Precipice, We're nearly there

[stormpeak]

Nechriman obeyed Solialuna's order, taking about half with her. It was sudden to be treated as if she was a right-hand, almost, to the leader.
But she obeyed and headed towards the Life group, swooping down with the rest of the harpies to attack.
With this new, maybe short-timed power, she decided to go for the leader, Mrin. Though she was a child. But that didn't stop her.
She swooped for the goddess, claws extended.

Nehrimae roared out as harpies flooded the air suddenly, unexpectedly. She had not been paying attention, scenting and looking and listening.
She rose into the air, her slightly-bigger-than-human-sized form dodging between the harpies, raking her claws into them as they passed under and jabbing her horns into their soft stomachs.

Dreya stayed in a humanoid form, but she changed. Now she was a black-haired beauty, with bright green eyes glowing out of her face. A scabbard hung at her side now, and she drew the long, thin sword, its blade glittering dangerously and the black hilt shining with small bright stones.
The shape shifter had only a long cream t-shirt, a vest and leggings on now. Small broad wings sprouted from her back, and she rose into the air slightly, slicing lightning fast at the harpies. With her current form she had terrifingly quick reflexes, and she used them, dodging and cutting down harpies.
Her wings weren't as fast, though, so she didn't go through them very quickly.

Naalares was unable to change, and she sweared quickly at her sister before drawing her sword and trying to hack at the harpies swarming in the air. She wasn't very sucessful, but atleast she wasn't getting very injured.

(Wow at Naalares's part)
(OMG Diimeen! Oh noes he's going to kill that harpy. permission lilith for diimeen to like...catch her?)

Diimeen shook himself and drew his short sword. He dropped back towards Lila, not necessarily intentionally, and sprang forward to swing at a harpy. Somehow he missed, even though slightly, and he dropped back more, now behind Lila and to the left a few feet.
He had to spin around to slice the same harpy coming back at him, and this time he didn't miss. The harpy fell with a gushing cut across the chest, and he stepped away, turning back around.
A small cry escaped his opened lips, and he took a few quick steps forward. He took a duble take and realized Lila and the harpy were too high up for him to reach the harpy. He formed shards of ice from the snow on the ground and aimed them at the heart of the harpy.
He struck right in her chest and shot several smaller ones at her claws simultaneously to force them to open by cutting through them.
Diimeen swiftly sheathed his sword and took several steps forward again. As Lila fell, he held out his arms and caught her.
At once, he gently set her on her feet, keeping his right arm around her back and hand clenched on her shoulder as he drew his sword carefully and stabbed at the harpy coming forward trying to take advantage of their seeming inability to move quickly and react. Apparently the ice in its chest had been a little off.
It was impaled, and he tilted the sword down so it would slide off. As the harpy thudded to the ground, he turned to Lila and smiled at her.
With that he was off, a few feet away to still make sure she was not grabbed again or in any danger, continuing to swing at harpies, cutting and felling them slowly but steadily.

(Wow that's one long...butt post
Lol almost forgot ><)

[Sakori]

Carmen was taken unusually by surprise at the harpies poured out, Solialuna going straight for her. In an attempt to protect her skin, she dropped back onto her behind. During this swift if not inefficient method of avoiding the attack, she pointed her spear toward the attacker. She jammed the blunt side of the spear into a crack in the floor, stabling it.
In that case that the spear hit, it would not get jarred from her grip. If on the other hand, she were the one who got hit, she could atleast stop herself from being pulled away.
The ice elemental leader briefly looked about herself, seeing the others facing similar struggles. with a large intake in breath, she awaited the harpies next move.

So much for getting in the dark... the vampire sighed, swinging his sword madly up at an oncoming harpy.
There were so many of them, he wondered how they'd ever fight through them all.
"How much further do we need to go?" he called, for anyone to answer. Azure just couldn't wait to get away from these icy wastelands and get some drink into him. The sooner they forgot about this, the better.
A harpies talons came past his face, and a claw caught his cheek, spilling blood. With a show of his true strength, he grabbed thing wing of his attacker, and pulled so sharply that the wing became dislocated. His breath drawing hard already, and ith a silent swing, he hacked the beast across the chest.

