your hands protect the flames

[modforged]

Who: The Dragonsworn
What: The first arrival of the Dragonsworn goes a bit...awry.
Where: Scattered around the perimeter of Suramar.
When: Dawn on March 21st
Warnings: Please PM the mods if any warnings are needed

It is almost as if you've woken from a daydream when the ground meets your feet. The stench of fire is overpowering, and though dawn is just approaching in the canopies of Kalimdor, bright flashes of green can be seen between the branches of impossibly tall trees. If that doesn't snap you out of your surprise, then the sound of nearby spitting in demonic tongue may persuade you to get a grip and notice your surroundings -- you are not alone. There are others like you, huddled just a bit too close, with a somewhat familiar face keeping you from advancing further. Looking down at your hands may briefly reveal a momentary flash of color, but nothing lasting more than a few seconds.

The mages of each flight take the helm of their charges, and they are quick to notice any movement from their groups despite channeling some sort of spell to keep you protected. Stray fire will bounce off an invisible shield that ripples when anything make contact with it. There seems to be nothing in sight but your new comrades, and your guardian -- at least not on the ground. The sky has flying demons swarming a pack of dragons -- and the dragons are very clearly losing. Look just a bit farther, and you might find more dragons, though these clearly have different colored scales than the ones above your head.

While distracted, you may hear your guardian speak to you. "There may yet be wounded nearby -- if you care to, bring them here, and we will tend to them from the Sanctum." Briefly, they gesture skyward, toward the dragons flying overhead. "Do not bring to us any that are not our own, lest you invite their demise!"

But the mage is focused on casting -- they are in no position to halt your advance, and they know it. They speak with concern -- concern for you, concern for the dire situation at hand. The demonic cackling is drawing near. The forests are rapidly becoming overrun, and there are already a few dragons slain on the forest floor.

"Take care, Dragonsworn -- I am bringing us to safety, but it will take time. To wander far is to invite your ruin, and we cannot afford the loss of your life."

[OOC: You are free to mingle on this post as you choose, despite the flight groups being scattered through the forests around Suramar -- after this log, you will be separated into your sanctums, and your interactions will be watched much more closely. Attempting to enter the city itself will result in a vicious attack from demons that will kill. The Dragon Mages will be tagging sporadically to heroes of their matching flight, and the conclusion of this log will lead Dragonsworn through portals to their Sanctums.]

Comments

[wilder]

Zelos was standing nearby, still wrapping his mind around this situation. It's been a long day, okay? It was going to take time to process.

But he catches sight of Nepeta on the move. He's never really seen a troll before. Frankly, she looks something closer to a demon to him, albeit a very kid-like demon that was not nearly as intimidating as the ones who were in the sky, or back home in Tethe'alla. But still! Horns, gray skin- those weren't good signs!

Then again, it didn't seem like any of the mages were paying her any mind, and she was hanging around them. So..was she maybe one of them?

Ugh, maybe he should just ask before she gets too close to that dragon - if those guys were the ones who were going to make sure they live through this mess. His hand is on the hilt of his sword as he follows after.

"Hey. You're not a demon, are you?"

[bloodpainter]

"What?" She turns to the human behind her with a blink of surprise, then shakes her head. "No. I'm a troll." The fact that he basically just asked if she was one of the enemies kind of flies over her head for the moment.

Now that he's gotten her attention, Nepeta is looking him up and down quizically, the gears in her head turning.

"Hey. I was going to try to help the dragon down there, but I'm not sure I can do anything on my own. Would you come with?"

[wilder]

A...troll. That was something new alright. But her confusion and surprise seem real enough, so...Okay, sure. Maybe she was a troll.

"Uh, right. Troll. My mistake."

Whatever that was.

But at least he'll focus on her request. "Come with?" He considers it, pausing for a moment before he answers with a nod. "Alright, sure. What's the plan?"

[bloodpainter]

"We've got to get that dragon there back to the others so they can heal it. That's what the purrson who brought us here said, right?"

Granted, it was arguable that doing what a person who dragged you into a raging battle asked was not a good course of action, but the other option was just sitting back and letting the demons do as they wanted.

Besides, she liked dragons.

