Precipice, We're nearly there

[Lyra]

(Nobody post until Akira and Midnight have posted.)

"We're almost there. I can feel him."
A sudden wind stole Alariis' black hair from around her face, dragged it across her pale skin.
She was bleeding from the lip and her face was gaunt and pale but her gold eyes burned with several things at once. She could feel the fate in the air and there was promise in it. It took her and swept her away.
The prospect of this was greater than she had imagined. This child of the God of All, young but powerful, was just within her reach. The two Goddesses had been fighting over him for so many years now and maybe Alariis could have him and then she could have revenge on Mrin for all the things she had done.
Nehmherinah was just behind her, looking worried. She had a terrible, writhing feeling in the pit of her stomach and she didn't know why. Things had been going well so far- the climb up the Killpe mountain had not been hard. It was not a terribly steep mountain, and the snow was a lot less thick than usual.
They had gotten lucky so far but Nehmherinah couldn't help wondering when their luck would run out.
The mountain was fairly steep now though- sometimes the party could walk and sometimes they'd have to climb, resisting the urge to look down and see what would wait them if they were to fall.
The peak was very close- only a few more minutes and they'd be there.
Below the Goddess and her companion, mixed in with the others were Effriehl and Nut'tanoth.
They climbed side by side, Effriehl's bright hair tied behind her, her face grim. Nut'tanoth was staring up with pained eyes, watching the Goddess of Death ascend above them.
They did not speak though both of them were thinking of things they would like to say before they plunged into this.
Rahurdien was at the end of the group, in his pearly white elemental form. He seemed to be one with the snow, floating just above it, elongated skull tilted back to take in the smell of harpy. It smelled like bird and ice and blood and was enchanting yet frightening. He was calm.
If he were to lose his life today than so be it.
He wasn't going to loose much else with it.
The pointed tip of the mountain was in view, with the foreboding black cave of the harpies carved into it. The cave led out onto a flat area of white snow, large enough for a small house.
The wind knifed across it all, across the unexpected emptiness.
But there were eyes watching and waiting, yes there were.

[Midnight]

Hieral didn't know how long he'd been in the cave. Days, weeks, months. Everything melted together into one, long nightmare. He slept in snatches and he never knew how long it had lasted; he stopped trying to count the days once he'd gotten to fifteen or so.

He sat, back flat against the wall, looking around at the harpies. They loomed about the small, crackling fire in the center, around the sides. Nobody seemed to be making any sound; at least, not any that he could hear. He could see them mumbling, giving him sidelong glances. He had learned not to feel entirely uncomfortable.

He tried to shift, but a deep, searing pain started at his ribs and radiated to the rest of his body. He'd once woken up from a particularly long nap to find that he was shirtless and had a large tourniquet wrapped around his middle. It was stained with blood around his navel and his ribcage. He hadn't the energy to look at the wound or ask how it happened. He had also discovered that his shoulders were scratched, and he was sure that his back was. He'd been sleeping against the jagged rocks that lined the cave and often awoke because of the sensation of the skin on his back tearing. That was, of course, when he didn't awake to a harpy looming over him.

He sighed, kicked a stone, and eased himself into a laying position. Maybe he would jsut go to sleep, and stop thinking. Maybe he could sleep forever.

[Akira]

The frigid air as he breathed in was like a lance of ice through his lungs, snow whirling in his face as he climbed steadily, the solid weight of the child clinging to his back the only comfort in the bitterness.
The wind caught his wings with a rustle like dried petals and played them, fanning them from his shoulders in a display of faded colour, their transparency revealing snow beneath making them appear all the more fragile.
The Fey hoisted himself up onto a narrow ledge with easy agility, the steady rising and falling of his chest speaking of a good excersize. It had not been the easiest route admittedly climbing this side but they were making good time. The mountain had started level enough but before long they had found themselves in light drifts of snow and facing sheer walls. Now they climbed, for the various ledges they encountered were becoming fewer, no matter how the little goddess assured him they were reaching their end when the walls would become less sheer and allow them to walk easily again.
Im crouched and waited as the girl slid from his back and stood shivering lightly in the cold, now biting into the Feys bare arms, glistening with a thin sheen of sweat from his exertion.
"I get a bad feeling...he's close...but..."
Im looked up, electrically blue eyes smiling comfort to her own troubled ones. It was of consequence to her maybe, but he had faith in her. They all did. Mrin felt faintly sick as the premonition struck her, red on white, the snow falling thick but slow, and the fading of blue.
"What's wrong?"
She stared off upwards at the precipice, it's top encrusted with ice.
"I..don't know...something...the winds shift...an ill wind comes..."

