Dragonsbane - RP

[coreystranick]

It was not lond until Crag and Dragonium,(with little help from the hunter) to get the bodies into the cave. There was no mess as far as they could tell with. Crag and Dragonium took hiding spots, and made sure the hunter would not screw any thing up.

And so they waited, no talking, just silence. It also helped that they gagged the hunter. He was a nosy fellow.

While sitting in the dank, dark cave Crag though to himself, What ever happened to the two other people that I saw below us on the moutain?

But that was the only thought he could get because just as soon as he finished it the mother came.

She landed, from her mouth she dropped some food. Dead animals, mostly cows. It looked as though she didn't notice her children were dead. But she stopped for just a moment, no movement what so ever. She then turned her head to the nearest baby, and nudged it. The arm on the baby moved towards the mother. The mother stopped and stared.

There was a suspenseful moment, where the world seemed to halt as if waiting for the mother dragon to react.

Suddenly she left as soon as she had come.

Crag looked over at Dragonium, they were both thinking the same thing. She must have not noticed anything wrong.

They stood, unbound the hunter and started to leave.


WOOSH! The mother dragon had suddenly returned.

"Dragonium! She was tricing us all along, we must fight."

"I know Crag, let us fight", responded Dragonium.

Crag turned to the hunter and asked, " Will you aid us?"

The hunter nodded, and so another battle enrarged. 'Tis the life of a Slayer.

[Drace]

The mother flies past the Circle members and high up in the air, disapeering into the darkness.

"Damn it!" Dragonium shouted with anger all throughout his voice.

"Wait? Do you hear that Dragonium?" Crag whispered softly.

Dragonium takes a minute to listen and hears the sound of a sword hitting scales. Also he hears some grunts. A roar, the loudest thing he had heard in a long time, followed along with the sound of hasty footsteps running into his direction. Dragonium focusses his eyes on the direction of the noices and sees a shadowy figure coming closer and closer. The figure of a man.

"It's that man, from the village. The one who damaged the dragon's wing."

"Are you sure?" Crag asked.

"Yes."

It was indeed Bowen, and when he got closer to Dragonium, the three men saw what he was running for.

"What the hell is that?!" Dragonium shouts as a gigantic dragon is running towards them.

Bowen sees the men and starts to shout something. At first they can't hear, but then it becomes clear. "FATHER!" That gigantic beast is the father of the brood. It's very rare that one stays with the mother and his children, but there has been reports of. But this surely proved that the fight is gonna be a hard one.

[Moosetroop11]

"Finally" Came a voice beside Dragonium. He jumped and turned to see Saint standing calmly, with a pleased look on his face.
"What do you mean? What is your game here?" Questioned Dragonium angrily. "You're putting us all in danger."
"Tell me;" continued Saint, "do you believe us to be in the right? Who has slain the children, and who is defending their lives?"
"Dragons are animals." Crag interrupted. "You can't possibly compare them to us."
Bowen snorted. "Dragons are very much aware, my friends. Aware and wicked. When you fight a dragon, you are always on the side of good."
"Like ignorant toddlers" Saint chuckled. He grabbed Haku and pulled him back against the cave side as a lick of flame passed through, and the five men felt the near unbearable heat for a second. "Be more careful."
"Whatever, we need to be working together here" said Dragonium. "We can settle our differences later. Once the dragons decide that we're not dangerous, they'll come deeper into the cave and fight us. That's where we'll have to stand our ground and fight."

[Emerates]

Weak.
He is weak, Saint had said.
These men treated him like nothing more than a child, like he knew nothing about the sword, or fighting, or slaying. He had done it a dosen times.  And yet, these men, not much older than he, had decided to gag him, as if he didn't know the dire situation they were in.  

As his anger flowed through his head, Haku's thoughts strayed to the large satchel hanging from his back.  The bomb the monk gave me, Haku thought.  They only had moments before the two dragons came to fight them head-on.  And they didn't seem too happy about it.

"I have an idea," Haku said quickly.  They had to plan it out, now.

[Dragonium]

Taking a moment to speculate, Dragonium also had a fair idea of how they could survive this.

Crag had voiced his opinions, and the older slayer felt that he should not. Crag was Crag. Crag could say what he liked, but Dragonium could make up his own mind.

"We should at least know each other's names", he said, thinking aloud.

The group in the cave told each other their names and titles. When Dragonium and Crag said that they were part of the Slayers' Circle, Bowen and Haku frowned. Dragonium knew what they were thinking.

"Don't get in our way", he supplemented. "Crag and I have been fighting Dragons for hundreds of years". Another frown. "And we have enough experience to see you both out of here alive, so you have to trust us".

Bowen spoke first. "Why should we trust you? You evidently don't trust us".

