darkSpyro

"Very well, then." The figure brought himself before the dragon. Without so much as introducing himself, he immediately asked "I'm looking for a Shade fellow. Big, black, horns, something along those lines... do you know of him?"

"I am Latnok - an experienced exterminator, providing my services to sapient beings on many an occasion. So I take it you're not a friend of his?" Though Latnok was confident in his own abilities, he did not intend to throw his life away through hubris. "What can you tell me about him? And I expect you to reciprocate the introduction, while you're at it." He would not reveal his capabilities just yet - however, the fact that the dragon provided him any sort of information at all, as well as a warning, suggested that he was not immediately hostile.

"Well, then, we might want to get a move-on. You best have a plan, though - you don't get to my age by being reckless," Latnok asserted. The magic within him - a product of the ritual he underwent - tingled, and the excitement of another bounty riled him up; sometimes, he wondered if he was still completely human. Regardless, he always kept his cool demeanor. "If you're looking at fighting him, then you may consider me an ally, for now. I will have to keep his head, though, and preferably some other parts of him."

While Orion and the group had a new member, the still oblivious Angora continued at her corner, occasionally giving glances to the spot where the group has disappeared to. She wanted to be alert in case Shade came for her, but the warmth of the lantern soon made her fell asleep...

"Ah!" Angora yelled, but she was still asleep. The dream looked so real, she thought she was awake and that Shade was taunting her somewhere in person.
"You! I should've know that bunch will be no match for you! Why won't you just leave me alone!?" Angora said, trying very hard not to make it sound like begging. Ever since meeting Shade, her life has become so miserable and full of fear and paranoia. She didn't know whether to hate him or Orion more for being so incompetent at his deity job.

Now Angora didn't know whether to feel afraid or infuriated. There was a large group looking to destroy Shade, yet he insisted on tormenting her when she was the only one in the group that wanted nothing to do with him.
"That's it! What the heck do I need to do for you to butt out of my life!?" Angora asked, not in the mood to fight, but ready to do so if Shade left her no choice. She only wanted the simple, nomadic life she use to have, where the only trouble were hostile predators and the occasional thief. She even found a troll hunter once, but she managed to slip away thanks to not resembling the average troll.

Star looked up at the stranger. "I don't really care who you are or why you're here, but we have to beat Shade yesterday." I'm only half-joking... Too bad my Chrono-Modifier's broken.
Darkheart raised an eyebrow at the odd statement. "I beg your pardon, little fox boy?"
Star twitched slightly. "Don't worry about it. Nobody else does. And don't call me little."
Darkheart grumbled. "It's perfectly true."
Star glared at her with his good eye. "If I'm 'little fox boy', are you the 'big dragon lady'?"
Darkheart sighed. "We don't have time for this." Darkheart raised one paw to knock on the door.
Star tensed up, nervous as to how they'd be greeted. He practically hissed the next sentence. "Why would you KNOCK? That's like saying 'Hey, we're right here, come and murder all of us."
Darkheart mumbled something about it being polite.
Star finally ran out of patience. Opening his wounded right eye, he revealed a red pupil in a black void. He jumped up to Darkheart's face and sent a death glare directly into her eyes. His voice was quiet, but more of a hiss than a whisper. "Are you trying to get us all killed?! Who cares about politeness here?! We're already trying to kill Shade, why be polite about it?! ESPECIALLY since he could be even stronger than all of us put together!!!" Darkheart stumbled back from the door, startled by the fox's sudden outburst and the appearance of his right eye. Star could be pretty intimidating when he wanted to be.

"Well, to be fair, I would expect a dragon to be a little more confident than whatever cute... fuzzy thing you're supposed to be," Latnok said. Regardless of his comment, he was always careful to not be too judgmental based on appearance alone - some small creatures, like fairies, had potential to be powerful. "Knocking will get us nowhere, though - the very least we could do is blast the door down and try to disable the target through bright lights, loud noises, magic cancellation, and whatever other means of sense deprivation we have among us. Attack from multiple angles, so he can't focus on any one of us."

