darkSpyro

Angora lowered her ears, with tears of anger rather than sorrow like other times. How did he know about what happened back then? Unless... she gave a brief glimpse to Latnok before speaking again.
"It's none of your business what happened back then! But if you really MUST know, I never intended to abandon my duty! Never intended to leave the world to it's luck! On the contrary, all I wanted was some time to think! Whatever I said back then was to spite the person that was causing me so much suffering! And of course, instead of that person coming to me to try to 'change' my mind in a passive way, he threatened to kill me, by cheating even, and if he had succeeded, he would've doomed the world for sure. Cared more about his pride than the world!" Angora assured, not bearing to mention Latnok's name. Although a long time has passed since then, she still remembered vividly what happened.

It was clearer now. Huntress could see Leoquin, and he seemed ready to strike Maverick from behind... the coward's way.
"Oh no you don't!" she whispered to herself yet again, ready to aim her shuriken at the merman. She didn't care who killed Rigel, but if Maverick had to die, it would be by her own actions.

She didn't need to do anything though, for Maverick moved forward a few steps, closer to Angora.
"No Lo escuches Angorita! He's just trying to get to you! None of those deaths was your fault! HE was the one who ordered those attacks, not you, and whether he had intercepted you or not, he would've done it anyway. I'm certain! You were just a victim of them, just like who knows how many!" he said, looking at Julian and thinking of the children that died in the last island.
"You're no outcast Angorita! Think on the ones who care about you!" he said, looking briefly at Ilasi and then the trio of former pirates, who couldn't agree more. With Rigel threatening Angora's life, the usually passive Maverick was ready to violently defend her if necessary...

Leoquin hesitated a moment. What as he doing? He couldn't seriously... But what about all he had dedicated his life for?
Ilasi, some distance away, saw Leoquin's action and hesitation - though she wasn't quite sure if she saw it correctly. Was Leoquin completely okay?
Leoquin had to snap out of it when an enemy wyvern rider tried to impale him on a lance in a fly-by charge. He took a quick sidestep, putting the sword away and grabbing a spear. As the wyvern rider turned back for another attempt, he adroitly tossed the spear, impaling the wyvern in the eye and slaying it.
He had a job to do. He couldn't let anyone else down... not now.

Angora's response seemed to only serve to make Rigel feel more vindicated in his assertions. "So we see! This piece of refuse, who was so highly touted by this uncaring god of hers, was not only, for some time, willing to turn her back on the world - even now, she has held onto that resentment. Tell me, troll - if one could even call you that - was it that resentment that made it perfectly acceptable to cooperate with us without telling a soul? Was it that resentment which allowed you to continue to do so even after all of those we've killed thanks to your assistance? And is this the "paragon" that the oh-so-great Orion feels is a noble creature? A traitor, just like the damnable Julian - but at least he had a legitimate desire to further science for the good of many. You dare talk about morality when you have only shown it as far as it has been convenient for you.
"Do you not see? A perfect society doesn't need self-serving degenerates, or whimsical, uncaring gods who support them. You are a manifestation of the problems of society. Now, begone."
Suddenly, the ground began to rumble. It would seem that there were yet more combatants left to join the fight...

Maverick almost fell with the sudden rumble, but not Angora. She stood her ground. Once he got a grip, Maverick himself was angry with all the insults Angora was being told. It was enough for him to slip off his kind persona for a tiny moment.
"Why you..." he started to say, but Angora stopped him with a glance. She wasn't going to let Rigel get to him too.
"I was pushed to the edge! Is that what you wanted to hear!? Everyone has a limit, and mine was reached after so much cruelty!" she said furiously, looking at both Latnok and Sere, the people who pushed her to the edge and made her betray them for a brief time. If only they hadn't been so awful to her, she wouldn't have allowed the Ishulgites to manipulate her.
"Nobody ever loved me before, not even my own parents, so I became selfish, it's true. But isn't part of nature, to both humans and animals to self preserve? To want happiness? You took advantage of my vulnerability, and now you're using that against me? Selfishness is what the world pushed me to, but only ONE person ever saw beyond this ugly exterior and harsh behavior! I was angry at the world, but he gave me a new view! Made me feel... worthy of kindness. I listened to you because I wanted the best for him, not for me! I left him alone cause it wasn't right to interrupt his new relationship. I couldn't even talk to my other best friend! The only one that prevented me from going completely insane was a wyvern! An animal! That's what you ALL did to me!" Angora stated, blaming everyone but her few friends as the ground rumbled, her skin color changing slightly due to the fury she was feeling.

Maverick almost dropped to his knees listening to Angora, knowing how miserable she has been for so long, and hated himself for not doing more. He should've balanced better his time with Angora and Ilasi. Before Rigel said anything else, Angora spoke again.
"I don't want to fight. But if you force us, then so be it!" she said with a strained voice, feeling like she could just rip Rigel's head off with her bare hands.

Rigel once again gave a hearty chuckle. "Well, come on then," he challenged Angora. "Let's hope your body is stronger than your spirit! Those who would readily betray their allies - repeatedly - as a result of their own selfishness and weakness are good for nothing but fodder and examples."
Though Latnok and Sere overheard Angora's own complaints, they were not in the position to be concerned about them right now, with them both being occupied with combat around them. Latnok didn't consider Angora particularly trustworthy anyway; her expression was nothing new to her.
Jacturis remained where he was positioned; regardless of what happened, he was determined not to have Orion interfere. "THE MATTERS OF MEN ARE FOR MEN TO SETTLE," it insisted. "YOUR INTERFERENCE IS UNWELCOME."

