I see..." Soanala replied as the woman described it. "Did it emanate much power?"<br><br>She put her question on hold and couldn't help a smirk and quirking of her brow when she learned of its theft from the succubus. Though she certainly intended to seize the item for herself, she was somewhat relieved to know that it was -at the very least- out of the hands of a demon. Self-serving as Ceres seemed to be, she was definitely the lesser of two evils. <br><br>Still denying her knowledge of pursuit of the item without direct lies, Soanala smiled at the succubus. "I suppose she is...but you're the victim of theft here, not I. Hard to steal something from me when I've never had it to begin with, isn't it?" She twisted her lips. "Unless you count the back of my gown. What were you going to do with the thing, anyway?"<br><br>The dragoon held up her hand, "Actually, that can wait." She let out a dramatic sigh, "I suppose we should find her before she gets herself into anymore trouble." That said, she made her way down whether or not the demonic lass followed, though she was careful to let her gaze land on the woman when they were close as she certainly was not about to completely give her back to a fiend.<br><br>She smiled in amusement and murmured, "Nice." to herself as she was pleasantly surprised by the neatly placed shares of loot along the way. She automatically figured that the rogue would claim all she could fit...but then again, maybe Ceres did just that. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>05-03-2009, 20:15:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres was on the ground floor, sitting crosslegged on a table in the now-deserted mess hall, and using one of her few surviving knives to slice bits off of a particularly savoury piece of baked mutton, which she had found in the attached kitchens.<br><br>An addition of a baked potato, a wineskin filled with some decent alcohol, and some carrots helped turn the meal into a full meal, and so she sat and snacked, enjoying the flavours of both meat and vegetable, even as she watched Silet and Soanala enter the mess hall. "So, did you at least stop to collect all the loot?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>08-03-2009, 10:08:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Like I said," Silet answered the dragoon, following her downstairs, "all I want is my trophy.&nbsp; The only use it has to me is taking up space on my mantle."<br><br>"What exactly is this girl to you, anyway?" the succubus asked her, "Forgive me for prying, but you don't seem too upset to be stuck working with a chromatic."&nbsp; She paused to examine the small piles of treasure; silver, gold, a collection of jewels, all the usual superficial trinkets.&nbsp; <em>Nothing in comparison to the relic,</em> she thought as she continued down.&nbsp; She had to admit, the raw ability and boldness of the thief was starting to match the appeal of the sheer challenge befriending the dragoon posed.&nbsp; Silet paused on the steps, as if something struck her.&nbsp; She retreated back upstairs, walking to the scorched table and flipping it over.&nbsp; <em>That's a relief.</em>&nbsp; Still pinned to the bottom of the undamaged side was a small satchel, clinking with wealth, swollen to roughly the same size as the small piles outside.&nbsp; She smiled, taking the pouch in hand before heading back downstairs.&nbsp; On her second pass down the hallway, she scooped her share of the piles into the pouch, before reaching the mess hall.<br><br>Silet's mind wandered as she thought of the best way to handle the green scaled thief.&nbsp; <em>No point in being subtle,</em> she decided, <em>can't let her think she got away with it too much.</em>&nbsp; "I'm impressed, I'll admit," Silet drawled, walking up to the green, leaning over the table space between the two, not bothering herself with the view it would give the dragoon, "I can't even figure out how you managed to reach in there, least of all without me noticing."&nbsp; The succubus tried to soften the knowing smile she gave the green.&nbsp; "But I'm sure we can come up with some sort of arrangement, can't we?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>10-03-2009, 03:24:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres shrugged, looking innocent. "As you can probably smell, I don't have it on me. So, sit down and help me pick this roast clean and tell me all about it, and then we can go to the Brass tacks of negotiating over who gets what. It's apparent that all three of us want the trinket, but the question is why, and for what purpose."<br><br>She sliced off a piece of meat, the scent of baked mutton mouthwatering in the warm air. Using her knife to fold the slice over she neatly stuffed the small slice into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully, and using a fingertip to catch a stray drip of reddish juice. Swallowing the small mouthful, she slowly inserted her finger into her mouth, sucking the meat juice off of her taloned fingertip. "So, Why do you want it? And Be honest. You're not the only person that can 'read' someone."