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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 9:38:29 GMT
Weeks had passed since Tyarnach and Kee had parted, it took the blue beast seaveral days to make it to the citadel and whatever punishment for his lateness had long since been dealt. And life had treated him well since. That was at least, until the master decided to go hunting.
Rumor had it that there had been a sudden increase of game animals in the once sacred Ender's Forest, and of course such a rumour in a place where food was scarce aroused plenty of attention though few were brave enough to set foot outside the Citadel and even less were willing to make the four day trip through what was now considered Dragon territory after several recent attacks.
But alas Tyarnach was dragged along on the hunt, but this time he had the privilege walking most of the trip. He wasn't made aware of where they were going, only told it was going to be a real treat. It was only on the fourth day that he realized where they were heading. The site of trees beyond the clearing made his heart sink. Of all the places... He was likely going to be a culprit in destroying Kee's hard work.
The piercing cry of a hawk signaled their arrival, and it's shadow could be seen on the forest floor below as it confirmed the rumours.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 9:56:55 GMT
The hard work of the past few weeks had paid off, and despite small progress when considering the continent as a whole, the nature spirit was quite proud of her work so far. The amount of purified land had grown, and her haven was no longer simply 'hers'. She provided shelter for several animals in the darkest hours in the corruption and had adjusted to her rather solitary lifestyle once more. Her arrangement with the spiders had proven the catalyst for all of it, for which she thanked them often.
The presence of hunters, then, had not weighed too heavily on her mind. In the few times before she had been facing them with the advantage of knowing the forest well and having plenty of hiding spots. Nor was she above leading them into the sticky traps of the spiders the second time around. Her compassion for the uncorrupt living did not extend to letting them make her into a meal.
When the hawk passed over, it sent the small creatures in the area scattering, and served as a warning for the nature spirit as she had been dozing near a fresh spring. She awoke with a jolt, and panicked at the shadow as her sleep-addled mind first thought of dragons, realizing only as she rose that it was much too small and quiet for a dragon. She hurried for the bushes in order to find the direction of her new wave of intruders, if only so she knew which way to run.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 10:49:52 GMT
Circling above was an indication to the forest's intruders and with reluctance Tyarnach followed behind slowly, not that this impressed his master who was quick to yank his chain. No words were spoken but Tyarnach knew to pick up the pace.
"Lord Cyburn, I suggest we make haste, Remi's cry will alert the prey, they'll scatter." One of the master's attendants said wisely, but he was quickly brushed off.
"There's no need to rush." He laughed softly, "my precious pet'll draw them out. Now, I've got quite the idea. If by chance we stumble upon anything grand, we'll smoke it and any other animals out. Meat is such a precious resource, perhaps we'll be able to eat something other than slave for once." He sighed, rubbing a hand through Tyarn's thick mane, "it's a good idea, isn't it boy?"
He had to respond, but part of him felt concerned about Kee. He was usually careless of others but the things that would happen to her if she was relocated to the dark stone city... She didn't deserve that, not if she had actually created a proper home and refuge for pure animals, the taste of her spring water was something divine unlike the water more commonly found on their continent.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 11:10:20 GMT
Kee could smell them coming before she finally heard them, her stomach dropping as a faint-but-familiar scent followed the humans. Although she might have hoped to see the blue monster again, this was far from the circumstance she wanted to meet him under. Worse, she could hear their plans for the creatures living in the purity, and knew that she'd need to fight to protect them.
Creeping through the brush wasn't exactly her strong suit in either form, and there was a quiet crackling that heralded her movement as she sneaked away from the water and towards the side of the hunters. She didn't expect to be able to ambush them, only to misguide them about which direction she was coming from while hoping Tyarnach wouldn't betray the haven's true location.
Emerging to the side of the small hunting party, she crashed through the brush and revealed herself, leaves and twigs still clinging to her antlers. She couldn't demand they leave, nor did she expect they would listen if she could. Lacking the time and speed to change forms just for that, she decided to convey her desire for their departure the best way she knew - charging as violently as any rutting stag towards the humans, the tines of her antlers pointed at them.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 11:20:42 GMT
A smirk formed on Cyburn's lips as the beast made her sudden appearance as well as entrance. "Looks like we'be already found something of value boys." He was quick to release his hold on Tyarnach's chain so the beast would protect them, and almost spontaneously, Tyarnach did. Jumping directly into Kee's path with his horns lowered to hopefully lock with her antlers, and the weight of his cuffs and claws pressed firmly against the ground to reduce knockback.