OOC: Can you be more specific? What comment is addressed to whom? I think I know, but I want to be sure

Darkheart and Star stared at Shade. Darkheart took a moment to bow, out of grudging respect for the group's powerful enemy. Star proceeded to be unhelpful and pulled out a weird gadget and started typing. "Lessee... Big... Scaly... Dark... Not-quite-dragon... Think I got the most important parts down." He pressed a button to save what he typed. His right eye was closed again. Glancing at Darkheart, he felt that she and Shade could potentially work together and be unstoppable. Using his Illusion, he took the form of a statue so he could observe unharmed. If he got hit by crossfire, it would drop, but he doubted he even registered as a threat. Still, his apathy was starting to fade.

Dex was following the group, from the back line like always. He noticed that there was something going on with Angora, he did not know what but he was sure it was Shades doing " Heh..... the mentally weak one, that is smart, i hope she just breaks then there will be one less problem to deal with" Dex thought, still very happy about the way how things where going.

"When the fight starts i will do a sneak attack, which one is a problem? I think i can not take Orion out, but someone else for sure, so make your pick" Dex thought trying to contact Shade

Angora was still asleep despite Shade's distressing answer. She couldn't see him anymore but believed he was simply hiding somewhere so he could strike her without her noticing.
"Coward! Where did you go? Are you planning to attack me behind my back? You yellow bellied imbecile! If you're going to do something, do it in front of me! Have a little dignity!" Angora said, still daring to insult Shade despite being afraid of him and knowing the numerous ways he could destroy her. She still didn't quite get that she was asleep and that her fighting chances were far less than she imagined...

Beholding the threat, Latnok nocked an arrow into his bow, though he didn't raise it. Focusing his magic, he began charging the arrow with a magic cancellation spell - a spell which should cripple the magical capabilities of creatures it was embedded in, a favorite of his against creatures such as basilisks and dragons.
Well, then, let's see what you've got. He awaited a move from his allies in the next few moments, but would fire if no one did anything.

"Try me." At blinding speed, Latnok raised his bow and fired his arrow, immediately readying another while using combat prescience to ready himself for a response.

Well, it was worth a try. Latnok watched - or, more appropriately, noted with his combat prescience, as the deflected arrow embedded itself in the ceiling. Hmm... Making a mental note of that arrow's location, he immediately fired another arrow in the exact same fashion as before, except this time preparing it with a penetration spell, to allow it to fly through wind and perhaps damage thicker hide more effectively.

"Got it" Dex answered in his mind To Shade And strated to wait for a good opportunity

With the destruction of the arrow, the magic it was imbued with caused it to explode violently between the two combatants. After registering what happened, Latnok prepared yet another arrow, and began charging it with a spell.

Darkheart snarled and lunged, her shadow coiling around her as armor. Dark magic lengthened her claws as she aimed for Shade's throat. "DIE! DIE! DIE!!!" She punctuated each sentence with a fast swipe of claws that could cut through steel.
Star blinked at the explosion. Hmm... I wonder... Pulling out a flashbang, he wondered if it would be helpful.

The arrow in Latnok's hand became completely invisible. He took quick aim at the ceiling and fired the arrow directly there, keeping in mind of where it embedded itself and taking note of, but not concerning himself with, the spectacle ahead.

Darkheart cried out in pain. Her voice became strangely calm, even though her next words were a threat, or, rather, an oath. "I'm going to kill you. Even if it's the last thing I ever do." Her shadow reached towards Shade of its own accord, without a thought on her part. She slowly got up, her eyes a glowing red. Her voice remained a bland monotone as she calmly told him "I am the one cursed with immense dark power. It's really hard to actually kill me until I'm ready to die. And I won't be ready until I've killed you permanently."
Star quietly tossed out his flashbang, which proceeded to NOT go off. B-b-blast it! A dud! He carefully stayed as far from Shade as possible without actually leaving. The same words raced through his mind over and over. I am NOT a coward! I am NOT a coward! I am NOT a coward!

Angora yelled and waited for a long while for Shade to make an appearance, but it was as if he has disappeared out of thin air. This made her even more irritated. When she stopped looking and realized where she was, she knew that this place was far more different than the one she has entered with the group. Where has he transported her? It didn't took her long to realize she wasn't in the real world at all. The thought made her panic and she awoke abruptly. Was she sleeping all this time? She cringed at the thought that Shade could have gotten to her easily in that state...

After making several considerations as to the battleground, Latnok began thinking... there was something he could try, which he'd already been subconsciously preparing, but needed a little more setup for.