[stormpeak]

Perhaps someone should reply. Now. *blink*

[Lyra]

(Fine, I'll do it. I was waiting for Dana but since she can't really do this I guess I'll have to, even if I don't have anything to talk about.)

Solialuna rose gracefully up, out of the way of Carmen's spear and shot down, claws out. Acid had begun to drip from her mouth, it was flying through the air behind her, black saliva that would burn all things that were not harpy. Her claws grabbed at whatever they could reach, sharp and white like snow.

In the madness of battle, Alariis looked around. Another harpy swooped for her but she ducked, beginning to run through the snow. She was making for the cave, Nehmherinah trailing after, blocking any attacks that came for the Goddess or herself.
Alariis peered in and the sight that met her eyes was not what she had hoped for. Dragons and humans were standing and waiting in the shadows.
Alariis spoke in Nehmherinah's mind as she continued to watch the guards in the shadows, looking for any sign of Hieral.
"Get Azure and Rahurdien and come here. They have guards in the cave."
Nehmherinah's mind made a gesture equivalent to a yes and ran across the snow and was annoyed to find Azure in the air, in his own way. Throwing etiquette to the winds, she shoved a spiny, angry jab of thought at Azure, saying to him- "Hurry up and come to the cave. Try to keep the harpies from noticing."
She then spotted Rahurdien and sent the same message to him. He came begrudgingly, sending blasts of magic to whoever came his way. Nehmherinah ran back to Alariis' side, murmuring, "They're coming."

[stormpeak]

(I just want the thread to continue and not fizzle out like so many plot threads have >_<
Oh wow I just realized after reading your reply twice, and starting a reply that was two paragraphs long, that Nehrimae's on Life's side...crap
Nooo! So I can't reply after all! I had a really good post going!)

[Lyra]

(O darn. Hm.
No worries, I have a better idea.)

[Sakori]

Carmen was forced to dislodge her spear from the rocks she had secured it in, annoyed that she had missed her target. Before the ice elementals leader could set up for the next attack, Solialuna's Claws had dug deep into her shoulder. Her free arm held tightly onto the spear as she swung directly at the the harpie, yelling a cry of pain as she did so. Blood began to trickle down the other arm, where the claws had broken through her protection. For the first time since she became leader, she actually feared for her own life.

Azure was pleased with himself, he had taken revenge for that harpie that had scratched him and was ready to do oh-so-more. Before he could do just that, a sharp pang started to ring in his head. It wasn't long before he realised it was just Nehmherinah relaying commands to him. Still, it couldn't kill to be nice could it?
Silently, he sent a pang of anger in her direction, and muttered "How rude" under his breath. The vampire headed towards the caves, keeping out of the way of any attention. It wouldn't do good to let the harpies know they had gotten inside would it?

[Lilith]

Lila felt the harpy let go and she dropped straight into Diimeen's arms. She stared at him curiously for a moment, despite her pain and the situation they were in. An odd rush was filling her and she hardly noticed when she was put back on the ground.
She only noticed when a harpy was flying at her and then she ducked, clutching her arm and healing it just enough so that the wounds weren't bleeding so much.
She ducked around, looking for her scimitar. She found it and picked it up, swiping it at any harpy that passed and trying to not think about what had just happened because it would only distract her and lead to more injuries.

[Lyra]

Rahurdien arrived the, standing stoically before them. He said nothing, his one hand looking behind and the other staring straight at Alariis and Nehmherinah in a menacing sort of way.
Azure arrived and Alariis stopped looking at Rahurdien and instead looked at him. "Can you transform into a bat, Azure? And see how many are in there?"
She did not explain anything- there was no time and she assumed that Azure would understand.

[stormpeak]

Naalares was now simply swinging at everything that came at here. She was working herself into a frenzy, brutally swinging and hacking at the flying, writhing mass of winged, feathery part-human bodies, disregarding all injuries. She had several cuts now, but she didn't notice them as her eyes grew red and she started to drag harpies down to cut them up.
Suddenly a mass came at her, seeing the damage she was inflicting on the rest of them, and trying to kill her so she wouldn't kill so many of their's. She went down under ten or fifteen.