On one side of the battlefield, the ground opened up, making way for a for a host of Ishulgites armed for combat. On the other side, the ground opened up in a similar manner - this time, revealing loyalist cavalry, a mix between cataphracts and mounted archers.

Angora shook her head in disgust, knowing from the very beginning that Rigel wanted to fight, and nothing was going to convince him otherwise.
"Orion, let us take care of this. That's why you chose us, isn't it? And the Guardians are no softies. We can do this. Whoever that beast is can watch from the sidelines for all I care." Angora said to the celestial dragon, hating Jacturis already for being such a hypocrite. She didn't know if he was a deity, but he sure looked like one, and was there just like Orion. Before battling, Angora spoke to Maverick, Ilasi and the three former pirates telepathically, telling them to stay close to her so that she would be able to protect them with her shield if they were targeted.

Once the ground opened, Huntress was reminded of the real circumstances here. They were at war. She had to forget about her obsession with Maverick for a while. Her beloved country was at way, and she wasn't going to let these usurpers destroy everything. She would secretly assist the Guardians, and even Maverick, cause he had to be alive to see him properly punished...

"I AM A MANIFESTATION OF THE WILL OF THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF OUR GREAT NATION," Jacturis answered. "IT IS MY RIGHT TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE IN THESE EVENTS. LEAVE THIS PLACE." Jacturis didn't budge from its previous stance, and did not seem to be growing more patient with the matter.

As the reinforcements engaged each other, the melee on the battlefield grew more and more chaotic. Ilasi heeded Angora's advice, coming closer. the inner circle around the stage wasn't quite as much of a chaotic mess - many of the foes there had been cut down, yet more were coming.

Fortunately, it was very easy to distinguish Guardians from Ishulgites, so Angora used force bolts on the approaching enemies, while at the same time keeping an eye on her friends and shielding them whenever it looked like an enemy was about to strike them. Trolls had far better senses than humans, and with Orion's powers combined with Neo's help, it made so many tasks together much more bearable. Still, it was still challenging to focus on the enemy and her friends at the same time. Not knowing about Leoquin's struggle, Angora continued the same pattern, sometimes shielding Guardians themselves whenever she had the chance, though they didn't need as much protection. She had to focus on herself and her friends for the most part. Rigel had a personal hatred for her now, so she and her friends could be bigger targets because of that.

Maverick, as well as Sand Dune, Random and Opium used their skills as pirates to out art their enemies and take the advantage. The trio even had their own coordinated attacks, having been useful in their past life. Maverick was momentarily still looking at them, but was snapped out of it by the frustrated Angora. He continued fighting alongside his girlfriend, hating the war, but knowing he had to be violent if they ever hoped to survive.

Meanwhile, Huntress continued her stealthy assault, using the cover of the trees to strike at the enemy silently and swiftly, aiming at the enemies' neck and heads. Even if it didn't kill them immediately, it gave the Guardians time to strike. She was no amateur with aiming weapons, but she knew the shurikens wouldn't last forever. She would have to rely on her throwing knife next when she ran out of her deadly stars...

Angora was terrified by Orion's actions. Why did he had to be so stubborn? Was that a god trait?
"What are you doing Orion!? I told you to leave! The Ishulgites... they have... something that absorbs deity powers. I don't know what it is or how do they do it, but they do! The more you attack them, the stronger they become!" Angora warned, not remembering where she got such knowledge. Perhaps she was sensing it? If she knew anything about the Ishulgites, is that they were always crazily prepared. After all, they seeked to control some deities themselves, namely Ishulgu, or whatever he was called, and they wouldn't take such a risk if they weren't prepared. She hoped she was wrong though. And Jacturis, he wasn't doing anything, at least at first glance...

Jacturis waved an arm, and the wall of wind was dispersed, allowing the combatants to push on freely before he returned his attention to Orion. "AELINON HAS NO NEED FOR A DEITY TO IMPOSE THEIR WILL ON ITS FATE. OUR NATION WAS FORGED ON THE STRENGTH AND BOND OF MORTALS. THE FATE OF AELINON SHALL BE CONTROLLED BY THEM - NOT YOU. BEGONE," the elemental ordered.
Jacturis' actions seemed to embolden Rigel. "There is no place for you in our world. As you'll find, we possess the strength to make our own fate. You and your pets and lackeys can fight to the death to maintain the current order, but as you'll find many times throughout history, the blood of reactionaries lubricates the wheels of progress. Our destiny will not be stopped."
Meanwhile, four points on the ground, far away in the distance, began to softly resonate with energy. Apothis watched patiently as things unfolded.

"Orion!!!" Angora yelled, not using telepathy this time and feeling like pulling her ears off, unable to believe how stubborn both deities were. She felt quite insulted. Not only was Orion ignoring her, but he made her feel like he gave them powers back in the ship out on a whim. Why do that when he was planning to show up anyway? Was it because of Jacturis? It was then than she realized that Orion has gotten involved in their life personally when there was another deity or something supernatural involved, like was the case with Darkmatter and White Shadow. Still, it didn't change the fact that Orion was still ignoring her. She wanted to keep trying to reason with him, but she had to focus on protecting her friends.