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-03-2009, 05:17:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Someone with a mutual enemy." Soanala replied. "The truly wise know to set aside their differences when faced with a dangerous enemy set on their complete destruction. Had we entered the tower as foes, we would have given this cult an advantage to exploit. This much, they did not deserve." <br><br>There was more than that, of course, but she would not be so foolish as to tell Silet more. She still did not trust the fiendish woman and wasn't about to give a demon the advantage of knowing much about her. For all she knew, the succubus would try to play or prey on her thoughts and feelings. She simply oozed manipulation and seduction and that made her quite dangerous.<br><br>"Perhaps..." The dragoon answered when she found Ceres. She paused to give the woman an odd look in response to how quickly she seemed to have made herself at home in a tower that housed the corpses their enemies. She couldn't help a smirk at what the chromatic woman said to Silet, though she frowned when the rogue mentioned that she wanted the item to the succubus. <br><br>Instead of answering, she crossed her arms and leaned on the wall as she warned, "We shouldn't tarry here too long. This food can be eaten on the road, and that relic carried. If any have gotten away, there could be extra forces headed towards us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>12-03-2009, 09:35:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No thank you, I've already eaten," Silet rebuffed the thief, watching her finger dip past her lips, bemused.<br><br>"The only use I have for it is as a trophy, a sign of conquest, she succubus answered her question, "You're both dragons, you understand the appeal of keeping a hoard."<br><br>"I know your motives," Silet signalled behind her, referring to the dragoon, "you asked before about how much power it emanated.&nbsp; You seek it for its power, only to dispose of it when it's no longer useful.&nbsp; I have no interest in power; I have enough of my own.&nbsp; It would remain on my mantle, untouched, unwasted, like all my other trophies."<br><br>Silet raised herself back up, finding a large, wide bowl to carry back in front of the thief.&nbsp; "And it was a noble gesture to spare me a share of the gold..."&nbsp; She procured her pouch, untying the string.&nbsp; "...but I have no use for it."&nbsp; She poured the contents into the bowl, the clanging of gold and silver against steel echoing through the building, coins of various markings and origins, more than the bag could possibly contain, before the bowl overflowed onto the table, the bag showing no signs of emptying.<br><br>"What I do need is a change," Silet said, the coins still falling from her upturned pouch, "Going alone is too boring.&nbsp; You've seen I'm far from useless in combat, and I imagine you two would like to use as little of your own wealth as possible.&nbsp; I buy the relic from the both of you, for my share of the loot.&nbsp; In addition, I fund your next campaign.&nbsp; Equipment, food, accommodation, if it has a price, name it, it's yours.&nbsp; I accompany you to keep myself entertained, I take one single item from each venture, and you two divide the rest of the loot between yourselves.&nbsp; I get my trophy, you two get all the loot you could hope for, and Little Miss Virtue over here gets to see bits of my collection, so long as she doesn't damage them."<br><br>"So," she said, finally closing the bag, the last of the coins falling to the table, "does this sound fair?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>12-03-2009, 17:09:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres shaved off another piece of meat from the leg of mutton, pondering for a moment, then shrugged. "Look, No offense intended and all, but it's a Draconic relic, and, like it or no, I'd feel it would be safer if in the hands of a being with dragon blood. I know now that you want it as a trophy, Silet, just to spruce up your lair, but, at the moment, my Main reason for wanting the trinket is to keep it from the grasping appendages of those that would use it as a weapon, or as a tool to gain power."<br><br>She then looked pointedly at Soa, as Sil emptied her pouch of holding. "You do make a tempting offer, but I have a counter-offer. Any Draconic relic that's found goes with the dragon-blooded. You can have your choice of other treasures or trophies, and, even if I'm as avaricious as you think I am, which is possibly true, I already made my personal opinion clear in this regard, earlier. However, there's more than just draconic relics in this cult full of crazies, and, if you plan on going adventuring, you should consider proper adventuring gear, else you'll be clad like Soa in short order."