Zion: Light of the New Moon, Shrad's Milestone 1b
Zion - Light of the New Moon Milestone One
Shrad Against the Odds, Part 2
With Majh's little brother finally making his first appearance before the assembled members of the caravan, Tollie's intervention is only the beginning. The characters are still fighting for their life, but unfortunately more than one will lose that battle.
Tollie was not far off on his estimate on the incoming Wyvern. With a thump, the large draconid landed on the ground, its breath coming out in a big blast before it sucked in a huge lungful of air. After that, the creature began sniffing around. While the rest of the caravan had moved to intercept the Chimeras, the small hyena remained by Tolen, half-hidden by the mostly collapsed tunnel. "We're going to make it through this... aren't we?" the fox asked of him, voice at a whisper.
The hyena glanced at him and held up a single finger over his muzzle, "shh." he noted softly and slowly crawled out of the pit formed by the collapsed tunnel. Tollie moved out into clear view of the Wyvern, the short sword given to him by Sten held behind his back. "Hello." he offered in hailing. The draconid looked at him immediately.
"Polite morsel, are you?" the creature hissed, the hooks on the tips of its wings drawing deep furrows into the ground as it crept toward him on legs and wings.
"You.. would not want to.... to... um... eat me." Tollie explained hesitantly, taking a step back.
"Because you have little metal claw?" the Wyvern questioned, chuckling, "Drop claw and I no use tail..." the beast wagged its stinger back and forth and licked its scaly lips, "I snap off head... you no feel it."
"It does sound like a tempting offer." the little hyena acknowledged, "But I am not going to die today." he explained.
"You no get to choose..." the wyvern chuckled,
Tollie took another step back, "Um... neither do you?"
"I choose that you get eated." the wyvern continued crawling toward the hyena, who continued to backpedal.
Tollie shook his head, dropping his sword handle first on the ground, "I... um... I put down the sword." he offered, "Can we... um... talk?"
"Talk done... now I eat." the wyvern let out a growl, raising its tail up.
"You said you would not use your tail." Tollie reminded it.
The Wyvern grinned a wide, predatory grin, "it a lie... meat taste gooder with poison."
The hyena watched as the tail descended, and remained right where he was. The wyvern, anticipating some movement from its prey, did not aim directly at Tollie, which resulted in the stinger grazing right past him... and right onto the tip of the sword, which was sticking straight up. The Wyvern roared out a howl of pain as it pulled its tail back, the length of metal skewering it cleanly to its hilt.
"You are correct... there is no way any swing from me could have punctured your hide... but your strike was strong enough to do it for me." Tollie offered, "Now may we talk or are you going to continue killing yourself?" he asked calmly, "I already told you; I am not going to die today."
"Nasty bite of meat... I swallow you alive so you die in stomach!" the wyvern seethed, and it brought its front claw to bear, connecting with Tollie in the chest and sending the hyena almost forty feet to impact against a tree. It lumbered right after him, "But first, I make you tender."
Tollie reached up and wiped a small line of blood away from his nose. He waited until the wyvern came closer, and then calmly rolled aside; he had collided against it with no small amount of force... the tree tilted, cracked, and came falling straight down onto the wyvern. The beast let our a startled roar and rose up, giving its wings a double-flap... but failed to get out of the way. The resounding CRUNCH was much louder than the one Tollie made when he collided with it.
The hyena dusted himself off and moved over to the draconid which was trying to pull itself free from the tree, "Are you ready to talk with me?" he asked curiously.
"You use magic..." the wyvern sneered, "I feel it."
"It is called Fayte Magic..." Tollie explained, kneeling down next to the draconid's head, just out of striking range but within view of its eye, "I already told you that I was not going to die today... I've seen it."
"You no see future." the wyvern challenged.
"To the contrary..." Tollie objected, "I see more than you think."
The wyvern cursed at him in draconic, shaking its tail.
The hyena shook his head, "What I do with my body is my own business." he responded in Imperial; the Wyvern paused when it realized that Tollie understood the words it had growled.
"Okay... you not die today." the Wyvern noted after a pause.