In the brief intervals in which he wasn't being attacked, Maverick saw the two deities arguing, and he feared a fight could be escalating if neither of them budged. If those two fought, many of them could be caught in the crossfire, and he had no doubts that wasn't going to be survivable. Unable to stand seeing them discussing so heavily anymore, he left Ilasi's side to ran towards them, asking Angora to assist her along the way. They young troll tried to stop him, but he didn't listen. What was it with everyone ignoring her? The only one who ironically didn't was Rigel. It was then that Maverick placed himself the two deities, wanting all of this to stop.
"PAREN! JUST STOP!" Maverick yelled on top of his lungs, wanting to be noticed. He yelled so hard his throat started to hurt.
"Por favor! What is it with everyone!? Look at this! All this violence! All this fighting! All this arguing! What's in your heads!? Why does this have to happen? Look around! You señor..." he looked at Rigel.
"... why do you want to exterminate so many beautiful creatures? Why can't you learn to share the world and have peace with those you want to destroy? Is it because they are too different? Because they don't follow your ideals? Isn't it better to just embrace differences? To accept variety? Deep inside, you HAVE to know this is wrong! My half kind, fauns, they were exterminated for being too kind! But what if they had been hostile and defensive? Huh? Would they have been exterminated just the same? What they should have done then? Why is it so hard to everyone to get along and just... have... peace!?" Maverick lectured with watery eyes as loud as he could so that Rigel and the deities towering over him could hear, but if some of the fighting soldiers just above could hear too, then better. All his childhood and part of his teenage years he lived the horrors of pirate life and living with the fact that he had a monster for a father, and just when he thought he had left that life far behind and had a chance to be happy, he had to face new kinds of horrors...

Angora tried to listen to all of Maverick's speech, but she still had to protect Ilasi and the three former pirates from incoming attacks. The flurry continued to the point that she faltered for a moment, and Opium received a nasty wound in his arm. She couldn't afford distractions. The fight was still ongoing. She used her eyes to watch for incoming enemies, but she managed to hear some of Maverick's speech. He sounded so innocent, yet so devastated...

Rigel was surprised, to say the least, of such a purportedly meek man standing up to everyone. "Don't you see? Peace is exactly what I'm after! But peace will only come with sacrifices," he explained. "Dragons, in general, will serve to oppose that peace. They are innately selfish, willful creatures who put themselves above other sapient beings and subjugate them. In our world, there is no need for those who would cause the suffering of the many for the pleasure of the few. Thus, those creatures who are both more powerful than others and are also more willing to impose themselves on others are an obstacle to be removed. These sacrifices must be made - or this world will forever be bound in turmoil. I would have a world without atrocities such as what happened to fawns - and yet you yourself would stand in the way of such a goal. Nothing but a shame."

Jacturis remained obstinate as ever, as it continued to face down Orion. "IF MEN OPPOSE THESE IDEAS, THEN MEN SHALL FIGHT. OUR NATION DOES NOT EXIST FOR YOU TO DETERMINE ITS FATE."

Maverick looked at Orion, who was making much sense. Then Jacturis, but he knew his words now had to be with Rigel. As the two deities stared each other, waiting for the other to stand down, he got just a little bit closer to Rigel. He knew he didn't have to worry about any surprise attacks, for he was behind Orion and between him and another mighty deity, so it was a place everyone should want to avoid. As he stared at Rigel, there was more determination than meekness in his eyes. Time looked as if it was standing still as he, once again, spoke to him. Only this time, he wasn't yelling. He as using his normal voice...

"Why should there be sacrifice, señor? Why is it so important to deny others life? Why do you think you have the right to cause mass extinction? Just what did dragons did to you? Something happened to you, didn't it? Something that made you this way. Well look at me, I was raised by a monster tht caused me much misery, yet you don't see me hunting every pirate in existence, all because of what one man did to me." Maverick stated, believing Rigel must have gone through some trauma to be this way. However, before he had a chance to reply, Maverick spoke again.
"Dragons might've been all those things you say, but what if they have changed? Or better yet, what if not all are that way? What if there are good dragons out there? My very own Oscurito, the one you all call the Scourge of Redwater... he is my friend. We travelled together. If he had been so evil, would all of those things have happened? What happened in Redwater was an accident, not malice, cause he didn't have the right people helping him control such power. And what about Angorita? Is she a monster for being a troll? You say she's selfish, but I think you just resent her for rejecting your offer. If she had been so selfish, would she have cared about my happiness? Or Oscurito's? Would she have used her own powers to heal the sailors YOUR bugs injured in the ship? Many of those sailors hated her, and yet she still helped them! Is THAT selfish!? And what about señor Sere's wyvern? She wasn't even going to get paid initially, yet she still went through the exhausting work of feeding and grooming him, risking life and limb with an animal that could've easily killed her... for free. Is THAT selfish? You call her selfish, YOU, the one who used CHILDREN, who are now DEAD!?" he then said accusingly, shedding a single tear as he remembered those poor children. It took someone demented to use children in such a cruel way. Despite everything, Maverick wasn't drawing a weapon. He still wanted to solve things in a peaceful way, even if reminding himself of those poor little tykes made him unbearably sad and angry.

Huntress remained hidden among the trees, having run out of shurikens. Before attacking with knifes though, she was trying to get a better look at Maverick. She had to admit he had guts facing the dastard usurper and that otherworldly creature. While a battle was going on around them, the foursome looked s if time has frozen around them. She couldn't hear anything from that distance, so she settled to keep an eye on Leoquin, who looked as if he was struggling with himself. As she kept an eye on him though, she couldn't help giving ocasional glances at the tiny troll, who was fighting very well despite her size. A troll with magic was truly something to behold.