<br><br>She snickered slightly, then smiled at a thought. "There's a large village a day's flight to the west. We can re-stock some supplies there, and destabilize the economy with an influx of money, and we can discuss among ourselves while heading there."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-03-2009, 00:13:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>You know nothing.</em> Soanala thought in response to Silet's assumption about her desire for the relic. She almost corrected the succubus aloud, but instead fell into a smirk...content to let the demoness make assumptions. At the same time, she certainly wasn't fond of the item being kept as a simple trophy...not when it could serve a far greater purpose in her own plans. <br><br>The dragoon had a hard time believing Ceres' declared motivations for wanting the relic but she wasn't about to argue about it now. Not while the green lass was the only one that knew its current location. Instead, she'd play along. "Ceres has the right of it. Just as we would have no business claiming a demonic relic for ourselves, so too would it be wise to avoid something of ours. Such acts usually result in...undesirable consequences."<br><br>"But if it's company you wish for, you could always purchase our presence by relinquishing your claim on the 'trophy' you seek. Either that, or I shall have to encourage you towards Ceres' offer." She paused to roll her eyes at Ceres' comment on her state of dress and mentally resolved to change and bathe as soon as she could get some privacy. Not for modesty's sake...but rather because she trusted neither of them. <br><br>"Then let us move. I trust you have the 'trophy' on your person, Ceres?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>14-03-2009, 01:20:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres chuckled, her wingtips fluttering slightly. "Did I not already mention that I did not have it upon my person? I'll retrieve it while you two argue about the distribution of various pieces of lucre."<br><br>Standing up and stretching, she sheathed her knife after cleaning it. "I'll see you two outside." She then padded away from the meal hall, almost melding into the shadows as she walked back into the bowels of the keep.<br><br>Within moments, she picked up the small bag holding the artifact, then, opening the bag, she shook the cloth-wrapped icon into her hand, replacing it with a dozen metal spoons, wrapped to maintain the same weight and shape as the relic. Tucking the real relic under her belt, and cinching the belt tight so it wouldn't slip loose, or betray its presence via sight or sound, Ceres looped the cord holding the bag shut about her wrist, and, walking to the nearest south-facing window, she opened it to the outside, and slipped out, climbing down the wall to stand on the catwalk surrounding the interior of the fort, less then ten feet from where she had arrived.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>14-03-2009, 09:15:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Hm," Silet accepted the dragons' wishes for now, "you two didn't strike me as anthropologists.&nbsp; I'm ready to leave when you two are."<br><br>She made her way to the exit as the green padded back upstairs, pinching a coin from the pile.&nbsp; Good, evil... any outsider could tell you they were simply two sides of the same coin, two opposite perspectives of the same existence.&nbsp; "Keep the gold for yourselves," she invited, turning her head to place an eye on the dragoon, "if you can bring yourself to take a demon's money.&nbsp; I'm sure this little cult's successors will have no such qualms."<br><br>Silet's thoughts turned to the dragons.&nbsp; They seemed to trust each other almost as little as they trusted her.&nbsp; That made sense, being on opposite ends of the moral spectrum.&nbsp; It would be entertaining to see how a group with so little trust between members would manage to cohere, at the very least.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>16-03-2009, 02:45:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Soanala gave Ceres a simple smirk, "You say a lot of things." then quickly scooped the remaining loot into her bag with a roll of the eyes at Silet's comments. Draconic as she was, there was no way she could leave unclaimed piles of treasure sitting about and she certainly agreed with the succubus' point about the cultists... Not that she'd ever admit it.