Life Stone

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina was starting to feel like a rag doll in being pulled every which way, but to this reason she was appreciative of it as she saw the golems. She heard Kiana call out the request for cover fire, and without hesitation, she had her bladed bow and arrow at the ready, looking for a soft target to hit in the golems. "These guys wear helmets for a reason..." she thought to herself as she took a shot. The arrow flew, but was slightly off-target as it struck the helmet, causing the golem to drop to it's knees and clutching it's head. While it wasn't the expected result she wanted, she did smile deviously, her obviously having a plan as it was starting to get up. "I remember a story my father told me..." she started off, the golem having it's attention towards Karina now as she was readying another arrow. "...about the time he and a friend of his when they were kids. They used to get into a heap of trouble all the time by ringing the bells at the church when they weren't supposed to." she called out while the golem was nearing closer, taking aim again.

[tangletail]

Leo was actually very thankful that someone else pulled Karina out of the way. He could barely even carry his own weight after this death march that they had gone through. He was straining with effort as he tried to quickly pull himself out of the way of a stampede and cover himself behind a tree as the creatures all zoomed past him.

 
“Seriously... what sort of construct stampedes like cattle,” he grumbled to himself, watching each and every one of those strange things all run past him. None of them actually seemed to give a rat's arse about either of them. Well, kept for two who were also wearing helmets for some reason. He couldn't imagine why a magical creature would need a helmet. But it was probably worn as a method to show off who they killed, or maybe to honor their slaughter?

 
Once he was sure he was in the clear he came out from behind the tree, using a hand to lean on the tree to help keep himself study. Fatigue was getting the best of him now. And unfortunately for Leo, what little martial training he did have required on his acrobatic ability. When he saw Karina take aim at one, and fired. He took note how the Golem went down, but when it got up, he figured it'd be best to let the archer have at it, as she had another arrow on the ready. Last thing he wanted was to get in the way, and take friendly fire.

 
The image of Korius getting shot in the rear returned, almost causing the feline to burst into laughter. He barely managed to hold himself together as he pushed away from the tree and hustled to Korius's aid, where he took the flank.

 
Once he got close enough, he put what little energy he had into speeding up and leaping up into the air. He pulled back one leg, and kicked it forward into a side kick when he came into range, aiming to smack his foot against the helmet. Hopefully it would be hard enough to discombobulate the creature like the other had been.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

The golem roared as Leo's kick caused the creature's helmet to ring, bringing its hands up to its head. Taking advantage of this momentary distraction, Korius got a better grip on his sword and ran his sword right through the slit of the helmet, piercing right through the creature's head, killing it. However, now he had another dilemma. His sword stuck right in, and the golem pulled him as it fell backwards, landing Korius's face on the giant's crotch for a couple seconds before he quickly got up and growled and spat around him.

The other golem kept roaring as Karina shot its helmet with another arrow. While Korius struggled to get his sword bad, he looked back and yelled at Suzumi, "The golems are weak against magic! Their bodies, aside from their heads, can resist all physical attacks! Suzumi! Light it up!" Suzumi was nervous at first, really blown away at what has been happening, but she got her senses back when she heard Korius. She closed her eyes and raised her hands, I guess it's as good a time as any to try it with these stones. Her hands glowed red and yellow, respectively to the colour of each hand's gem. a small amount of wind surrounded one hand and the other with flames. Given a couple more seconds, they melded together and crackled as they formed into larger, blue flames. Finally, with a quick yell, Suzumi formed fists and made a double punching motion towards the golem and shot the solid stream right at it. The creature roared more as it was struck and subsequently silenced as the attack stopped and it fell in a smoldering heap.

Korius was in a little bit of shock as he watched. It was a sight that was extremely rare anywhere. While high level mages across the world were able to combine their magic for attacks, only a select, talented few were able to combine the essence of multiple elements. However, before he was able to say or do anything, there was a loud shriek and a shadow was cast over the whole party as a giant claw came down from above and grabbed Suzumi and narrowly missing Kiana. One of the talons of this claw pierced right through Suzumi's chest, the talon itself being larger than her in size. As she was carried off, Suzumi's blood had made a small track, the initial splash getting onto Kiana.