Diimeen continued to swing at the harpies, spinning and slicing gracefully now. Once in a while he would use magic to kill one in it's tracks if he couldn't turn around to it fast enough because he was busy with others.
He was good at multi-tasking. He kept half his mind and eye on making sure Lila was okay, and the other half of each fighting. It wasn't that hard, when you became good enough with a sword and magic to kill with speed and an easy mind.

[Akira]

He looked almost relaxed as he stood calf deep in snow, leaning on his twisted icy spear, surveying the fighting raging around the group. Feathers and snow alike rushed in a blizzard, blood spattering the purest white and staining it crimson.
With easy grace he moved as if dancing, cutting down the nearest harpy rushing for his throat, before carefully dispatching another and skimming across the snow to his leaders side, spear held low until he swung sharply upwards in an attempt to thrust the weapon right through the harpy queen.
Kael let his solid visage slip to one of a maniacal quality as he thrust and jabbed wildly at the mass of bodies surrounding them.

(gah craps)

Life was late, scrambling over the edge with urgency only to find the cloud of harpies already engaged with the party for death.
"Oh perfect..."
Im grabbed the child around the waist under one arm, his bow held loosely in the other as he stalked around the edge of the battle, giving them a wide birth, heading for the cave mouth. It seemed the elementals were deep in the thick of it, taking the brunt of the attack, though his keen eyes could not pick out the Goddess of Death amongst the throng. They did however alight on a particular mark.
"I already killed..."
His eyes sparked as they narrowed, calculating the enemy. It certainly looked like the Endlord he had banished but...
Im felt his fingers twitch for an arrow and mentally slapped himself. They had a mission to fulfill first...a fight like that could come later. He turned back to the mouth of the cave, away from the screeching mob of harpies, ducking low, and ran.
The child under his arm allowed herself to be jolted around as he manouvred around the large group, waving to their own party to follow. The sooner they reached Hieral the better.

Crouching on the precipice he swallowed a few meat rations, feeling the tingling warmth as they restored a little strength. He had sat here, watching the death's party arrive first, and waiting for life. He had also seen how the harpies had, formed themselves up not simply as a tactical defense, but a strong offense. It was easier to see from up here at least. Down there it must simply look as if the whole mountaintop just went beserk.
Ash touched his earring lightly and flexed his wings, undecided about what to do now. Technically his mission was over. He had relayed the information he was meant to. But...
But what? What's so important that you're still here? Why not just turn around now and head back to the sands where it's warm...
He growled in frustration under his breath.
Stretching stiffened limbs he unfolded his gaunt frame and leapt off of the mountainside, the momentary panic as his wings opened suddenly blossoming into terror as he found them locked, one frozen and refusing to move more than halfway.
Futilely beating his one wing he plummeted, cursing the heavens themselves until with a crack of ice, the other opened, fanning out a meager parachute as he hit the ground, consumed by a thick drift of snow right outside the cave mouth.
"Kalystaiya!"
Fwump.

[Lyra]

Solialuna hardly had time to avoid Kael's spear. One second more and she would have been gutted, blood and organs on the snow and her legacy gone.
But she let got of Carmen and pushed off of her, tumbling through the air towards the ground but catching herself as her wings snapped out. She rose up and shrieked, acid spittle flying, diving for Kael now, claws outstretched.

Nehmherinah saw the shadow which Ashokan created but did not register it. Then he was there in the snow and her eyes widened. If she ran across to him she would draw attention to what they were trying to do here but what if he was hurt and she didn't do anything about it what then?
She looked over at Alariis, panic rushing in her ears. Alariis gave her a hard look that meant "stay."
Nehmherinah felt herself being torn apart- her loyalty to Alariis and this heartbreaking care for Ashokan. Her limbs shook with the strain of forcing herself to stay here.
She poked at his mind gently, calling his name, asking for him to be alright.

(THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT OKAY?)