<br><br>She wordlessly left the room and ventured out to meet Ceres. A few powerful leaps was all it took to bring her to the rogue's side and she nodded after a quick glance over the rogue's person. It was a shame that the green-scaled lass got her claws on the item she sought, but perhaps their traveling would provide more opportunities to fix that. Normally, she wouldn't even care to let someone know she sought something in their hands, but her enjoyment of their little competition made for an exception. <br><br>The dragoon looked Ceres and gestured towards the bag in view, "You do realize you only have that on loan, right?" before giving the lass a brief wink and smile. She didn't expect the seeking of her claim to be easy. Didn't want it to be, either. Of course, the succubus didn't need to know of such things so she was careful to replace her nonchalant expression as she looked over the catwalk and noted the absence of additional cultists. "We're not surrounded by vengeful reinforcements. This is good."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>16-03-2009, 14:35:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres just chuckled, and pointed at a glint in the forest. "They're coming. Guess we were not as methodical in killing everyone as we thought."<br><br>Walking to the west edge of the Fortifications, she looked down, then nodded. "So, take your pick. Quick flight to cover an hour's walk in a few minutes, or play hide and seek with a pack of deranged cultists as we try to head west for a day or so, depending on how often we have to fight."<br><br>She then smiled slightly, looking at Soanala. "I know it's on loan, but that's half the fun. The other half is playing 'Keep-away' for as long as I damn well please just to frustrate you."<br><br>She composed her face into one of polite neutrality as Silet joined the pair, swelling the group to a trio again. "So, considering that hostile reinforcements are arriving as we speak, care to grab an Arm of tubby-Mcwingless here, and help me fly west for several minutes?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>17-03-2009, 12:17:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"A small group, though," Silet commented, eyes picking out the details, "no more than what we fought before, and far worse equipped.&nbsp; All the same, I've had my fill.&nbsp; I'm happy to call it a day."&nbsp; <br><br>Her eyes drifted over the pair, the dragoon with a much more swollen purse, and the thief with a new pouch at her waist, which she presumed held the relic.&nbsp; Something still set her ill at ease about that artifact.&nbsp; Truth be told, her interests extended past it being a trophy; there was a mystery surrounding it.&nbsp; The way that object was bandaged could only have meant it was intended for someone who couldn't bear to hold such a powerfully good item.&nbsp; The cleric had seemed to be such a fine, upstanding individual, but his soul revealed a well-concealed darkness, perhaps long in his past.&nbsp; <em>Which begged the question; who had he intended the relic to go to?</em><br><br>Silet fought back a chuckle at the green's request, anticipating a reaction from the silver.&nbsp; "If I must," she said, a mocking smile still splayed on her lips as she offered an arm to the dragoon.&nbsp; She sized up the woman.&nbsp; <em>Not too heavy,</em> she thought, <em>I'm certainly not going to buckle under the weight or anythi...</em>&nbsp; Silet's face twisted for the briefest of moments, before addressing the dragoon again, smile just as wide as before.&nbsp; "Hold on tight, Tubby."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>18-03-2009, 22:46:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Perhaps not. But maybe they will see the folly in their choices and understand who they oppose as they gaze upon the corpses of their brethren. Can you even handle another flight? You seemed to barely be able to handle carrying me for a short period."<br><br>She smirked at the rogue's explanation for keeping the relic, but that quickly faded when she was called, 'Tubby' by both women. "Fight or flight. How unimaginative of you. Step aside, and I will ensure that we are troubled no longer. Observe from above if you wish."<br><br>That said, she studied the corpse of one of the nearby downed cultists before stealing, then augmenting her form. She then hopped over the side of the walls and feigned a terrified fall. She made a show of howling in pain and fear, then crawling before the 'pain' in her legs subsided enough for her to pretend to be fleeing something of great terror.<br><br>She ran at the men and animatedly reported the deaths of their kin as if they were slain by Tiamat herself before warning them of the brutal fate that awaited them should they venture any closer to the keep. Already skilled enough at half-truths to make a true dragon smile, her aura amplied the display even more and when the shadow of something briefly darkened the sky overhead -whether it was a large bird or her comrades- she used it to declare that the hunt of an enraged, collosal dragon was ongoing.