Wingbeats muffled by the snow, the demon sailed back down the side, the sound of his torn membranes flapping like cloth in the wind as he sighted the ground and dropped down heavily onto the ledge. Apparently Ash had a brief run in with the harpies, flying too close to their abode.
Wiping a smear of blood from his cheek he glanced at the group below then crouched offering a hand to the nearest member of Life, his silouhette hunched like some great gargoyle on the edge as he delivered his report.
The childs eyes never left his face as he began helping members of the group over the edge with the Fey, muscle rippling beneath the pale and wan skin, lines of tiredness and shadow etching themselves on his face.
"We're not far from the top, the harpies don't take kindly to visitors. Be prepared, I thought I saw something on the other side near the peak, looked like a wind serpent. Could have been an elemental."
The Fey glanced across at him and furrowed his brow ever so slightly.
"You think?"
"I don't know I had a harpy on my face, couldn't get much closer..."
Im nodded and proceeded to pull the hand he had grabbed over the ledge, barely noting the white wolf and faceless shifter slipping past to wait, half buried by snow.

Bounding up the side of the peak in effortless strides he'd far surpassed the group, feathers drifting down to them, frosted and delicate, longer than a man's hand, each time he met a sheer cliff and slipped into his elemental form, simply gliding up over the obstacle to await them. He had done so several times now, neither acting as scout or lookout, almost treating it like a race.
Kael's contempt for the intruders had only grown when the sickness took his precious Avin from him. She'd been particularly bad this winter, and already fragile from the last bout of illness to pass...only to learn that one among them, the dark staring one, this 'Goddess' had named herself the one responsible...
Death. It comes to us all...
He'd barely spoken at all since, and especially not to the party, but had taken to casting frosty glances their way. Now he sat up from where he crouched in the snow, thinking hard. Raising his goggles he stood slowly, the wind catching his cloak and billowing it out around him as he leaned on his spear, gazing down at them, eyes filled with a suppressed and wild natural fury. He made no move to approach nor back down.
"By the Goddess of Life...you humans are so slow...anyone would think you were part of those godforsaken shapeshifters..." He spat roughly, casting a contemptuous glare in their direction before turning and heading right into the face of the encroaching blizzard, spear held low as goggles snapped back down to guard against the crystals of ice, the bitterness of their conditions a mere scratch to the surface of his own frozen heart.

[Lilith]

Lila was near the end of the group with the prescence of Rahurdien icy on her back. Even after climbing a mountain in the cold, she managed to look beautiful. Her skin was still white and her blonde hair was still full of silky curliness.
She looked up at the mountain calmly, though inside she was panicking a little. She hoped that her healing skills would be up to the challenge of healing those that were likely to get hurt and she hoped she would defend herself against the harpies.
Things flying at her from the sky frightened her, probably because of the lamia blood in her.

Lilith was in the middle of Life's group. She was not looking well. The cold made her tired. It seemed like she was going to nod off at any moment but she had to keep shaking herself and reminding herself to keep going. They were nearly there and after this they could leave this frozen island and go to somewhere were summer was actually warm.
Orin was in the shape of a mountain-lion with big inky eyes. He leapt silently and easily from place to place, ahead of the group. He paused every few leaps to sit and wait for them, washing his paws with a large pink tongue. He was not at all worried- he could protect himself from whatever was up there.