Cyburn's men were quick to spread out, one was armed with a net, another with a crossbow and the third had called his hawk back. All startled by Kee's brave entrance.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 11:31:43 GMT
Kee didn't flinch as her antler collided with Tyarnach's horns, putting them head to head. She was larger overall, but he had weight and stability to keep her from flipping him or pushing him too far. She was grateful for the simple shape of his horns, making it easier for her to quickly untangle and leap back. Although she didn't speak to him, there was no hatred in her gaze - at least, none directed at him.
She was more wary of the net than the crossbow, giving both wielders a wide berth as she broke into a trot, then leapt for the trees and began to run at a desperate pace away from her home. She did not trust any of the men to follow Tyarnach in a chase with her, but there was no time to stand around and check.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 11:43:59 GMT
"Useless!" Cyburn scoffed as he hastily made a reach for Tyarn's neck, unclipping the chain before giving the beast a cruel kick. "Bring him down you pathetic mongrel!" Unaware that Kee was very much female and Tyarnach was given no time to make any questioning movement. Backing away from his master without a glance.
He did however make a conscious effort to sniff the ground for Kee's scent before taking off in her direction. The running movement stimulated the static in his hue and already he was beginning to charge electricity.
"Have Remi follow him, that buck isn't anything ordinary, I could sense the magic from it's antlers when the two collided!" He wasn't much of a hunter, and quickly mounted one of the horses that they had used to get to the forest with. "And if you see anything else, nab that too. But priority goes to our target."
Each of the men nodded simultaneously before following the shadow that Remi cast. From the skies she was able to see where Tyarn pursued the prey and was intelligent to lead the hunters in a way that they would be able to corner the beast.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 12:11:00 GMT
Tearing through the forest didn't allow Kee much control of her direction, moving through trees at breakneck speeds. Branches and dried vines bit at her hide like small whips, tempting her to slow down before she wished. She wanted enough distance to warn the spiders and try to hide herself, but there was little time and she knew she had plenty of pursuers. She could at least hope that Tyarnach realized her path was taking them to the edge of spider territory, so that he could avoid the traps.
As she skirted the shrine's meadow and the trapspiders, she called in brief warning, "Hunters have come, beware! They are a dangerous foe!" She had long since learned her lesson about trying to warn the spiders against eating anything that they caught, only hoped that the previous threats of smoke from the hunters did not mean they were eager to set fires. After her warning, she allowed herself a slower speed of running, though it would do little good if she didn't stop soon.
Indeed, only a minute or so later she was forced to duck into a patch of thick briar bushes, her thick skin saving her some of the pain of the prickly plants though not all. It was not a comfortable or ideal hiding place, but the density of the plants helped to mask the soft glow from her antlers, and she dug her hooves into the dirt to hide them as well.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 12:29:25 GMT
Tyarnach had kept her in his sight the whole time, but he couldn't betray his master, for fear of punishment and He knew he had to obey. But once they hit spider turf he was more cautious, sniffing and checking the ground before pressing on, but eventually he closed in close enough to Kee that Remi could see her hiding from the skies. Her shrill cry sounded and the thundering of hooves grew louder.
Beneath the ground in the caverns that had far more prey tangled in their webs than usual, the trap spiders headed Kee's warning and chittered to each other. It'd be good if they could see the numbers of their foes but alas they could not. The elder spider from weeks ago gave direction for his now very large children to wait at the entrances of their pits and with any luck, would be able to pull an unlucky hunter in.
But the caution Tyarnach showed when walking across the flat ground slowed the men. "If he's slowed down there's a good reason why. Flat surfaces like that are more often than not, trapspider Territory. " Cyburn warned as he gestured for his men to go first, after all his life was far more valuable than theirs.
Remi however flew in to perch on Kee's antlers, the red chest armor she wore was less to protect her and more to make her easier to spot.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 12:43:54 GMT
"I'm sorry," Were the first words she could think of to the bird using her as a perch, as magical energy flared up. Soothing energy cocooned around the hawk like a warm blanket, pulling it towards sleep. She couldn't guarantee to knock the bird out or for how long, but it seemed more merciful than trying to spear a creature for what she assumed was merely doing as it was trained. Then again, she was not above thrashing a bit if meant more time to try escaping.
"Tyarnach, must you do this?!" She called to him from her hiding, growing more afraid as Cyburn sent his men into the trap territory. She had not expected him blindly send his own men forward, but then, why not? He treated his 'pet' no better. "You know what my purpose is. The purity here is unstable - without someone to maintain it, the corruption will consume it and all of this will be for nothing. This forest needs the spiders, and it needs me. Is there no way to make them understand?"