"I never said that", sighed Dragonium. Hunters were so predictable. "It's just that Crag and I slay Dragons all the time. It is our trade. And when such activity is one's trade, then one picks up a few things about Dragon behaviour".

Saint made a faint smile and inclined his head slightly.

"The father will fight conservatively", explained Dragonium. "We are on wide open ground, and this Dragon will not stay and fight if he is still capable of an escape. Crag and I have sworn oaths that when we find Dragons, we will slay them. This male cannot be allowed to escape. Crag, you and I shall tackle the father".

Crag nodded and reached for his crossbow; Dragonium turned to the other three.

"Bowen, you fought reasonably well against that Thorntip. Haku, Saint, I haven't seen you fight, but either way you must defend yourselves. The three of you should go after the mother. Thirty-five feet at a guess. Shouldn't be too difficult".

The two Slayers turned and walked the short distance to the cave entrance, where the mother and father waited outside. Dragonium reached for his helmet, the image of a Dragon's skull shining in steel, and placed it on his head, so that only his mouth was visible beneath it. Before they stepped outside, Dragonium turned.

"This is just another battle. Do try not to get yourselves killed", he said, his voice almost a whisper. And with that, the two stepped out of the cave.

The three hunters, fortunately, were ready. Both the mother and the father went for the two Slayers, but the mother's attention was drawn away by the three more lightly armoured figures at the cave entrance. Dragonium hoisted his sword as Crag circled for a good crossbow shot. The father, feet firmly on the ground, lunged forwards, teeth bared, mouth open in readiness for a strike.

The attack was predictable, to say the least. The Dragon missed as the Slayer stepped effortlessly to one side.

As he turned to see the three other men fighting the mother Dragon, he smiled.

This was just another battle.

[Moosetroop11]

This was a worthy battle. This was fitting for the warriors, and thus Saint could relax a little and ease into the battle. Bowen was hot headed and rushed into things, Saint noted, but that could be used as an advantage. The capable Bowen would provide an adequate distraction as he went in for the kill.

But then Haku was at Saint's side, a look of determination on his face. "Very well" Saint said. "Let us see what you can do.

[Drace]

Bowen ran towards the mother and lunged his sword into it's neck, like he did to the Thorntip. His sword went in deep and Bowen retrieved it quickly, rolled out of the way of a quick tailwhipe and jumped onto the tail and quickly climbed onto the mother's back. He then slowly moved his way to it's neck and stabbed it again.

Saint smiles, as he lookes impressed at Bowen. Fearless and rushes into battle, but at least he knows what he's doing. He can prove very usefull to me now that I know.

Bowen jumped off the mother's neck when it let out another roar and went for his shield, picked it up and turned to the beast just in time to block an attack of it's left front leg, and quickly stabbed his sword into it.

"Come on! I've fought dogs stronger than you! Too predicable!"

[Dragonium]

Frowning as the father's mighty talons whistled over his head, Dragonium gripped his blade and looked over to where Bowen was holding his own reasonably well.

This man was confident. Perhaps over-confident. Dragonium had certainly observed that Bowen expected the Dragon to die soon. But this Dragon would have more longevity yet. She would fight to avenge her children, but it was anyone's guess as to who would tire first.

Crag had now circled round behind the Dragon, and without having to be asked, fired a bolt into the less well-plated space at the back of the Dragon's hind leg. It stumbled, turned to attack Crag, but with a strike which he had had ample chance to perfect over the years, Dragonium strode forward and trust his sword firmly between the Dragon's ribs, then swung it up and over his head with a quarter turn to strike the Dragon upwards in the jaw. Crag supplied a number of swings with his own blade, and the Dragon was brought down in a short time.

"There", panted Crag, fitting his crossbow back onto his belt. "Job well done".

"Aye", replied Dragonium with a nod. "The others ought to be finished soon".

They could have left now - gone to Bjorn, sought out the Dragon, slain it and been on their way. But out of interest, they stayed to watch the fight.

Dragonium hoped that Bowen would not become too complacent in this battle. Seeing that its mate had fallen, the female Dragon began to fight more fiercely, forcing Bowen to defend himself. While he may have been experienced enough for an ordinary hunter, he would be lucky to win the battle without being hurt if he didn't raise his game.

Dragons were tricky, and they were certainly not to be taken lightly.

[Moosetroop11]

(I'm kinda waiting for Emerates to do something in this battle, so give him a bit longer.)

[Drace]

Bowen turns to Haku and Saint. "Come on! Don't let me have all the fun!"

[Emerates]

Sorry guys, been busy last couple days with music and some other stuff....

BTW, Crag, 'bound and gagged'? WTF?