"I know it's big, but maybe we can get it to cooperate? I mean if we can wake it up we'd just have to purrtect it while it gets to safety."

[wilder]

"I think so? Something like that, anyway..."

Normally, Zelos would question doing what the person who kidnapped you said. However, it was pretty clear these dragons were the ones warding off the demons. And like anyone who grew up in his world knew, while dragons could be dangerous, demons were always worse.

So, this was simply a smart survival move to him.

"Yeah, waking it up would be best. I can try healing it a little, and see if that helps it regain consciousness."

[bloodpainter]

"You can do that?" Healing abilities were rare among her group, possessed by precisely one person, who wasn't here. It was a bit of a relief for her to hear that someone else was here who could do that.

"Great, let's get down to it and see what we can do, then."

She began to slink down, unknowingly to her slipping into that stealthy state where keeping track of her was difficult, her outline blurring in one's eyes.

[wilder]

"Heh, sure can!" Okay, maybe he didn't have enough mana in him to entirely heal a dragon, but surely it'd be a breeze to make him regain consciousness!

He was about to agree, when she suddenly disappears on him. His eyes as a human weren't very good, so the stealth is pretty effective.

"Huh?! Where she'd go?"

[bloodpainter]

"What? I'm right here!"

She waves a hand at him. "Can't you see me? I mean I'm trying to be stealthy but that's a bit ridiculous."

She glances at herself to make sure she hasn't turned invisible, only to find that while she indeed has not, she does look... odd.

"Huh. That's weird. It's like I'm... blurred."

[wilder]

He squints, trying to make her out. He can see weird movement and if he looks really hard- some details of her. But- that was about it.

"Yeah, blurred's a good way to put it. I can barely see you! How'd you do that?"

[bloodpainter]

"I'm not sure! I was just trying to do what I usually do to sneak up on purrey in the wild, being quite and unobtrusive... and this happened!"

She's just starting to wonder if she can even make it stop, when suddenly the thought seems to "fix" her.

"I... I guess this is a new power they've given me?"

[wilder]

And suddenly she's back! He blinks in a bit of surprise. He's seen the ninjas of Mizuho be very subtle and sneaky, heck he wasn't too bad at it himself when he tried for spying. But...not disappear like that.

"Huh, maybe." They did say something about potential unlocking. Is that what it meant? "If so, you got pretty lucky there!"

[bloodpainter]

"Only if I can control it. I guess that's what purractice is fur. But I'd rather you know where I am..."

Conundrum.

"Maybe I can make it so you can see me and not the enemy, if I concentrate."

Thinking hard of hiding from the demons, but not the red-haired human, she attempts to start moving toward the dragon again. Once again she starts to blur, but now Zelos should be able to see her, she'll just look a bit... ghostly.

[wilder]

"Yeah. Try it out."

He watches her carefully. Even with his weaker vision, he can still make her ghostly shape out as he moves towards the dragon, doing his best not to be noticed while not being able to do...that thingy.

"Hey, you did it! I can see you just fine."

[bloodpainter]

"Pawesome!"

She giggles triumphantly as she makes her way towards the dragon. "I guess all I had to do was think of you as a furriend while I did it. By the way, I'm Nepeta Leijon."

Nepeta has joined Zelos's purrty!

[wilder]

Nepeta earns the title "Purrty Rogue"!

A friend, huh...

[Uh. Yeah. Friends. He'll try not to dwell on that thought.]

I'm Kaneis Major. [The lie comes without a second thought now] Looks like we're almost there!

[Sure enough, the dragon is now just a couple yards away. And so far, it doesn't look like any demons have noticed it just yet]

[bloodpainter]

Okay, I'll stand guard while you try to heal it.

[She's already moving into position to do just that, though given how much dragon there is to defend that's a bit of a tall order.]

Hopefurry nothing comes-

[A slavering, snarling Felhound chooses this moment to come barreling out of the woods. Nepeta growls under her breath.]

After us. Grrr... focus on the dragon, I can handle this!

[And in one fluid motion, her claws are out and she's lunging at the beast.]