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 13:05:47 GMT
Remi attempted to escape the touch by flying into the air however she didn't get far before she plummeted down into the brambles next to where Kee hid. Tyarnach however, like Remi, was merely doing his job. And when Kee spoke to him there was a feeling of guilt, he noticed the difference Kee had made but he couldn't do much in this situation, especially with Cyburn so close.
"I'm sorry." He muttered miserably. "You shouldn't have made your presence known." Glancing over in the direction of where she hid as he prowled closer he gave her the only advice he could. "There's no point in fighting it, if you don't resist maybe things will go better. But either way you may as well give up."
The bowmen was the first to go as one of the young but now grown spiders pulled him into the hole he strayed too close too. Remi's handler was the next to be attacked as another courageous spider pounced at him, it's weight was enough to knock both horse and rider to the ground, but Cyburn had his back as a large fireball was tossed almost carelessly at the eight legged fiend, and on impact it bursted into a shower of embers, lighting the dry leaves and sticks on fire, soon spreading to the webs close by.
Remi's handler managed to escape with only a few bruises as the large hatchling cried in pain before curling up as it's body was eaten by the flames. The use of Cyburn's magic meant that he wasn't playing around and it urged Tyarnach to move closer, even though he didn't want to.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 13:17:25 GMT
"If I hadn't, they would have found the spring and it all would have been for naught anyway." Kee shifted in the brambles. "You know what they're doing is wrong!" She snapped at him before bursting out of the brush. Her shape twisted and changed at whim, risking an attack of her own so that she could yell at the human, "Stop this! Stop your destruction, damn you! If you want me so badly, I'll go, but stop killing them, you have no idea how vital they are to this forest!"
She did not want to give up, she didn't want to leave, but hoped desperately and perhaps foolishly that Cyburn would let her put the fires out and save the spiders if she would give herself up. "Please," She choked out hoarsely, but it was not directed at any of them, merely a hope to have the ruin of all she had worked for stopped before it was too late.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 13:43:19 GMT
He seemed to halt when she shouted at him, his tail sweeping between his legs. And behind him stopped the the men, their horses unnerved and spooked by the large spiders that desperately tried to escape through pits where the web's hadn't been consumed by fire but there wasn't much time, as many as three at a time fought for freedom in their panic.
Thick smoke gave away the locations of the dozens of hole dug by the monster arachnids as it began to choke the area with the more webs that it devoured. Her true form revived Cyburn's cruel grin, fireballs tossed in the direction of the creatures Kee tried to spare, young and old taken down in seconds, adding to the field of burning arachnids,"James, nab a few of those spiders. pure ones are a delicacy." As he dismounted his horse he strides towards the spirit and his pet, a horrible aura wafted off him like a bad odor.
"However it's good to see such a powerful creature ask for mercy. It's pitiful actually, haha!" He stood beside Tyarnach and pulled a tuft of electric charged fur. "So, Tyarnach, should I be a noble gentleman and heed the lady's request? Or should we take her and burn this entire place to ashes?" There was no answer, only a quiet whimper. Sure he didn't like the spiders but to see them die in such a painful and frightening way concerned him, especially after learning how important their role into reviving the forest was.
And aside from casting him out, Kee had never done anything to deserve such a heart breaking thing.
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Post by sparklemuffin on Aug 22, 2015 14:09:11 GMT
Her thoughts of surrender ended as she saw the spiders still go on being tormented. Never before had she felt something as pure as rage or bloodlust, but in that moment, she would have enjoyed seeing the human firestarter suffer. Tears came to her eyes, both in sorrow for creatures suffering and in frustration for such a raw, new emotion. It pained her more so to know she could do nothing to stop the fire. She tried to shut out their suffering from her mind, but her heart wasn't hard enough for such a thing.
"Leave the spiders and the forest in tact. If you want me, or any of the power I possess, do as I say." She knew she had very little power against him specifically, but her feeling of malice was honed sharply to how she could make his life a misery. "If you ever want a sip of water that doesn't taste as though death itself has been among it, or to walk a street at night without being swarmed by every pest imaginable, or to get near a plant without breaking out in rashes and swelling, then spare them." She did not have much to her in terms of offense, but she had bravado. They were minor irritants, she knew, but then she hadn't had very long to dwell on the concept of vengeance.
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Post by karaikou on Aug 22, 2015 14:27:39 GMT
"I'm really not intimidated by such big talk." The mage scoffed, flicking his wrist as if to discard her words. "You have five seconds to surrender fully, no ifs or buts, or else after those five seconds I'll make it rain fire, I'll turn those whole place into an inferno of death." He had a spell to weaken magical creatures such as spirits, dragons and such by burning the energy they lived off and he wasn't afraid to use such spellcraft to punish her.
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