The old wolf looked up in a scowl, the pain of losing another party member to a Grand Dragon more than apparent on his face, and one of his eyes that was revealed from him looking up so quickly. "Daaaaammiiiiitttt!" It was the Bahamut that Kallow had warned them about. It's body was abnormally larger than its wings, and almost seemed anthropomorphic. Its elongated maw was a sight of horror with its large, jagged teeth. That, and the large spikes sticking out of the back of its neck and back. It was a monster of true horror.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana had turned herself and Suzumi around to face the action after she had gotten them out of harm's way. She watched as the golem was pained by Karina's arrows hitting its helmet and the other golem was distracted by Leo kicking its helmet so Korius was able to put his sword through its head. When Korius commanded Suzumi to use her magic on the golem that was still standing, she looked at Suzumi and was surprised by how she combined her elements for her attack. What surprised her more was when she heard a loud shriek followed by seeing a giant shadow come over them and then Suzumi was suddenly picked up by a giant claw and subsequently impaled by one of the talons. When the claw narrowly missed Kiana, she stumbled and fell on the ground. "Shi--!" She had started to express her surprise until she was splashed by Suzumi's blood from her being impaled. Her eyes rounded as saw the Bahumut above herself and the group and she remained sitting on the ground where she had fallen in stunned silence as Korius yelled is frustration and anger. "That was almost me..." She thought numbly as her eyes passed over Suzumi's body in its claw. This dragon did not have her interested like the previous dragon they had gone up against. No, it just scared her and she rarely was scared by anything.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina let loose the second arrow, which this one hit its mark inside of the helmet before Suzumi let loose the blast of energy, the arrow acted like a lightning rod to some of Suzumi's excess magical energy in her attack, cooking the inside of the golem. She didn't have enough time to relish her small victory before the shadow came down and the horror took place in front of her as Suzumi was attacked. Without hesitation, she took aim and fired arrow after arrow at the creature, managing to get two arrows stuck into the creature but it wasn't seeming to slow down at all with them in it. "Kiana! Snap out of it! We can still save her! Take aim at those wings!" she called in desperation and rage as tears flowed from her eyes at seeing the sight of Suzumi being impaled. She was now becoming desperate to try to save her, though in her mind, she knew Suzumi would not live long from a claw like that through the chest.

[tangletail]

Leo crumpled back on the ground after having his foot successfully land the stunning blow. If he actually had more energy, he would have been able to land on his feet. But this forced marched they just got out of had only left him down to very little in his reserves. Thankfully, Korius killed the Golem they had tagged team, even if it brought him to landing nose first in a humorous location. After hearing Korius growl, and watching him suddenly stand up, he felt now was a perfect time to tease him. “Oh come on, wolfman,” Leo chuckled as he forced himself to rise up to his feet. He had to use a nearby tree as support to help himself up. “It can't seriously taste that bad.”

Leo had turned his head in time to see that the last Golem was now taken out in an eruption of flames. It was an incredible feat indeed! Though Leo knew very little about magic, he still knows that an exploding fire ball to ones face is like a death blow from a giant stepping on your noggin.

The thief grinned and called out to Suzumi, “Incredib-” however he was cut off abruptly. The image of Suzumi suddenly being impaled by the claw of a dragon as she was carried off through the sky warped an expression of horror onto the feline's face. His eyes trailing after Suzumi's soon to be corpse as she was carried off.

He remained standing for a few seconds, before finally dipping down. His hands now resting on his knees as his ears flattened. His body had been shaking some. Not entirely in fear however, but in sorrow for something that he felt he could have prevented if he had been paying a little more attention to the sounds around them. Something that big shouldn't have been too easy to miss. Not even the grand dragon was close. But the feline still couldn't detect it. And now suzumi was gone.

Leo's memories quickly returned to what he had saw in the castle. Even though the corpse he had came into contact with directly were all frozen, take away the ice, and he could see the poor desecrated body of Suzumi lying among them. No proper burial. And nothing left to return her to anyone that may have known her. “Damn...” the feline whispered to himself in sorrow.