WHOOPS sorry about the prose switch

[wilder]

[WOW WAY TO JYNX US NEPETA. But he's dealt with monsters before, so he just gives a nod to Nepeta as he heads to the dragon.]

Okay!

[He's hoping she can handle it. Kneeling down near the dragon's head, he scans the injuries and the dragon's condition, assessing what he should do. Once he does that, he takes in a deep breath and concentrates on a healing spell he's done a hundred times before]

[It's about ten seconds later, he realizes that absolutely nothing is happening. He tries again, but again he can't even feel that familiar flow of magic. He pulls back his hands and looks at them in shock.]

What the-?!

It's not the first time I've had that happen!

[bloodpainter]

[Unfortunately Nepeta has no idea what's going on with him, being distracted as she is by the demonic dog attempting to rip her face off. Her claws flash through the air, gouging it and forcing it back, but the beast doesn't give up easy and it's furiously slashing and biting at her every chance it gets.

Still, she's able to sidestep every counterattack the beast launches at her, even when it lunges out with those tentacles on its shoulders. It's as if her reflexes, already incredibly high, have shot up to all new heights. Trusting in these new powers, she lunges forward...

And her claws bite into the dog's tender neck flesh. It gives out a strangled bark in surprise, then gurgles. She pulls back and leaps away from the body lest it bite her in its death throes.]

How's it going? I think I'm still getting the hang of these new powers!

Sob just shows I shouldn't tag when sleepy

[wilder]

[He isn't too aware of Nepeta's awesome moves, beyond the occasional glance behind his shoulder to make sure there's no felhound behind him. Instead mostly, he's focusing on healing - or rather- getting his healing to work]

C'mon, c'mon...

[He tries again, focusing as hard as he can.]

O Sacred Powers...[But there was no power. It wasn't like when he was too low on power to use it, it just wasn't there. The only thing focusing is doing is giving him a headache. He gives up and looks outright frustrated when Nepeta calls out]

It's not working! I don't get it!

[bloodpainter]

What? Why wouldn't it work?

[She's rushing back over, glancing at the forest behind her nervously. Nothing else is coming out just yet but there are some nasty sounding growls coming out of it.]

Well... Look, if you can't heal it, maybe we should have to try and move it?

1/2

[wilder]

I don't know! I've done this spell a thousand times and it's always worked before!

[It made no sense why it wouldn't work now, when he actually needed it! Was he really this much a screw up?!]

Move it? This guy's gotta weigh a ton! No way we can- [They were going to fail and it was all his fault because he couldn't do a simple spell. He gives a very frustrated sound, the feeling's are strong enough that his breath ignites into a quick burst of flames]

[wilder]

[Which okay, that's enough to get him off his self-berating train and look dumbstruck because SERIOUSLY. WHAT WAS THAT?]

Uh-

Was that fire?

[bloodpainter]

[She's about to point out that they don't really have any other options, and at least they could try, when suddenly, fire. She blinks in utter confusion and just kind of looks at where the fire was, then back to him.]

I... yes? You aren't part dragon or something are you?

[Not that that made any sense whatsoever, but still.]

[wilder]

[No sense what so ever! It even makes Zelos look at her and blink a couple times. Because man, he's been called a lot of weird things as a Chosen. But dragon? Dragon was new.]

Uh...no? That'd be...really weird.

[Weirder than wtfever he is! Or was. Or- you know, let's save that discussion for another time! Fire, right. He just breathed some fire. He's used fire pretty frequently in his artes, but nothing like that. But if he could do that, then maybe...]

[He tries snapping his fingers, focusing on conjuring fire. Sure enough, a little flame appears above his hand. He lets it burn for a few seconds before making it go out]

It comes easier than my fire. Maybe that's my new power? [But..how the hell would that be useful? Could he try using it to seal wounds? He glances back the dragon for ideas]

[bloodpainter]

Right, it really would...

[His explanation makes more sense anyway, particularly after he shows off his apparent new ability to create flame. She blinks a bit at it for a moment, then beams widely.]

That's purrific! But... [She frowns at the dragon.] I don't really think it's going to help us much right now.

[Another growl echoes from the forest. Closer now. She hisses and moves back into a defensive position in front of the dragon.] And we might be running out of time!