<br><br>When she had them all in her hands, she suddenly feigned a retreat to scare them into running for their very lives, then roared as a great dragon to spur them onward. A wide grin touched her lips as she watched them disappear into the distance and she wiped her hands against each other as she appreciated her work and waited for her allies.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>19-03-2009, 01:18:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A large glob of acid hastened the retreat, the hindmost member of the group now fleeing pell-mell from the outpost hampered by rapidly melting armour as well.<br><br>Ceres dropped down behind Soanala, her wings creating a shadow over the Dragoon, and chuckled slightly. "Impressive, if ultimately futile in the long run. Tell me, how would an organization devoted to slaying dragons react, when told an ancient dragon of immense proportions is out slaughtering their outposts?"<br><br>She didn't wait for an answer, frowning. "They'll step up their patrols, and their readiness at all of their outposts. We got lucky this time, even if we were not working together as a group, but, now that they've been warned, there's No reason to attack one of their bases for any reason, unless you're particularly suicidal."<br><br>Muttering darkly to herself, she turned, stalking off into the Jungle and heading west, towards the town she had mentioned, not bothering to see if either of her 'companions' were following her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>19-03-2009, 13:41:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"If they make it far enough to report the news," Silet provided an answer to their problem.&nbsp; "Reinforcements would've been called at the first sign of trouble.&nbsp; For them to have barricaded the place before your arrival must've given them at least a day's notice, even if the backup was for me.&nbsp; Those men would've been marching here for a solid day.&nbsp; Fanatic or not, they can't return to their post without rest.&nbsp; With my interference they won't return at all, the base will write them off as fallen in battle, leaving none the wiser."<br><br>"You two find yourselves a place to stay in town.&nbsp; Green, make sure you..." she turned to see the thief trudging off in a sulk.&nbsp; "Okay, you tell Green to unbind the artifact, it'll make finding the pair of you less of a chore."&nbsp; The succubus glanced up at the darkening sky.&nbsp; Perfect for an ambush.&nbsp; Uncasing her wings again, she turned back to the silver.<br><br>"Well, that was a bit of an overreaction," she stated her perspective, "This cult would have to have incredible egos to think the goddess of all dragon-kind would bother herself with them.&nbsp; If anything, their superiors would punish them for being so naive."&nbsp; She eyed up the dragoon again, gauging her dissatisfaction with her new pet name.&nbsp; "I never did get your names before, Tubby."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>24-03-2009, 17:32:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"What outpost? We crushed this one and I am in no certain rush to engage those others. More importantly, those soldiers were as young and green as could be and more likely than not, simple folk gathered from a nearby village. We could have easily killed them, but it's better to simply frighten some sense into them to let them understand that beings like us are not to be trifled with. It's my hope that they'll desert and take on simpler lives."<br><br>She nodded towards the succubus, "She has the right of it, too. To that group of soldiers, a young red would seem like a god of destruction and their word would be questioned and investigated. Fear amplifies things as I've already proven by frightening them off. If I was able to do it with just words, can you imagine how scared they would have been if even a wyvern swooped down to engage them?"<br><br>"Even without a report, I suspect that there will eventually be someone here to sift around." She looked towards the demoness once more. "They were already prepared to do battle against you when we arrived, after all. Considering that they were focused inward and ramming down the door, they likely had some inkling about you."<br><br>She watched the green storm off and shook her head before speaking once more, "Anyways, why not leave the soldiers be? I'm sure our parting roar and acid bomb were enough to dissuade them from trying anything else. And in the case that there's better-trained patrols out there, it'd be best if we stuck together... As much as it pains me to say it."<br><br>The dragoon glared at the succubus for a long moment before parting with her name. "Soanala. The emotive one storming off would be Ceres."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>25-03-2009, 23:02:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres paused, looking back at the pair. "Well? Are you going to stand there until someone gets the bright idea of coming back with a large force, or are you going to get your nearly-naked butts moving?"