====================

Haku turned to Saint quickly.  "Look, I'll see if I can keep it distracted on one side while the other hunter stays on the other side.  You need to go directly for the brain.  If we don't kill the dragon now, none of us will make it off this mountain."

Saint nodded.  It was a half-baked plan, dangerous, and without much room for error.  But the brain was the only chance Saint had of penetration with his dagger.  One shot.  "Go."

Haku nodded at Saint, knowing the danger they both faced.  If Haku was killed, the other hunter would go quickly thereafter.  Saint had to launch himself at the dragons head, and if he missed...  the long trip down would be his last.  Haku drew his sword and threw himself into the fight while Saint began to climb higher for his attack.

[Moosetroop11]

Saint smiled. Finally the young one had plucked up the courage to do something. He observed Haku's fighting style for a moment, barely paying attention to the frenzied attacks of the dragon narrowly missing him. Then, satisfied that he knew enough, he leapt for the dragon's head.
He spun in the air and struck the exposed neck, once, twice, and felt the blood of the now panicked wyrm hit his face. Unsavoury to say the least. The dragon, in a final attack, lurched forward with it's huge jaws, and Saint fell backwards, a little surprised- But at that moment Haku and Bowen both plunged their swords into the dragon's flesh and with a final, blood churning scream, it fell. Saint landed on his feet and sheathed his knife in one movement.

[Emerates]

They left the carnage as it lay on the ground around them.  Bodies of an entire dragon family lay about, blood still pouring from the gashes in their hides.  The members of the small troupe said nothing as they continued on the path over the summit.

Haku did not know why he went with them.  He had a family to support, and going this way was no way to help them.  But he kept walking forward.  The two hunters were talking quietly with one another, seemingly uninterested in anyone else's business at the moment.  Bowen, as his name appeared to be, was talking to a shorter man dressed in a monk's habit.  Haku walked alongside Saint, who, like himself, said nothing.  Haku tried to percieve what Saint could possibly be thinking, but his placid face kept any signs of emotion well-hidden.

They continued like this for quite some time.  Finally, they reached the other side of the mountain.  There, visible in the early afternoon sun, was Bjorn, one of the major cities of the region.  Now there was just the slow, long hike down the slope, and the walk after that to Bjorn itself.  The troupe pressed on without stopping.

[Dragonium]

Dragonium walked with one hand on his sword hilt.

He and Crag had left some minutes before the mother had fallen, seeing no further reason to stay. This way, they could reach Bjorn before night fell, and be able to rest properly before morning. None of the others would be too interested in going after the Dragon attacking Bjorn, and if they did they were fools. Anyone who went to face an elder Dragon alone was asking to die. Especially if they went out at night.

Dragonium and Crag were professionals. The Slayers' Circle and literally hundreds of years' experience guaranteed that. No matter how many Dragons some ordinary hunter fought, they were always vulnerable. They were never professionals.

The fact was, very few people outside the Circle knew of the Seed of Ages, and those who did were sworn to secrecy. Even so, the people with the knowledge were few and far between.

The two Slayers, who had reached the bottom of the path some ten minutes ahead of the others, were now within a short distance from the gates of Bjorn. Bjorn was a large, city, roughly square in shape, and it was a bustling trade town. Even from here, it was possible to hear the calling of the merchants as they tried to sell their wares before the evening. Somewhere, a Glareth called out; they were large, powerful beast with two legs and long tails, resembling a large lizard. They were widely used for their resilience and few requirements for keeping.

A whiff of coal smoke arrived on the breeze, probably from a blacksmith seeling swords and armour, followed by the delicious scent of broth from somewhere. Dragonium and Crag both stopped, as if following the same thought, and inhaled as much of the smell as they could.

"I could certainly go for some of that", sighed Crag.

"Aye", replied Dragonium, "I have more than enough coin in my pouch. We'll get some food and an inn for the night, and ask around while we do so. We can get information while we're there. In the morning we buy provisions and set off".

Crag licked his lips and nodded, still enjoying the scent.

"Shall we go?", asked Dragonium. Crag nodded again, and both set of at a brisk jog in the direction of the gates.

[Moosetroop11]

Saint became increasingly agitated. This party was boring. And there was a voice in his head telling him that something had to be done. He spun to face the startled Haku, but controlled himself.
"I'm leaving" he said in an offhand way. "You can meet me in the city." Then he sped off, ancious to fulfill this sudden lust for violence. His insanity always seemed like clarity for him: He suddenly understood what he must do. It was at times of sanity that Saint was truly most confused.

Saint quickly distanced himself from the group and reached Bjorn. He lingered at the large entrance and then placed his foot over the threshhold. Suddenly dragons weren't the most dangerous thing in the city.