Sralas and Linymua came over the edge.
There was not a moment to be prepared- a harpy shot at Linymua and she stood there, stunned, unmoving. Moments before it struck, the black eagle that was Blathe Vienda collided with the harpy, tearing at her with beak and claws.
Linymua now drew her sword, stabbing at the next harpy that came for her. It avoided her, flew to the side and grabbed at an unsuspecting Sralas with sharp claws.
The dragon had been dreaming already.
Her eyelids were flickering, she was caught and trapped and killed by her own power, washing over like the sea.
Claws dug into her throat and blood leapt out, freed.
As if to rub in its victory, the harpy flew up as much as it could with the dragon in its claws and then dropped her so she cracked on the ground, wing breaking, frill twisting and snapping.
The scream that came from Sralas' throat was painful to all those that heard it.
Linymua was stuck in horror as the visions left this dragon long enough for her to feel the agony that had come for her.
She ran to Sralas but there was nothing she could do.
Red blood, tinged with silver, was running out and over her scales. Splintered bone broke from skin.
The white dragon was turning red.
Eyelids flickered and then opened wide, Sralas was panting but painless. The moon glowed in her eyes even though there was none in the sky.
Linymua fell to her knees by the dragon, trying to stop the bleeding with her hands but to no avail.
Sralas spoke, her voice filled with a mad epiphany.
"I can see them now..."
Her breaths raked her throat but she continued.
"I can see them now, they stand in the dark but they are the light...they are..."
Linymua knew this was the end. She withdrew her bloody hands, tears streaming down her face. Sralas was speaking her final prophecy.
"They are the ones who will...who will...reunite those that have been torn apart, bring them together at the end..."
Sralas came back, she screamed again, writhed. Linymua sat there, her arms bent and her hands held up. She could see the world falling apart in them.
Sralas fell still again, lying on her side, wing splayed over the snow beside her at a weird angle.
"And him! He who kisses her hand, he is the one who will tell all how to live, how to breathe, how think how to dream..."
The words tumbled out of her mouth, a crazed waterfall.
"He will bend them to his will one by one and who...who will stop him?"
It made Sralas cry, whatever it was she saw, whatever this riddle meant. Pearly tears slipped over her scales and then she returned for the second time.
Another cry, she struggled like a broken-winged bird, blood flecking points of white snow around her, red foam at her mouth.
Then she fell on her side once more, visions filling her.
She looked at Linymua, kneeling there, her hands still held before her, the world breaking into them.
She smiled as the blue eyes took in her broken form. The words she next spoke came with a trickle of blood.
"Linymua...All hope is not lost..."
A sudden breath and she came back for the third and last time, one last scream.
Then she looked up and it was as if was someone were holding her head in their hands.
She looked at something that was not there, smiling. "O Saivre...How I have missed you..."
She closed her eyes and whoever was holding her head let go. She let out a soft breath and she was quiet.

[stormpeak]

(Kiri, you forgot the attack on the goddess lolz)

[Sakori]

Carmen landed, on her behind and with a loud thud. Now that the claws had left the wound, blood could more freely pour out. She gripped it tightly, trying to stop the blood and make it clot so she could continue on. It was foolish to fight with an open wound of course. The ice elemental leader knew no healing magic, so this would have to do for now. Her front most thoughts were asking herself where that darned healer had gotten to. Her shoulder was wounded enough so that she could not hold her spear properly. With that she transformed into her wolf form and continued on with the battle.

Azure nodded silently at Alariis, and proceeded with his transformation too. His bat form was very scrawny, not at all like expected for somone such as himself. Keeping high and in the shadow he searched about the room, using the sonic waves that bat use to find out how many 'objects' there were in the room, standing and moving ready for battle. The figures were high, almost too high. The cave didn't seem that great in width though, so the entire force could not attack at once. He was very greatful for this. Silently and without trace he returned, and transformed once again.
"There is enough to cause a problem, we had better hope they are not seasoned fighters like the harpies." he said, a look of gloom on his face.

[Lilith]

Lila looked around wildly, after having killed a harpy. She saw Carmen was injured and she ran over. Without a word, she kenlt by the wolf and healed the wound seamlessly. She paused, dizzy from the energy she had spent.
She looked around and saw Life's side coming up.
Screaming and swinging her scimitar, she ran for them. One of their members had already been felled- she was writhing and screaming.
Grinning cruelly, she dashed forward, not quite looking where she was going.
A sword met hers and she stopped, staring into the midnight blue eyes of Lilith.
"It's good to see you again."