"Is everyone here capable of making barriers or protecting themselves in some way?" he sent to his allies with some quick telepathy, then recalled that not everyone may be trained in telepathy use. "Communicate the answer to me in any way that works for you."

Darkheart stated, her voice a monotone, "You don't intimidate me, Shade. You never did. And you never will. I don't fear death. I may as well be the daughter of the Grim Reaper. Come to think of it, you'll probably meet him soon." She was strangely calm-sounding despite her blood practically boiling with an overload of intense rage. The fact she hid it so well was not a good sign for Shade. It meant she was very focused on the task at hand.
Star commented lethargically "Well, I tried my best." Even though he was good at deception, this was obviously a blatant lie, mostly because he wasn't really trying hard at it. His mind practically whirred with thoughts. He analyzed the battlefield, which of his gadgets he knew were in working condition, and a host of other factors... Including Dex's exact location. He wanted to keep an eye on the venomous fox, that venom could be useful. I can't use my signature method of fighting, since 'Black Heart', 'Broken Mind', and 'Shattered Soul' all work by injecting immense amounts of dark energy into the target's heart and brain. I'd be more useful trying to determine a strategy, or just staying out of the way. I don't have any puppets from 'Shattered Soul', but they would've been useful here.

"Don't worry human-- there is something I can try. I don't know how you got here just as we needed it the most, but do what you have to do. I'll be fine.," Raclaw spoke directly into Latnok's mind clearly indicating that he had no issues making use of his telepathy. If the mercenary-like human was planning some sort of area effect, he figured he could use his lighter body-frame to his advantage and use the force of the effect to fly back at just the right moment. And while he didn't have the touch scale-based hide that most dragons had-- what he did have were lighter more feathery wings that could more quickly take advantage of the resulting wind almost like that of a bird.

"Consider it a hunch. Perhaps there are people who have your best interests in mind and sought me out... Or perhaps it was dumb luck. I'll let you know when to move." Latnok rapidly fired off another round of invisible arrows, which were deflected by Shade's aura, and noted their location - two more in the ceiling, and two in the ground.

Fully awake now. Angora was at a loss on what to do. She doubted the group will be able to fulfill their task with Shade being as powerful as he was, and Orion was weak, not to mention he was defeated by Shade once already even when supposedly full in power. Some legendary Galaxy Dragon he was.

The little troll gazed at where the group has disappeared to and wondered if she should go. After that nightmare, she was certain Shade wasn't going to leave her alone, whether awake or asleep. If it was true that he wanted her dead, he was taking his precious time, no doubt to torment her all the way. If that was the case, there was no point in trying to hide. As much as she wanted to remain alive and have a peaceful life, that was out of the question now. Shade wasn't going to let her have either. Lantern and staff at hand, Angora entered with firery passion, having nothing but a heated hatred for the evil dragolet...

Star's mind recalculated. The Troll's here. Good. We'll need all the strength we can get.
Darkheart allowed the dark magic within to consume her. A vicious, psychotic-looking smile crossed her face. "Even if you succeed in killing me... I'm dragging you down there with me." She didn't specify where, but it was obvious what she meant.
Star shuddered. I've never seen somebody look that gleeful at the thought of killing someone.

Latnok noted the approach of another creature - a short troll, apparently. At the same time, he kept in mind the spectacle before him. She will be a good distraction, he thought, though he doubted she would live long blindly rushing in without thought. Either way, he always had two goals - accomplish the mission, and make it out alive. That is what he was trained - almost designed - to do. A few deaths meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Angora entered the scene, wanting nothing more than to confront Shade herself, but after seeing some of the group fighting him, she managed to have enough willpower to stop and wait for the others to weaken him before she could make her move. It wasn't the first time she did something like this, except Shade was much more dangerous than other creatures. As she studied her surroundings, she finally spotted the new face... and she didn't seem happy about it.
"Oh no no, and who the heck are you? Where did you come from?" she asked Latnok, having failed to see him when he entered Shade's lair with the group. She despised how the group seemed to be getting bigger with every moment. It was too much for a loner like her. Although she hated dragons more, she could tell a mile away this new member was a human, and they didn't have the best of reputations either.