Rigel gave Maverick an unrepentant look. 'The weak are unable to acknowledge the reality of our world and make the sacrifices necessary to change it," he explained. "Fawns are dead because they were not willing to prepare to defend themselves. Many humans, merfolk, and galuds are dead because the Scourge wasn't put down when he should've been. Where people are reluctant to make hard choices, death follows. I seek to put an end to it all; thus, I must make the sacrifices, no matter how vile they may seem.
"Throughout history, the weak have been eliminated to make way for the strong. It is, in fact, one of our great tenets - strength through adversity. Through every engagement we have ever taken, we have come out more prepared for the next. If you think an impulsive mass murderer deserves your pity, as opposed to an execution, then you are part of the problem. A hypocrite - lives are important, until it is one of your friends taking them. We seek a better world - your friend sought the troll companion he was obsessed with. I've seen too much senseless bloodshed in this world already to allow it to continue the way it is without drastic changes. We will correct that - by any means necessary."

Listening to him speak, Sere could only imagine what it was that had happened with Rigel during his absence. Perhaps if he were there to guide him differently...
No. That wasn't something to be concerned with right now. The battle had to be won.

Maverick was about to speak, when Orion spoke first. He waited for the Galaxy dragon to finish before adding his own words into the mix. Tending to forget the medallion his mother gave him, it was glowing brightly, protecting him and sensing all the evil around him.
"How many of your people have killed others? You accuse Oscurito of being a murderer, but what do you call what you did to those children, who FOLLOWED you? How could you be so hipócrita? You don't care if innocents are caught in your genocide. What happened to you señor? Are you listening to yourself right now? You're trying to eliminate bloodshed... with massive bloodshed. You're just an insane, sad little man too lost to find, and too used to being lost that he doesn't want to be found. I feel sorry for you señor." Maverick concluded, looking at Orion above him, then Jacturis. Who was going to pass judgement? If the deities kept arguing, there wasn't going to be any progress. He couldn't just keep standing there trying to reason with a man who didn't want to reason and wait for these deities. If there's something he learned from his father, is that some people were beyond redemption.

At the battlefield, Angora called Ilasi and told her to follow her to where the three fighting men were. Sand Dune and Random were attending Opium's injuries, which were getting severe. He had a lacerated arm and he lost his left ear. The pain was so much they were even starting to fear the weapons were poisoned. Thanks to Orion's added extra power, Angora could expand it to have Ilasi and the trio inside like a little dome, though the size difference wasn't much. Just enough to get a few others inside. Something she never tried before yet it worked when she did was create little holes in the shield, so she created one above so that Ilasi could keep using her bow and arrows. While making the shield around her was far more stable than the ones she created outside, it was still exhausting work. The Guardians were very strong people, so she believed they weren't going to need medical attention for a while. Maverick was with Orion, so she trusted he was safe enough. There was one person however, that she was concerned about.
"Leoquin! Are you just going to stand there and wait for something to get you? Come on! Get inside!" Angora called, wondering why he was just standing there without battling. Was he trying to get a projectile on purpose? Did he have a plan? She knew the merman hated her, and while she wasn't very fond of him either, she wasn't willing to let him die...

Rigel gave a dissatisfied grunt. "Those deaths, while tragic, are a means to an end. We will have people die now so that, centuries later, conflict will be nothing but a distant memory. A worthy sacrifice in the long run. I think we have already established that you tend to pity mass murderers instead of holding them accountable - so stand aside. We may yet offer forgiveness and clemency to you and your girlfriend should you choose to leave. A lifetime where you, she, and your family could live peacefully - this can be yours."
The squabbles of the men involved were of little interest to Jacturis. Though it may have decided to intervene if it felt one side was overwhelmingly in the right, its main priority was leaving Orion's own influence out of the fight. Aelinon was built on the strength of men - and it would not now receive influence from a god who only cared to intervene once his power was threatened. A nation by men, for men.

Ilasi quickly took cover inside the shield provided by Angora, her arms fatigued. She didn't have time to rest, however - Opium had life-threatening injuries. Dropping her weapon and rifling through her satchel, she found a tourniquet and a plant-based salve to use to treat the wound. Opium had to be taken off the battlefield - somehow.
Leoquin, lost in the conflict of his own mind, snapped out of it, at least momentarily. "Oh, yeah... uh, don't mind me." He himself hurried into the bubble, unaware of a cut which almost made it to his jugular in the heat of the battle.

Maverick scoffed at Rigel's suggestion, knowing what he was trying to do.
"So you're promising me the same thing you promised Angorita? Someone you intended to use from the beginning? I won't be swayed by your manipulation señor! You say you are fighting for the future, for the centuries ahead, but how can you know what will happen in the future? How can you know you won't make things worse by robbing the world of so many beautiful creatures, who have as much right to live as the rest? You señor, are sick! Misguided! And I won't let you hurt more people..." Maverick declared, unwilling to be manipulated and turn on his friends for a promise that was likely as empty as Rigel's heart. He took his crossbow... but he didn't aim it at Rigel. He carried it over his shoulder, glaring at the man leading this horrible assault. Maverick wanted to give him one last chance to reconsider, to have real peace, but he was willing to be violent if there was really no choice. He was almost nothing like his father in both personality and physical appearance, but when he frowned heavily, that's where the resemblance could be seen. His medallion continued glowing, sensing much evil around it's owner, but Maverick didn't notice, being focused on Rigel and the medallion being hidden inside his shirt.