[stormpeak]

Diimeen trekked up the mountain, a coat wrapped around him. The coat that he had worn on the boat to this cursed frigid island, that had once been too long. Now it was slightly too short. He had grown several inches.
It was still just as warm as before, but now he had several shirts in underneath.
He glanced back, down the mountain, past Lila behind him, then his green eyes caught on her's. He smiled slightly.
His breath caught in his throat as his footing slipped, and he fell forward, clawing his hands into the snow and any purchase underneath it.
Something stopped his slip, and he got up, brushing off his gloved hands on his coat. He stayed looking forward.
And resumed his climb.

Naalares was just several paces behind Alariis, a tunic over her long black dress, and an overcoat in turn over that.
She was having more trouble going up the mountain than she should.
The damn chains on her wings were still there, and growing heavier.
Growing heavier? Wait, they were-
She gritted her teeth and rushed forward, to Alariis's side.
"Alariis, Life is on the other side of the mountain, I'm sure of it. They're ascending."
She lifted her wings slightly, chains clinking metalically against each other in the cold.
"Afraid I won't be much use in the fight," she muttered, suddenly sullen.

Nehrimae was in her dragon form once again, to protect from the cold. She pretty much had been during the fight, and after ever since. It was just too cold.
The cold hardly did affect her now, with all the scaly armour.
Dreya was in the form of a large female lynx, her big snowshoe paws keeping her on top of the relatively thin layer of spring snow.
She looked up to Nehrimae, her breath coming out in a cold frosted plume of condensation.
"Nehrimae...doesn't it feel...strange? Like something...?"
"Yes, like something's going to happen once we get up to the top. Other than fighting the Harpies. Perhaps Death picked the same day...?"
They both sighed, breaths coming out in a dense mist each.

Nechriman was sitting in the cave, only a several yards away from Hieral, watching him.
He was frustrated and tired, that was sure. He had seen some harpies flirt with him, and it kind of disgusted her. He was too young to understand such talk, and even if he hadn't been, what was the point?
She highly doubted he would be attracted to them.
The Ice Harpy sighed and pt her back against the wall, looking forward. She was in fact along the same wall, only a few yards away.
She relaxed against the stone, spreading her wings along the wall. Nechriman closed her eyes, relaxing, in the time she could until Life and Death came up the mountain and fought with them for the posession of Hieral.

[Sakori]

Carmen had taken her ice wolf form for the majority of the trip, it meant very little effort was needed to get from rock face to rock face, her paws pefectly developed to grip onto the ice and make it easier. She didn't leave far from the group though, secretly afraid that keeping away from the mass would make her an easy target, and thus vulnerable. At the same time, she hoped her insecurities would go unnoticed. Unlike a few of the others, she seemed to be showing no interest to the party climbing the other side. The whole reason the ice elementals ad been brought along was to get into a fight. Thus, a fight they shall have.
After climbing a particularily steep section of the mountain, she waited up for the rest of the group.
How Tedius it is to wait for them all the time. Pity they can't learn to be better climbers She mused, watching down on them. I guess it cannot helped. Time is afterall, of the esscence

Climbing uniformly in the middle of the group, Azure kept silent, and in his place as always. Thankfully, lacking any actual bloodflow in the first place helped in the cold conditions. Azure had not been the best of help during the time spent on the island. Afterall, sunlight greatly weakened him.
But the harpies were in a cave, devoid of natural light. Finally, he would have a chance to fight, and be of use for once.
The vampire still wondered why he was picked to come along, but wasn't going to argue about being in the godess of deaths good books. He let out a sigh and continued climbing, a fight drew closer.

[Lyra]

(I don't think we have AlderArrow any more so I think we'll just have to do without an Ardenev. D:
Anyway, no more ceremony. It is time for WARRR.)