"You do know why you are here, yes?" Tollie asked, resting a paw on the broken tree. It decomposed rapidly, falling apart into dust, freeing the draconid.
"Dragon Call Chimeras... then Call me. I answer." the Wyvern shook the dust off itself and flexed its wings then paused with a wince. It snarled, half-folding its right wing.
"You did not mind the Call, did you?" Tollie asked, taking a seat on a small boulder.
"Dragon Call, say to hunt and eat... I like hunt and eat." the Wyvern snorted, "I no like talk."
The hyena paused, looking the Wyvern over as it sat down unceremoniously, obviously displeased with the direction its hunt had taken. "You are going to tell me your Egg Name before you leave."
The wyvern laughed scornfully, "I glad I no eat morsel... it brain sick."
"I was right that I was not going to die today-- are you certain that I am not right about this as well?" Tollie inquired. The two locked gazes; the Wyvern blinked first. The hyena was pleased that the confrontation was going so well, but, at the same time he realized that the battle with the Chimeras was much less cordial.
"You realize we're fucked... don't you, Gaerid?" Loric questioned, swinging his sword to keep the attention of the Chimera that was focused on him; it didn't work very well against so many heads.
Gaerid, further to the right of Loric continued attempting to flank the beast, but its serpent head watched him too closely, "There are only two of them." he answered, "It's just a matter of time before they fall." he motioned to the right and Wyse moved obediently to finish flanking the Chimera.
"I didn't mean--" Loric paused, jumping back as a slashing claw narrowly missed him, "--these...." he regained his balance, back-swinging with his sword and drawing a gash in the talon as it sliced by, "I mean the caravan."
"We're still alive." Guardsman Sten noted, backing the two up with a bow, "That has to account for something." The otter let an arrow loose, hitting the Chimera's goat head in its eye. The head let out a half-hearted bleat, and then fall forward on its neck, hanging limply down the creature's chest.
"Majh and Tenge are dead." Shadow spoke up, a short distance from the three. He faced off against a Chimera with Nori beside him, "We don't have anyone that can use the Divine Shield."
"Then you'll all just have to start listening better to me." Nori explained, "Without a Divine Shield it's all about survival prowess, and that's where--" the ferret paused, leaping back as the chimera's dragon head snapped down at him. Nori brought his enormous hammer up from its spot on the ground in an impossibly powerful upward swing, knocking the serpent's lower jaw through the top of its head, "That's where I come in." he finished his statement.
"The whole caravan is destroyed..." Sten pointed out, "I'm pretty sure this isn't exactly what the temple had in mind." The guardsman brought his shield up to block a tail swipe. The Chimera's scaly tail collided powerfully into him, knocking him back several feet; somehow the otter managed to remain standing, but he cursed, "Damn... can't feel my arm." he shook out his shield, pausing when he saw the large dent in it, "Okay... that won't work."
"Dodge." Nori explained, "These things will take off a limb if you're not careful."
"Thanks for the warning ahead of time." the otter retorted, dropping his dented shield.
"These things are fifteen feet long..." Nori countered, "until now I didn't have reason to think any of you would be stupid enough to actually stand there and let it hit a piece of metal you're carrying."
"Can we save the bickering for later please?" questioned Shadow, leaping over a low swipe from his Chimera. He rushed forward, ducking under a clumsy snap from the creature's lion head, and he drove the blade deep into its chest. The draconid's remaining two heads roared, and it flopped over, rolling on the ground. Shadow let out an exclamation of pain as the bulk of the Chimera landed on him, and he was forced to pull his sword free and leap back before he got crushed again. The wolf favored one leg, backpedaling as the Chimera righted itself.
"Kill these beasts first, then complain all you want." Gaerid confirmed, racing forward to slash twice at his Chimera's foreleg. The attack did little as the draconid quickly moved out of the way, but it gave Wyse the chance to leap on the beast's hind leg, latching onto it with his muzzle, teeth digging into its flesh. The Chimera roared, spinning in an attempt to get at the dog, but he held his grip, forcing the draconid to chase its own tail.