Angora made a small opening for Leoquin to enter, which she quickly closed when one of the opposing soldier tried to take advantage.
"What were you doing out there standing and doing nothing!? Are you crazy?" Angora scolded, unaware of Leoquin's inner struggle. As she sweated keeping the shield together, she heard what Ilasi said and looked at Opium. He was hyperventilating from the pain.
"Damn! Please hang in there Opium! You're right Ilasi. We have to leave. He needs healing. I can't use my healing and hold the shield at the same time..." she said, but how? She could try healing Opium with her powers, but that would mean dismantling the shield and be exposed. It was then that she remembered that, being round, she could use it as a hamster ball. They had a scare when a wyvern above them tried to carry them shield and all with it's talons, though fortunately, his claws couldn't penetrate and had no grip.

"Random! Carry Opium! Now everyone, follow my steps! We'll retreat to the trees and find a safe spot for Opium to be healed. Come on! Let's go!" Angora said, instructing the others to follow her footsteps and roll the shield around as they continued receiving attacks. Opium couldn't do that, so he had to be carried. The trees just beyond looked like the perfect place to hide and shield themselves further from incoming attacks, at least until Opium could be healed...

Seraos, meanwhile, continued to fight from the sky, his wyvern relatively indistinct except to those who were familiar with it. He just had to wait for the right moment - then he could pounce and deprive Rigel of the Scepter. Soon enough, the others would be able to create that opening for him - he needed to be patient. Jacturis, the legendary elemental, was formed from the will of those who gave their lives to form the kingdom. Seraos would at least be able to count on it to not intervene when he tried to make his move.

The sunlight overhead intensified with Rigel's magic, as he now channeled another spell. "A lot of empty talk for a man who was an accomplice of one of the most infamous criminals of the century," he condemned. "I need no lecture from a hypocrite. Now, begone." The channel finished, he pointed two fingers on his right hand at Maverick, emitting a smaller guiding beam before a blast of piercing light.

Ilasi did her best to keep Opium as stable as possible. A tourniquet was only a temporary measure until they could manage a better way of stopping the bleeding - which would be difficult to do in the middle of a fight. The last thing she wanted to do right now was perform an amputation.

Jacturis, seeing Orion had no desire to stay out of Aelinon's affairs, swiped to move Orion's wing out of the way, allowing the attack to proceed unintercepted.

Maverick frowned, very certain there were many others out there who have done FAR worse than what Shade has done, his father and the man before him included. Not to mention all the creatures and people the Guardians and Aelinon itself have executed. With Rigel channeling the spell, Maverick prepared his crossbow. It was obvious this man was irredeemable, just like his father. He shot a bolt, but in doing so gave him less time to dodge. Despite Orion's attempts to protect him, the other deity wasn't happy. Even so, with Orion's wing out of the way, the arrow could reach it's spot. Unfortunately, it meant that Maverick took a direct hit.

He lied on the ground for a few seconds, but he found out to his surprise... he was fine. Not a scratch on him. He finally looked below his shirt and found his mother's precious medallion, glowing as bright as ever. It wasn't the first time it has done so, but the times have been few, and it never glowed this bright. Little did he know this wasn't just an heirloom. What Maverick was wearing was an ancient faun artifact thought to have been lost in the destruction of their civilization. Athena's Medallion, whose beauty was not just in it's gold appearance. It was crafted by a faun hundreds of years ago that asides alchemy, also knew magic. Fauns having magic had been as rare as trolls having magic, so the artifact was indeed precious. This faun was his and his mother's ancestor, who took it away and passed it over each generation. Sadly, it only protected against harmful magic, but it was no good against ordinary weapons like swords and guns, so it was useless in the raid that caused their near extinction.

Maverick didn't know how he could survive such a hit, especially since Orion was intercepted, but he was ready to keep battling and faced this insane man threatening so many. He aimed his crossbow again in case the bolt missed it's mark...

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi did her best to keep Opium as stable as possible. A tourniquet was only a temporary measure until they could manage a better way of stopping the bleeding - which would be difficult to do in the middle of a fight. The last thing she wanted to do right now was perform an amputation.

Huntress saw the group heading her way. It was a weird sight seeing a magic shield used like a moving hamster ball, though she admitted it was quite ingenious. That troll was truly something. As Angora and the others retreated into the trees, Huntress decided to follow them in secret, deciding to leave her obsession with Maverick and Rigel aside for a brief moment...

Sere, cutting down a member of Rigel's guard, saw an opening to move in - only to be intercepted by a humanoid bug creature dropping from a wyvern. All too familiar by now. Sere brought his sword to bear, which was parried by Cernentium's pike.
"Cernentium. Clear a path," Sere ordered through gritted teeth, as he pressed harder against the block.
"Sorry to interrupt this family reunion," Cernentium said sardonically, "but your little brother has more important matters to attend to right now. I'm sure I'll be enough company for you, until then, at least."

Rigel barely managed to evade the bolt, not having the advantage of force magic like his brother to simply deflect physically-based projectiles. He was prepared to follow up, but had to stop to analyze what had happened. Some sort of protective magic counteracted the beam of light. How? It certainly didn't feel like Orion's power, and none of the knowledge of Maverick he was able to acquire from anyone in the crew pointed to him having such capabilities.
That was a matter he would have to find a solution to. For now, he needed to make himself harder to attack. Focusing the light of the intense sun on his form, he began to radiate light blindingly. That would, at the very least, protect him from having another bolt aimed at him.