Alariis looked up at Kael, feeling her heart drop down onto the snow and rocks and shatter all over the mountain. She was about to stop entirely when the words came from behind her.
"Alariis, Life is on the other side of the mountain, I'm sure of it. They're ascending."
She gritted her teeth and dragged herself upwards as fast as she could. Raking the stones with scrabbling fingers and pushing herself up so that she came level to Kael. She turned to look at the others below, perched precariously on a large stone near Kael.
"Hurry. Be ready to fight when we get to the top."
Her words fell down on them, emotionless and steely.
She looked over at Kael with eyes that were embedded with glass-shards of pain and then looked away, letting the adrenaline rush erase it all from her mind.
Alariis began to climb again, spurred by adrenaline, til she reached the top and dragged herself onto the snow, coming up on her knees. She groped around her back and felt the hilt of her sword, gripped it and unsheathed the shining gold-coloured blade. The light glared off it, sparking off the sapphires in the hilt.
She stood and waited for something to happen, eyes narrowed.
Nehmherinah came up behind her, blinking at the light glancing off the snow, drawing out twin knives. She could feel her pulse in her mind. Ashokan was near and she couldn't stop worrying about if he'd get hurt.
Effriehl and Nut'tanoth eventually came up behind them, stumbling in the snow, cursing at the glaring light and reaching for weapons. Eventually, the lst of the party came up, followed by Rahurdien. He turned into his human form, tail splitting into legs, head shrinking, skin becoming less like marble and more like flesh. The eyes in his palms blinked rapidly, adjusting to the light.

Sralas was at the head of the group, moving easily upwards with Linymua following just behind. The dragon paused every few moments, overcome by something, legs shaking as if the could not support her weight. Her eyes would close, she would tense and strange images would flood her head. Linymua would catch up and stand close beside the pearly dragon, catching her breath and looking with sympathy at her. There was nothing to be done- Sralas was having visions and Linymua could not make them go away.
They persisted.
Above them was a black moth, fluttering on the breeze, unnoticed. It was Blathe Vienda, white wing streaks flashing in the light. It saw Death coming up on the other side and dropped down beside the Goddess of Life, changing into a raven streaked with white across the wings and back. Without a hint of respect, the raven landed on the Goddess' shoulder, clenching down.
It croaked into her ear harsh words- "I believe your enemies are coming up on the other side. You may want to be prepared."

Inside the cave, one of the harpies broke away from the rest, moving towards Hieral. Her scarred face came out of the dark before him, white hair falling smoothly all around. She was beautiful yet ugly, with a sharp, intelligent face that was ruined by knotted scars that distorted the nose and lips.
Solialuna spoke quietly but seriously, bent over to the boy, wings raised slightly.
"They have come to try and take you. I would advise hiding because they will no doubt harm you more than we have. Our humans and dragons will protect the cave from them as best they can but after that you are on your own."
The harpy queen turned around without waiting for his answer and called out in a strong voice that echoed across the cave. "Harpies! Prepare for battle. There are enemies approaching and they want to take this boy- the Goddesses of Life and Death. Mates of the harpies, ready yourselves to defend the caves and our young, elderly and ill."
She left the words to be swallowed by the clamour of preparations, harpies moving to the entrance of the cavern, humans rushing to find their weapons, dragons lining up behind the harpies.
The harpy queen placed herself solidly at the head of the harpies, just before the curve of the light entering the cave. Enemies were coming up on one side, dark shapes against the pale snow. The stood with confusion and waited.

[Lilith]

Lila had not been looking up at Diimeen when he looked at her- she had been staring at Kael, angered by his comment. But she felt his eyes on her and she looked back up at him curiously.
There was something in his glance and it surprised her. Actually, it wasn't just whatever was in the look. It was the fact that she didn't mind much for once.
Usually this would've made her angry. But maybe now she was past caring or...
Alariis' commands made her forget it all. She began to move faster and came up onto the snow, squinting.
She drew her scimitar and held in one hand while the other held a ball of pulsing energy.

[Midnight]

[Oh! That just reminded me. We do have Alder, but he's grounded for bad grades. He'll be ungrounded by the end of next week, and until then he said that can sneak on in short intervals.]