"That's it... just keep it's attention for one more moment..."Loric announced, pulling a short blade out of its carefully sealed scabbard. The fox waited until he was at the edge of the draconid's peripheral vision, taking advantage of its lack of a goat head as that side of the creature came into view. He sprang forward, ducking beneath the creature's body as he lodged the knife cleanly into the spot where its thigh connected to its hip, and went into a roll, rising up just as the Chimera fell, poison taking it down with efficiency.
"One down." Guardsman Sten announced, drawing another arrow and taking aim on the remaining Chimera. "Now let's see what we can do about the last one." His arrow bounced off the lion head's furry cheek.
Nori slid in underneath the Chimera's defenses, his hammer going in a wide arc as he swung it to the side. The weapon collided with the draconid's foreleg with a resounding crack. The creature stumbled, its remaining two heads roaring and bleating as its leg gave out, bone poking through its hide. "There... someone mind finishing this one off now? I think I've done my part."
Shadow was right beside the beast as it fell, his sword swiping down in an ovehread arc, cutting cleanly through the goat head's neck. Nori spun around to provide support, but the creature quickly rose up on its good three legs and launched a savage strike at the ferret. He quickly jumped back, avoiding the worst of the attack, but two claws tore into his armor, drawing lines of blood. Nori fell to one knee, but quickly stood back up, "I've got worse from a Stab Bill!" he insulted it.
The Chimera turned to face him and the last head roared, its leonine eyes focused wholly on the ferret. Nori took a step back, followed by another... and the draconid suddenly paused, glancing back to its hind leg where Loric was calmly removing his blade, "We're done here." the arctic fox confirmed. The Chimera fell before he even had time to sheath his weapon.
Standing between the two fallen Chimera, everyone paused to catch their breath. One after another, they got back to their feet... they all knew there was far more to do. The five of them split up; Loric went to inspect the damage to his wagon; Sten and Shadow returned to the Highway to look at the charred remnants of the the caravan; Gaerid and Wyse went back to where they had left Tollie and Tolen.
Loric approached the burned out husk of his transport. He sighed, running his paw through his mane as he began to sift through the charred wreckage, "Damn draconids..." he mumbled to himself, pulling looses pieces of blackened wood apart, searching for anything worth salvaging. "No Divine Shield... no supplies... not even my goddess-damn aged wine." he sat down on the detached steps of the carriage, laughing, "Not even my tea." The fox continued laughing up until he heard the moan.
Moving to the sound, Loric discovered a stoat half hidden in a small crease in the ground, "Guthrey... you're not dead." the fox noted incredulously.
"Not yet... sir." his servant offered.
Lord Kriabnish knelt down beside the portly man and helped ease him up and onto flat land, "You went and got yourself cut up." the fox noted, looking at the enormous claw marks that scoured large amounts of flesh off of the stoat.
"Saving... your... box... my Lord..." Guthrey responded, slowly revealing a small, finely crafted wooden box.
"Guthrey... I'm touched." the fox acknowledged, smiling as he accepted the container.
"I... knew you would want it... Lord Kriabnish." the stoat smiled faintly, several of his teeth, and most of his lower lip missing.
"Indeed..." the fox turned it over in his paws, "It's just a shame that you've bled all over it." Loric noted.
"My... apologies... my Lord." Guthrey wheezed.
"Most regrettable won't live long enough for me to increase your wages." the arctic fox acknowledged, taking stock of the stoat's wounds, "You have five... maybe ten minutes at most." Loric explained, "Our priests are gone."
"Hopefully... only five..." Guthrey grimaced, "Ten would be too long..." his paws gripped at the torn skin of his abdomen.
Loric nodded, "well then... perhaps I can repay you for recovering my box after all." the arctic fox acknowledged.
"How, my Lord?" the stoat inquired, confused.
Lord Kriabnish slid his blade back into its sealed sheath, the small nick on Guthrey's forearm went unnoticed. He didn't bother answering his servant because the stoat was already dead. "You're dismissed." the fox spoke softly, clearing his throat and walked back toward the group with the box under his arm.