<br><br>Turning again, she continued heading west, her long knives flashing through low-hanging vines that got in her way, her strength allowing her to force the blades through even thick saplings with little effort.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>27-03-2009, 07:38:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Silet took in Soanala's expression as she asked for mercy on behalf of the soldiers, before shrugging her shoulders.&nbsp; "It would make our next meeting that much easier," Silet reasoned, "but if you don't want to get your hands dirty, I'd hate to dull your conscience."&nbsp; She walked forward, following the thief's freshly cut path, her narrow, cord-like tail whipping back and forth behind her.<br><br>"Nearly naked?" she repeats, loud enough to reach the advancing rogue, "You say that as if it were an insult, dear!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>27-03-2009, 14:11:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres turned, eyes flashing, a look of mild irritation on her face, despite her stance clearly stating 'try anything funny and you'll be eating your own extremities'. After a moment she sighed, turning to slash through a particularly thick vine. "Not in the mood for playful banter. Tell me; for how long have you been residing upon this plane of existence, instead of the hells?"<br><br>She continued walking, deliberately keeping some metres off of the fast-fading trail that also headed west, despite the increased effort required by weaving between the trees. "Also, you're not just joining up because of the fact that, between the two of us 'little miss bigbutt' and myself can decimate an entire fort of veteran cultists. Care to come clean, or shall I just assume that you're so horny you'd fuck a tree, and think you can blow off steam with one of us?"<br><br>She then chuckled slightly, and showed Sil the bag she stole from the Succubus. "Also, if you're wondering, classic misdirection. shoulder meets shoulder, followed by a dip and lift."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheWriter</strong> on <strong>01-04-2009, 01:55:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I holiday up here from time to time," Silet answered the thief casually, "The hells get too warm this time of year."<br><br>"Oh, is that a proposition?" Silet retorted with a wicked smile.&nbsp; "If you aren't in the mood for playful banter, you need to stop inviting it.&nbsp; Besides, you know why I'm here; you get your reward, and I get mine."&nbsp; As the green turned around to show off the pouch, Silet's eyes strained in the fading light to check Ceres' waist.&nbsp; The loose strap of leather was longer than before, just as Silet thought; she's tightened her belt.&nbsp; She couldn't be certain, but there was enough reason to believe the pouch was mere misdirection.<br><br>Silet figured the rogue could stand to be taken down a peg.&nbsp; "All that mutton and vegetables you ate, and you still managed to tighten your waist another notch... that must be awfully uncomfortable.&nbsp; Worried you might drop something?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Shattered Breaths and Rising Wings (The Writer, Sel Nar, and Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sel Nar</strong> on <strong>01-04-2009, 03:06:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ceres paused, then chuckled, shaking her head, amused. "Unlike you, who has no need for solid fare, or our erstwhile compatriot, who you take such joy in vexing, I actually have a Metabolism. I eat heartily, for today may be the last day I live to see, I try to enjoy life for much the same reason, and I tightened my belt, both around the base of my leggings and around my waist so you cannot attempt to slip your appendages, be they finger, tail, or other, to where I do not deign them to be slipped."<br><br>She paused, then stretched, calmly uprooting a ten-foot tall tree and replanting it a few feet to her side, her scaled biceps barely straining under the effort. "As for my mood, I admit, I am.... capricious, at best. However, I find that acting much akin to a wildfire in mood, unpredictable and potentially dangerous is far more useful than being predictable."<br><br>She continued walking, her feet padding silently over the brush and layers of dead and fallen leaves, her blades being used only to remove direct impediments that were too small to bother moving around. After some time, not particularly paying attention to the idle banter from her companions, she looked up and frowned. "It's getting late. We should find a clearing soon to camp in. I don't particularly like the idea of giant centipedes finding us at night."
			</dd>
		</dl>
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