Suddenly, the queen, who Hieral had noticed was the most beautiful of all, was standing over him. He shot upright when he opened his eyes and saw her, despite the ache that pulsed in his torso.
He only caught several words of what she said; "They have come to try and take you... hiding because they will... harm you more... humans and dragons will protect... you are on your own."
He nodded despite that she had turned her back and heaved himself to standing. He grimaced and looked around the cave for a place to stow himself, but he didn't see anywhere; not with the harpies and their mates frantically readying themselves. All silence that had been experienced seemed a distant memory in the squawking and bustle. He didn't know where he was going to hide, but he desperately wanted to. He wasn't a fighter. He was merely a farmboy who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Her words caught up to him, then; "They have come to try and take you."
Any emotion he'd had before was erased by his confusion. Him? Why did anyone want him? He was just a farmer. He didn't mean anything.


The elf was in the back of Life's team, pulling her cloak tightly around her. She was not a good fighter, but she was a healer and Life's troops needed her there. She had a sword at the ready and armor under her cloak, but she hoped she would need to use it in modicum. Her best friend, Kaia, had been hurt in the last battle and could not accompany them on Life's travels; Lily had healed Kaia best she could, but it wasn't enough. Kaia was at home, resting. Lily only hoped she was still okay.


Kahlen was ready to fight. He was near the front of the group, scanning the area with his sharp eyes. He, too, could feel Life on the other side of the mountain, coming for them with rapidity. He adjusted the bow that hung across his chest and shifted the arrows attached to his hip. His eyes narrowed, half against the bitter wind and half in spite of Life's team; they would not prevail. He could feel it.

[AlderArrow]

Ardenev was busy thinking very angry things about the other shifters as he scurried up the mountain, following tracks. The nerve they had, just leaving him in the avalanche. What morons! What idiots! He'd managed to get out after a while, but it hadn't been a pleasant experience. He had half a mind to bury them in a pile of snow, see how they like it. But of course, much as he hated to admit it, he needed them. And that would be far too rash and inappropriate, even for him.

He was in the form of a fox and was bounding through the snow, fur keeping him warm but nothing to ward wind and snow out of his green eyes. Then, up ahead, he could see the backs of a few shifters that he could recognize. Snarling, he turned into a human quickly and took four bounding steps at them.

"Miss me?" he snarled in one of the shifter's ear and made he way to his rightful spot in the front of the pack of shifters.

(Sorry this is late and I haven't been online a lot. My parents=crazy, so ditto to everything Middy said. Er- sorry this is vague, too, but I wasn't sure which side the shifters are fighting on? I kind of tried to avoid mentioning it.)

[Lyra]

(They're with Life. (: Sorry if it's all a tad confusing. I need to work on making everything clearer.
I'm glad you're here. )

[Akira]

Im hauled on the hand offered and pulled the familiar face over the ledge. Smiling he nodded at Lily and gave her hand a friendly squeeze.
"I don't like the looks of this."
"What's wrong?"
"I have bad feelings...I don't want anything to happen..."
"I don't understand..."
Mrin sighed the sigh of a five year old trying to explain something to a parent.
"It's like a magnet. I can feel them. It's not just elementals. Death climbs this mountain."
The Fey wiped his brow and adjusted his armguard for a moment, thoughtfully.
"How close?"
"About as level as us..."
He nodded, casting an eye over the party and watching the shifters as Ardenev bulled his way through them, gaze resting breifly on the masked shifter in human form, crouching in the snow, unperturbed by the cold as he stared upwards, awaiting commands.
Strange beings.

Ash was not enjoying himself here. His wings cracked with ice each time he shifted them, the cold making him sluggish and slow of thought. He was not meant to be in such a bitter environment as this, and it had been severely affecting him ever since he'd agreed to this mission. His wiry appearance was now reduced to a bony and almost lanky frame, the lack of meat in the party weakening his abilities. He said nothing about the stealing away to hunt small creatures in the night. Moderate sustenance but not enough to keep up with the energy he was burning. Of course he still had some dried meat in his pack which he now began methodically chewing, willing his strength to return.