“damnit... Damnit! DAAAAMNIT!” he yowled in rage and sorrow, striking the nearest tree. They could make the attempt to save her. But the most such efforts would give them is an angry dragon, or a body with only a few seconds of life left in her as she bleeds out.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius sighed in frustration, and even more so since this would be one of the very few comrades he's ever had that he couldn't bury. He could feel the atmosphere, and could tell that everyone was feeling what he was, though it might be taking a different turn since they are still green. "Don't bother with trying to go after it. As much as I'm frustrated like you all, it IS a Grand Dragon. It's 3 times larger than the last dragon we fought, and more than 100 times more deadly. There is no one in existence who can stand up to them..." His voice trailed off as his memories returned to him from his younger years. Particularly prior to when any of the party was even born. Korius and his 1st party had witnessed the near annihilation of 4 guilds back almost 30 years ago. Back then, the Warrior's Guild, Holy Cleric Guild, Cosmic Mage Guild and the Amazon Guild (made up of Wildmen and Amazons that decided to join society) banded together to take out the Ahzi Dahaka (Earth Grand Dragon) near the southern border of the Central Desert Spans, having been tired of living in fear of it. He had witnessed the gathering of almost 100,000 guild members from around the world, their march on the Shara Kingdom Ruins, the emergence of the Ahzi, and the massacre of almost every single person.

And now, they were in the territory of the Holy Grand Dragon, the Bahamut. While size-wise, it's not as large as an Ahzi, it was able to fly and was just as dangerous. "Let's just keep going. If we don't keep moving, our emotions will collapse our bodies, and we may end up being next on the menu..." Korius struggled a little more before he finally got his sword out of the golem's thick skull, and kicked off the helmet that stuck to the sword's rivets. He dragged his feet a little, but he put in and picked up the pace back to where they were before. Tears fell from Korius's covered eyes and fell onto the plains. The sparse trees allowed a lot of sunlight, and since the eastern side had more grass, the higher humidity made his tears almost invisible.

[tangletail]

Leo still could barely stand up straight. Fatigue coupled with his emotions made a heavy anchor now, that greatly slowed him down. But, an old time saying his family had back in his home lands kept him going. "Movement is life." It was only three words. But such words branded it's self into the memories of all those who have ventured out of the brazened cities outside of the larger tribes protection, and managed to survive before becoming collateral in the civil war.

Even while his body shook, he used a nearby tree to pull him up so he was now standing straight, and he slowly turned to take pace after Korius. He gave a glassy eyed look back up to the sky, as if hoping Suzumi would return. But even that wasn't possible from a mastered sorcerer, he was sure of it. Tears rolled down his cheek visibly as he turned his head back around. His ears now low, but this time he was remaining mindful of the sounds he could hear. The guilt he was feeling was terrible enough. He'd rather not have another incident where someone else is picked off by the same dragon. The thief made a small note to himself to stop by an alter when they get to town. Place a few coins down for Suzumi, and then another few down for himself.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina eventually stopped firing once she saw her arrows no longer hitting into the dragon, who seemed to just shrug and slough them off as though the dragon was shedding scales. The blue-haired fox kin fell to her knees out of exhaustion, almost dropping her bow as she was staggered in her breathing, even hiccuping because of her emotions. "Why... why can't... we... just keep our team... together?" she spoke, trying to calm herself as she slowly got back to her feet. Once she was on her feet again, she gave the fallen golem closest to her a swift kick to he helmet, then showed an expression of physical pain as she limped a bit to follow the others, giving a rather wolven like growl as she was walking after them.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana heard Karina tell her to snap out of it and help save Suzumi, but she knew Suzumi was already gone so she didn't say a word or move a muscle. She heard Korius say not to go after the Grand Dragon since it was a lost cause. As she stared after the Grand Dragon, even with it out of sight, images flashed before her eyes. She kept seeing her brother run through with a sword then her brother bleeding on the ground then him in her arms then the moment the life went out of his eyes. Between each of these images were flashes back to the sky where her eyes were directed in reality. When Korius said they needed to get moving before their emotions collapsed, she slowly pushed herself to her feet. As she began to walk, she stumbled a few times as the images kept flashing in rotation in front of her eyes. She managed to recover her walking abilities a get back up to speed after a minute or so, but the images kept coming. Although she was sad about Suzumi and made sadder by the flashbacks to her brother's death, no tears came.