Shadow and Gaerid, already finished with their quick inspection of the burned out caravan had rejoined Tolen and Tollie. "I didn't see exactly what happened..." Tolen explained, "...so I couldn't see anything, but from the sound of it, the battle was incredible." he looked to Tollie, "I have no idea how he managed to chase the Wyvern off."
Tollie responded, ears reddening, "I just wanted to keep you out of its view."
"Apparently better with a sword than you give yourself credit for." Sten clasped the small hyena on the shoulder, "Your sister would have been proud." the otter offered, then paused, "Goddess... I can't believe something actually bested her."
"Believe it." Nori noted flatly, "Anyone who charges a dragon obviously has a death wish." he cracked his knuckles, "Dumb bitch... I can't believe she--"
"Enough, Nori." Shadow interjected, "I'm sure we all had our own objections about Majh Blackpaw, but she's gone now... the least we can do is respect her passing and not talk poorly about her in front of her brother." he motioned to Tollie. The black wolf looked to the small hyena, "I've lost a sibling as well." he offered, "I'm sorry for your loss."
Tollie nodded, folding his paws in his lap, "I..." he began, but was cut off.
"We need to come up with a plan." Loric spoke up, "We have no priests, which means we're without direction. As the only noble present, I hereby take command of--"
"In the Wild Lands, a noble city dweller leading is about as good an idea as trying to get head from a Snap-Jaw." Nori stated, "No offense." he added the last words in a satiric impression of the fox.
"Nevertheless, we will need order as we continue our way toward Zion... and I plan on maintaining it." the arctic fox declared.
"Shadow is a representative of the temple..." Tolen offered, sitting up with Tollie's help, "Shouldn't that mean that he has wagon master rights?"
"Semantics." Loric waved the argument away, "He's a guard... not a priest."
"We are in the Wild Lands... we need a priest providing guidance." Gaerid spoke up. Wyse let out a firm 'woof' in agreement.
"I would certainly not argue the point if we had a priest," Loric began, "but, my good man, with Majh and High Priest Tenge slain, that has left us short of a--" and he paused when Gaerid casually motioned to Tollie, who held Tolen close, whispering softly as divine energy flowed through him and into the injured healer, removing the worst of his wounds as if they'd never been. Loric's muzzle dropped open.
Tollie looked up from his work on the healer, glancing around at everyone staring at him. He shirked back at the attention, "Um... yes?" he asked, his voice coming out a few octives high.
"Tollie..." Shadow looked to the hyena, "Are you a priest?"
The hyena shook his head, "No... I was never ordained... Majh didn't think the temple would be good for me."
"Screw the temple..." noted Loric, his eyes glinting excitedly at the promise, "you're good for US."
"That was a very fast change of stance." Shadow noted Loric.
"We have a priest." the arctic fox explained, "That means we just might live long enough to get to Zion." he turned to Tollie, offering a courtly bow, "Lord Loric Kriabnish, at your service, Your Grace."
"I... I'm not a priest." Tollie squirmed at the title.
"Well, pardon me for my adoration, Your Eminence," Loric bowed deeply, "but as long as we're in the Wild Lands you're a priest as far as I'm concerned."
"What a boot licker." Nori scowled, murmuring quietly as he walked off.
"Too used to the way of Shrad." Gaerid answered the ferret, walking back toward the wagons, "Enough talk... we need to find supplies and move on."
"That can wait." Loric noted, calling everyone's attention to him once again, "First thing's first... does anyone know Armenius Tenge's Divine Shield looked like?" he glanced from face to face meeting nothing but blank stares in response. The arctic fox scowed deeply and let out a sigh, "Tah'Aveen, your sense of humor is priceless."
* * * * *
And now Shrad's Milestone concludes.
The votes are in, and it appears that Telkur Byne (aka: Aremenius Tenge) and Guthrey did not have enough votes to survive.
Stay tuned for an intermediary post next week.
Would you like influence over what that intermediary post is? All readers may vote below:
1) Just what happened between Tollie and the Wyvern? 2) Sten's thoughts and time alone after the party goes about its business. 3) Gaerid consults a higher power on what should happen next.
Here's the clencher: you have until midnight PST of Tuesday, October 4th... that's about 48 hrs. The default choice is #1.