Kael caught the look of hurt from Alariis as she passed him, twitching an eyebrow with mild confusing before he whirled and stalked ahead through the snow, eyes upwards on the cave where his keen ears picked out the sounds of harpy-talk. Easily his form slid into the shape of the windserpent as he began to run, streaking through the snow in a light flurry, leaving speckled feathers to rest in the snow as his giant serpentine form slipped past with the barest rustle of smooth scales, taking to the air with a muffled beat of his wings as he melted into the falling snow.
Here they were nothing but tools, expected to fight. What they fought...it sounded as if the enemy of their invaders had gained the aid of the shapeshifters. Small forked tongue of midnight flicked out for an instant, thoughtfully. He would taste blood this day surely, and not just shifter.

[Sakori]

Carmen seemed almost reluctant to return back to her humanoid form once she had reached the top, but a spear was much harder to use when in possession of paws.
Spear in hand, the ice elemental leader waited for the rest to finish climbing. It had been a long time since she had a real fight. The one when meeting deaths group did not count. The prospect of a possible death did indeed unnerve her, but a healer was present so everything should be fine.

Azure was struggling with the final past of the ascent. The sooner they got to the fighting and out of the sunlight the better. With a final struggle, he pulled himself up. The group all made it, and were getting ready for the fight ahead. With a sigh he unsheathed his sword and rested on it. He was beginning to hunger already, which only strengthened his urge to fight and spill enemy blood. Mmm, blood.

(laaaaaaaame)

[Lyra]

Solialuna glanced back at the harpies lined up behind her. Excitement was clear on her scarred and distorted face. Shining blue eyes seemed to glow even in the darkness of the cave. Every muscle in her body tensed and she bent her neck back. Pale lips opened and a wild cry issued from between her teeth. It echoed in the cave, fell over the edges of the mountain and swooped low over the lands surrounding.
And she was in the air, shining with her glory, with her power.
Everything seemed slowed for her. Flaws appeared in split seconds and she had to fix them or Hieral would be stolen.
Fury of movement, she glanced behind and the first harpy she saw she called too. "Nechriman! Take as many as you can to the other side, there are enemies there as well!"
She swooped low at the first figure she saw, Carmen. Claws extended forward, she laughed for the joy of it, the adrenaline.
"Good afternoon, fair leader of the elementals!" she called to the woman hardly a moment before she was upon her, flash of feathers and hair and white skin.

Alariis raised her sword as a harpy came swooping down at her. The tip dragged across her wing and crimson spattered down onto her pale skin and onto her furs and armour.
A look of great seriousness had set itself on Alariis face. There were harpies everywhere, pale and beautiful and terrifying. The swooped and didn't stay long enough for her to do anything.
Nehmherinah was behind her, knives now sheathed, balls of flame flung from her palms up into the air. Effriehl and Nut'tnoth were whirling and fighting for all they were worth, coming far too close too injury far too often to be comfortable.

Sralas shuddered when she heard the cry. She finished a step and like a wave it came over her again. Flashing images piercing her skull, coming out through the eyes. Linymua was besides her, concerned, quiet, pale, shivering.
It didn't take much for her to determine that the cry was that of a harpy and that they had to get up quickly or they'd be stuck fighting them on the side of the mountain.
The black moth became an eagle, like a dark shadow in the air. It circled nervously, waiting.

[Lilith]

Lila almost didn't have time to react. It seemed that one second there was nobody but then and then the next there were harpies everywhere.
She ducked under one harpy and then bobbed up to fling the ball of energy at another. It was electrocuted and fell to the ground, twitching.
Her scimitar carved lines in any harpy she could reach but one grabbed her arm with sharp claws and drew blood.
Lila cried out, feeling herself being pulled up by the harpy.
Her scimitar dropped to the ground and she grabbed the harpy's leg with all the force she could, trying to relieve the pain caused by gravity pulling on the places where the claws dug in.

Lilith was brought back by the cry of a harpy. She dragged all her energy together and began to climb faster, not daring to draw a weapon until it was necessary.