"The name's Latnok. I'm an exterminator. Former member of a group known as the Ardent Guardians. My job is to put monsters down. If you don't intend to help, either leave the battlefield for your own safety, or come at me and die like many other trolls have fighting me," Latnok replied telepathically. The somewhat hostile greeting made Latnok wary of the troll, though he did not fear her. Trolls we're not a race he respected, due to their frequent conflicts with humans, who he sympathized with and considered a higher life form. At the very least, his response would encourage her to reveal her intentions so he could focus on the battle at hand. He quickly grabbed an arrow from his quiver and charged it with a cancellation spell.

Angora was surprised the human managed to tell she was a troll. Most of them simply assumed she was simply a deformed goblin or something else with her unique appearance. What was worse, he could use telepathy like Orion, which meant he must be a wizard, the worse kind of human in her opinion.
"Do you really think those stupid arrows will work? And who are you to threaten me? Are you a troll hunter too?" Angora asked with disdain, looking forward to his arrow failing humiliatedly despite knowing that she should hope for it to work and weaken Shade, or better yet, kill him. She didn't like Latnok already. Like him, she also knew humans and trolls had very heavy conflicts, and both of them were known to hunt each other relentlessly for a variety of reasons. Even if Shade was destroyed, Angora was worried Latnok was a monster hunter, he could go after her or anyone of the group next, since many creatures were considered monsters to humans...

"Honestly? Probably not. They have killed dragons before, but this creature is quite a bit more powerful than most dragons I've fought. But you see this armor? I killed the dragon the leather and scales came off of. The eye coverings? I killed the griffin. I have fought many powerful creatures that have threatened humans, and have come out the victor, or, if I haven't, I've lived to tell about it," Latnok said as be rapidly pivoted and fired the arrow at Shade. "There's more to a fight than just power, though it certainly helps - experience and quick thinking are huge assets, both of which I try to cultivate.

Now Angora really found the human annoying. Was he really boasting about his previous killings, which happen to involve many of the same species as the group? Didn't he realized that he was wearing parts that belonged to the same kind as them? Humans made Angora sick! Most of them didn't hunt for food. They hunted for the mere pleasure of it or exhibiting the parts of their victims, like Latnok was demonstrating in full color.
"So how do you define a monster?" Angora asked, almost making it sound like a challenge, and daring to strike a conversation in the middle of something as vital as fighting Shade. This human claimed he was a monster hunter, but was that really the case? Most creatures attack when provoked or when their hunger is severe, and Angora couldn't help but to think that Latnok was simply somebody that liked looking for trouble. Just another human killing for sadistic pleasure.

With combat prescience, Latnok was able to prepare for the question a moment before it was finished.
"We consider creatures which have shown a pattern of hostility towards humans and their allies to be monsters. I fight them so that a mother and her children won't have to. When a dragon decides to impose its will on weaker humans, or when trolls decides to attack human villages, or hell, even when human bandits attack innocent people, the people pay me to take care of the issue, I do my job, and they can rest easy. Those who don't threaten humans or their allies have nothing to fear from me," Latnok answered. It was definitely not something he was used to being asked, almost catching him off-guard, and not something he would honor a troll with an answer to.
"Now, focus on the battle. I mean you no harm if you don't mean me any harm."

OOC: Edited for readability.

Angora wanted to reply, but that would mean talking since she couldn't speak telepathically like him. She did it with Orion cause he could read her mind, but that wasn't the same. She didn't mean any harm to him or anyone in the group, but she still disliked them, especially this new recruit. Some trolls were known to eat humans, but she has never tried that, nor she didn't want to, wanting to hunt things more to her size and avoiding unnecessary conflicts with sentient species. So many things she wanted to say to Latnok with more appropriate time, but right now, Shade was threatening them and they could no longer afford being distracted...

Since the group was quite large, Angora managed to stay away from his line of fire... for the moment. Shade didn't seemed to notice her arriving at his lair, so she intended to use that to her advantage. She tied her lamp to her staff, hoping that the magic of the two items would combine themselves to form a force strong enough to defeat even him. Waiting for Shade to be in a still position, Angora intended to get behind him and strike just below him, right in the belly. That was his weak spot when she rescued Orion, so she believed that was where he was the most vulnerable...

Using combat prescience, Latnok saw the attack coming before it had actually happened. Deftly dodging as close as he safely could, he proceeded to charge a penetrating arrow and rapidly fire it at Shade at almost point-blank distance. Let's see if this at least dents him...