Maverick twitched his eyes, the light altering his view. If he had to be the one to kill Rigel, he'd have to do it. With very moist eyes, he aimed at the very center of the light, trying to get Rigel. Even if he couldn't kill him immediately, weakening him should give him the advantage. He was, however, very worried about the deities.
"Orion. Please don't fight with him." he begged, referring to Jacturis. If those two engaged into battle, they could kill both friends and allies. He would take care of Rigel in the meantime. He didn't know why his magic didn't work against him, but he was smart enough too now the medallion had something to do with it. He would have to ask about it later though, for he was now in a fight for his life...

Retreating further into the forest, Angora found a rock shelter that would be a great hiding spot. Once inside, she dismantled the shield and left Ilasi to do her job, all her senses alert in case they were followed or found.
"Ilasi, I can heal his wounds with magic, but if he has poison inside..." he said, wanting to leave that task to Ilasi. Angora has only cured open wounds, but despite her new powers, removing poison was something she has never tried, and she didn't want to take the risk of closing the wound with poison still inside him. She was going to let Ilasi remove it first before doing anything, though they had little time. Opium was even crying with the pain, though he didn't make a sound, wanting to take it like a man. It was bad enough that he was crying, but he didn't want to add voice...

While Orion helping them could've been a huge advantage, like Angora, Maverick figured that two deities fighting would do more harm than good. He didn't even want to begin to imagine how much power could come from them, especially Orion himself. He doubted the Galaxy dragon was a murderer, but he imagined he wasn't above killing if necessary. This was quite a complex conflict, and with Orion deciding to see what Jacturis would do with the land and the people threatening, he continued giving a disapproving look to Rigel. At least he now knew that magic couldn't hurt him, so he would have to fight him like a normal man. Still, Maverick didn't want to push his luck or his medallion's capacity, so he was ready to use the quick reflexes he trained under his father's rigurous training to help him with the fight. On the back of his mind, he wondered how his girls were doing, unaware that they have retreated...

The bolt came closer this time, grazing Rigel. He didn't have time to deal with such an inconvenience, however. With a signal, he called for wyvern riders to descend on Maverick's position.
Most were intercepted by Seraos and his royal guard. At least one, however, made it through, attempting a diving attack on Maverick.
The battle wasn't going nearly as well as he had hope. Even if he fell, though, he was confident that the others would be able to finish the mission.

"Poison is a bit trickier, but I should be able to handle it," Ilasi said confidently. She adjusted the tourniquet on Opium's body, easing it enough to allow limited blood flow, before pulling a liquid from her satchel and applying it carefully to Opium's wound. "We need to hold off just a bit before it'll be safe to patch him back up again," she explained. "That'll give us enough time for the agent to act, while limiting any poison going through him."

Maverick saw him signaling at the sky, and he knew what was up as soon as he looked himself. Despite Seraos' warriors intercepting many, one managed to slip away.
"Come on! Cheating? Don't be cobarde! Fight like a man!" Maverick scolded, believing Rigel had been intimidated by his magic not working on him and was now stooping as low as sending others to battle for him. With the wyvern after him, Maverick ran away, giving a brief glance to Jacturis and aiming his crossbow at the flying beast lunging towards him. Remembering Veris, he felt very bad for the animal, who was just following trained commands, but even if he shot the owner, he doubted that would make him stop. He shot at the wyvern with much sadness, aiming at the neck and mouth...

Angora waited for Ilasi to do her job, very worried about Maverick being there. Even though Orion was there, she feared that things may get ugly with the other deity present too. He didn't want to abandon the group, but he also didn't want Maverick to be out there all alone.
"Leoquin, can you go back and see how Maverick is doing? Please?" she pleaded the merman, knowing he at least liked Maverick. While she still harbored some dislike for him, she trusted him enough to ask such favor...

Leoquin could not understand why, but those treasonous thoughts remained at the forefront of his mind, forcing themselves into his conscience when he tried to will them away. Regardless, he was sure he could at least acknowledge such a request.
"Check on Maverick. Yeah, sure. Take it easy yourself," he cautioned, before running off to give Maverick a hand - wherever he was.

The wyvern took the bolt somewhere to the face, though its impact wasn't immediately obvious - likely due to adrenaline. As it landed near Maverick, it attempted a wild, uncontrolled lunge at him, as the rider attempted to thrust with his lance.
Rigel watched the scene, satisfied at least for the moment, when he soon realized Maverick wouldn't be alone in his predicament. A wyvern charged at him, missing by quite a margin due to the reflected light - but its rider dismounted, spear in hand, as the wyvern prepared to strike again.
"It's about time I put an end to this uprising of yours," Seraos challenged. "You've divided us - but I will see us united, as per our founding principles."

Angora was slightly calmer now believing Maverick would get Leoquin's full support. In the voyage back, she could see both of them got along very well. It was quite a mile away from when the merman called her friend monkey man. Her relationship with him though was still rocky, but it didn't matter anymore. Before she would return to battle, she had to make sure Ilasi was safe and Opium was fine. She glared at the two friends.
"I told you to be away of the battle guys! Now look!" Angora scolded, having preferred if the trio had just stayed out of the way and let the Guardians and the ones chosen by Orion handle most of it.
"Come on Angora. We told you we wouldn't leave you alone. Besides, this is not the first time we have experienced wounds like this." Sand Dune assured, with Opium giving a weak thumbs up. Out there, someone was watching them...

Maverick was hating how unfair the fight was being. Not only was Rigel coward enough to avoid facing him like a man, but he sent someone with a wyvern after him, furthering the unfairness. He imagined Orion wanted to do something, but if he tried to attack, it could be worse. He gave another quick glance at Jacturis, who seemingly wasn't doing anything. If he wanted to handle things himself, why was he standing there like dead weight?
"Muy valiente with a wyvern, huh?" he taunted the man, though more as a scold than an attempt to provoke. With the force bolt not doing any immediate effects and with the beast being so close now, Maverick took out his sword, swiping at it. Focusing on avoiding his talons and jaws, the lance manage to reach him, cutting his hip. Fortunately, it was just a flesh wound. Unable to keep avoiding three things at the same time, in a moment of brief distraction, Maverick was eventually caught in the wyvern's jaws. Before it could crunch him however, he managed to thrust the sword at the roof of his mouth, though unfortunately, it didn't reach the brain like he intended.
"Oh man..." he said teary eyed, knowing he was in a very deadly predicament. The wyvern was still alive, and if he lost that sword or the soldier stabbed him while inside, the chances for survival were very slim. Just what was Jacturis doing? And where was Sere?

Raclaw, meanwhile, remained focused on his job and attempted to navigate his way towards one of the masterminds while disrupting as many of them as he could in the process. With his regular fire being less than fully effective and his fireballs being reliant on a currently engaged rider-- that meant he had to get in closer range if he wanted to more than just disrupt. He would do what he had to; Orion's armor fortunately meant he could focus more of the offensive rather than trying to balance both the offensive and defensive between his tail spikes and his usual pinpoint selective 'armor.' Just a little closer...

Risar remained engaged in combat, using his presence to distract some of the enemy from Raclaw-- seeing what the now armored Fur Dragon was attempting to do. He couldn't provide magic support and he definitely couldn't ride him, but he could at least keep the enemy at bay.

As hard as the wyvern struggled and thrashed about, it eventually succumbed to a well-aimed spear thrown to the face. Its rider, in his frustration, attempted to toss his lance at the new combatant, only to fall himself to wooden spikes through his visor.
Leoquin and Julian soon met together at Maverick's location, assisting him in getting out of the wyvern's jaws. "Well, that's a little bit of trouble you've gotten yourself into, isn't it buddy?" Leoquin said jokingly. "Don't worry - we've got your back." Leoquin was glad to see that Julian was still doing well - he always had a concern that maybe he wasn't doing as well as he pretended to be...

It took Ilasi a few moments before she was comfortable allowing Angora to proceed further. "Okay... give it a try now," she suggested. As horrible as it was, this sort of thing was the reality of war. Maybe one day, there wouldn't need to be any more of this nonsense - but she had to work in the world she was in, not the world she hoped she could have.

With the masterminds focused on many events happening across the battlefield at once, Raclaw wouldn't have a better opportunity to strike at them. The fliers, most being unaware of the existence of such creatures, made no attempt to intercept him, except insofar as they would engage any other flying threat.

Sweating and all salivated, Maverick breathed a sigh of relief.
"Gracias. Gracias! Am I glad to see you!" he said with relief, knowing that his sword saved his life for a while, but things could've gotten ugly very fast if they hadn't arrived in time.

"Rigel... he's not facing anybody head on. He's relying on others and his magic to fight." Maverick explained, knowing he wasn't going to get defeated if he kept using such cheating methods. Sere looked like the perfect candidate to face him. He was old, but was still a great warrior. Jacturis said he wanted to take charge of the situation, but what did that mean? Was he observing and still deciding what to do? The only thing that calmed Maverick a bit was that he was immune to magic... or maybe just some of it, but if it was magic like Rigel's, it was a big deal. Weapons and animal attacks however, were a different story, as his hip wound and wyvern drool demonstrated...

Quote: A Guy

It took Ilasi a few moments before she was comfortable allowing Angora to proceed further. "Okay... give it a try now," she suggested. As horrible as it was, this sort of thing was the reality of war. Maybe one day, there wouldn't need to be any more of this nonsense - but she had to work in the world she was in, not the world she hoped she could have.

Angora did as was told, and used her healing magic on Opium. Thank's to Orion's extra boost, the healing took less time and was more effective. It made Angora smile widely. However, Opium wasn't entirely recovered yet.
"Oof. I feel like I've been bitten by a cobra." he said rather jokingly, but still very weak.
"He needs rest..." Sand Dune said, with Random saying something in sign language.
"Random wants to take care of him. We can return to battle. Our friends need us." Sand Dune translated.
"Oh no you don't. You don't have magic, or complex armor. You already saw what happened! You will stay here, hidden!" Angora said, prompting a little argument with Sand Dune, but Random convinced him she was right.
"Alright girls. Alright. We'll... stay here. To the people injured, bring them here if you can. We will take care of them." Sand Dune assured, hating to stay and looking like a coward, but without magic or any complex protection, there was no choice. Opium was injured too, and he couldn't be alone.

"I would take another look right now," Julian urged Maverick, as he pointed to the confrontation between him and Seraos. The latter, clad in thick dragonhide, carefully thrust and swiped with his spear at a distance, as his wyvern soon fell victim to a blast of light, shuddering in its final throes. Meanwhile, Sere continued to be engaged in his battle with Cernentium. Jacturis stood, observing patiently.
The group weren't out of the woods yet, however. More wyvern riders, having won previous engagements, were descending on their position. Leoquin and Julian steeled themselves for the oncoming attackers.

Maverick was very impressed. Despite Seraos being so young, he demonstrated great competence in the battle. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the wyvern, but knew their sacrifices were necessary if they hoped to survive. After the experience he just had, it was for the best. He watched as Jacturis towered over the king and the usurper, wondering if that what he has been waiting for all this time. At least Orion was making good of his promise. They couldn't distract themselves though, for more we're on their way to attack them.
"Ack! At this rate, we'll never finish!" Maverick complained, indeed this battle being far more dangerous than the ones they faced in the archipelago. This was a war, so it was a more serious matter.

As Angora waited for Ilasi to tell her she was ready to return to the battlefield, she couldn't help but feel as if they were being watched. Were they followed by the enemy? Wouldn't be too hard to think Rigel sent someone after them, given his personal hatred for the troll right now. She despised the idea of leaving the trio all alone there, but she couldn't let Ilasi return to battle all by herself. What should she do? She couldn't be in two places at once. She once tried, but that magic was far too advanced for her... if such a thing was even possible in the first place.

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With the masterminds focused on many events happening across the battlefield at once, Raclaw wouldn't have a better opportunity to strike at them. The fliers, most being unaware of the existence of such creatures, made no attempt to intercept him, except insofar as they would engage any other flying threat.

This quickly became clear to the determined Fur Dragon-- whose tail spike and limited flame were now in striking range of one of the masterminds. The attack consisted of one part disruption, one part flame, and one part tail strike. Raclaw quickly struck the intended the target whom was much distracted with everything else going on; Risar meanwhile did what he could to keep the enemy busy. It was a shame that the people were seemingly blind to what was really going on, but Rigel has shown he could convince even CHILDREN to become loyal servants to the cause.

Elsewhere, Chester remained safe within the confines of the inner halls of the Enduring Legacy. He hoped that everyone was alright..

At a loss on what to do and still feeling like they were being watched, the trio assured Angora they'll be fine. They were pirates before, and they survived that life for a reason, just like Maverick. Still, that didn't stop the troll from being worried. Her priority though had to be Ilasi and Maverick. She wanted them to have a bright future together. They deserved it. After this horrible war was over, she wasn't going to have the best lifestyle, but at least she would have a steady job, and if Sere paid her well, maybe she could send some of her pay money to her friends. She was still rather fearful on the kind of life she was going to lead, surrounded by racist Guardians and hungry wyverns. But perhaps it wasn't going to be as bad as she believed? Only time would tell. Thinking on her future job, she wondered how Veris was doing, and if he had already eaten the food she left for him. He must be feeling very lonely right now. He could have Chester or Dahlia as company, but perhaps the temptation was going to be too much for him, especially with the latter.

Huntress was still out there, watching. She could see how much the troll cared about those people. That was new. Trolls weren't known to care about anybody. They were usually selfish and bloodthirsty, and usually only good to entertain in the arena and serve as food for the behemoths, but Angora was different. Could it be that her size difference severely affected the way her brain worked? She has only seen big, bulky trolls, and just when she thought Angora's size was the only thing that made her special, she comes upon this spectacle. Her king did took the time to find out she was innocent, so perhaps Seraos saw something the rest missed. But he was wonderful that way.

With Raclaw's decisive strikes, one of the masterminds fell to the ground in short order, in what could best be described as a crumpled heap of flesh. That was one less threat to be concerned about, at least. The immediate effect could be seen as a small bout of disorientation in the Ishulgite troops before they returned to improvising.

Seraos and Rigel returned to their harrowing battle, the two best trying to exchange blows and the occasional magical strike based on the range of their weapons. With a deft motion, Rigel closed the gap and brought his sword to bear, forcing Seraos to fend using the length of his spear.
"Do you have any last words?" Rigel condescendingly asked, as he prepared to shift the blade and finish his opponent as son as he had a clear opportunity.
"Why... do you need to borrow some?" Seraos defiantly retorted. It would be nothing but foolishness to have nothing planned for this situation, after all.
Jacturis continued to watch. A rather interesting scenario, after all... maybe there was more to it than that.

Ilasi, having patched the casualty up as best she could, nodded to Angora. "We've done what we can. Let's get back," she suggested. As skilled a fighter as he was, Ilasi didn't want to just leave him on the battlefield with limited support.
Leoquin, meanwhile, felt the voice in his head easing. Where did it come from? He didn't know - but if it was only a temporary reprieve, he would do his best to take advantage of it.

Maverick wanted to see the battle between Seraos and Rigel, but incoming attacks prevented him from doing so. He got a relief when the attackers mellowed down the attacks for some reason. He didn't know why, but it was a great break. He attacked, avoiding any more distractions...

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi, having patched the casualty up as best she could, nodded to Angora. "We've done what we can. Let's get back," she suggested. As skilled a fighter as he was, Ilasi didn't want to just leave him on the battlefield with limited support.

Angora beckoned Ilasi to follow her back to the battlefield. She hated leaving her friends alone, but it would be worse to call them back. She hated even more so let Maverick's beloved girlfriend fight, but she knew she wasn't going to leave him alone, plus her magic could be very useful. When they returned, Angora didn't know what to expect. The king and the wannabe were fighting, and so was Maverick. She figured the battle between the two respective monarch was one on one, so she focused in assisting Maverick...

Raclaw, rather happy with his efforts, quickly focused his efforts on the next nearest mastermind-- taking advantage of the brief confusion to get a headstart through the nearby troops. The Fur Dragon had obviously adopted well over time to the use of a tail spike; and he still had his on/off sword courtesy of Orion if it came to that. He and Risar briefly exchanged glances, the minotaur helping to further distract the enemy.