Fantasy Setting Summer Dawn

[Flutterby]

Ora gave Crispin a resolute nod, relief in her eyes, before turning back the way they came. She didn't hesitate to reach out and take his hand as they wove through the opposing tide of drow, and a voice at the back of her mind told her that Lassard would not take him from her, not if she had anything to say about it.

~*~*~

When they reached the house and the council, Ora realized that the others had been able to visit the armory, seeing new weapons and protection on several. She frowned, remembering she was down a sword and completely without arrows. One sword and her hunting knife would have to do- the council, Desrick close behind, was already moving toward their foes.

She wished her heart had sank at the sight of mages. That the forethought to send invisible magic-wielders, ones who could destroy the entire city with a series of words, was surprising to her. But as Crow reminded them, Evereach wasn't keen to take risks they didn't need to for the sake of an honorable battle.

Ora didn't wait long to join the fray. She reached down and pulled her knife, and threw it at one of the remaining mages. It wasn't meant for flying, so its wobbled a bit, but it served its purpose. The mage had to duck away from it, and when he turned back to face them, Ora was upon him, making a series of quick jabs with her dominant hand to incapacitate him. As the mage fell, Ora was infinitely glad that Azaria had been dragging her out of bed for training. The dwarf didn't dwell on her victory long, readying herself for the next advance almost before the mage stilled.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass, Soiled Sketchbook, Charcoal Pieces

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Leandra tensed when her ears picked up fighting beginning already outside. Hastily, she watched another Drow putting on the armor nearby and anxiously asked him for aid when everyone else began rushing into the fray. It took her several minutes with the Drow getting all the more frustrated with her before she finally got the armor on and dashed outside while shouting at Falarion to stay in the armory.
Meowing sadly at Leandra's retreating form, Falarion sat down beside an armor rack and watched her go, staying near her bow from home and knapsack.

Hearing Crow shout for her, Leandra worriedly rushed his way with Azaria's gifted bow in hand and her quiver over her back diagonally.
Halting when she saw the attacking mages and ensuing violence, Leandra felt frozen in place. Her eyes were wide, as she took in the splattering blood and broken bones before her. Then one mage was burned from the inside through magic and Leandra's jaw dropped in horror at the sight. This was almost too much for her to take.
Yet, two mages were trying to advance on her friend, Crow, and Leandra gulped before nocking an arrow and taking aim. Her hands shook as she tried to aim at one of the mages and she finally let go with a yelp of surprise, and began hastily trying to nock another arrow without watching to see if her arrow met its mark.
A moment passed as she struggled to nock the next arrow before Leandra heard someone cry out in pain and her head shot up in time to see one of the two mages now clutching his bicep where her arrow had struck him.
Leandra watched the blood oozing from his wound, shocked into a frozen stance once more.

The mage looked right at her and Leandra yelped as he began rushing towards her instead of the others. She struggled frantically to nock another arrow, as the enemy neared her with a deadly-looking blade.
At the last moment, she raised her bow and fired another arrow while screaming.
The enemy's body collided with hers and Leandra went down, panicking as she tried to shove the heavy body off of her. His blood began to coat the front of her armor and her neck fur from the protruding arrow in his heart.

SilverFlight Goonfire Flutterby

 

[SilverFlight]

It was truly Cyndara's blessing that they had fought these enemies before, Desrick had seen how they fought, learned from them and could anticipate how they would strike. He saw Leandra go down, and, forcing one of the last standing opponents head first into the cave wall, he went to haul the body off her and help her up.
"I advise you to stay close to the warriors." He said kindly, relieved the was unhurt.

"We need a plan. We need to find the council."
Through the tunnels they saw evidence of more ambush attacks from invisible mages. Some of the drow had fallen quickly, but the rest had reorganized, leading their invisible enemies into the open market square. The rush had left many pots of spice, flour and other things, and the drow were using them, casting the powders into the air, watching them catch on their enemies' clothes and dispatching them in their surprise.
Crispin gave a whoop of triumph as they ran past.

When they reached the rest of the council it was in the hall just before the great chamber. They were directing the fleeing residents.
"Ah, you're here." The captain of the guard said with little more enthusiasm than remarking the weather.
"Good. We need your help."

There were three main tunnels. It had been discovered at least that the main Sumennan forces had been forced into one of those, and were being held off at a bottleneck for the time being.

"Once they break through we will not be able to trap them, but, we may be able to divert them. If we cause a cave in here, they can't follow our fleeing citizens up, they'll have to travel around here, which will give us a day's head start...There is one problem. In order to collapse this tunnel, someone must be on the other side of the cave-in. Meaning they will also be trapped with nearly a day's diversion. All of our forces are wither holding off the high elves, or helping our people escape. We have no one left who can do this." He looked at the group pointedly.

So there it was, in order to save the drow, they had to lose a day they very much needed to warn Myst. Desrick looked to the group for their opinions.

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[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass, Soiled Sketchbook, Charcoal Pieces

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Leandra's heart was in her throat as she feebly tried to push the mage's body off of her. Immense relief flooded through her when Desrick came to her aid and helped her up. Tears had already started to drip down her cheeks and she rubbed at them, wetting her fur as she sheepishly thanked him.
"R-right, will do."

As their group rallied and moved, Leandra kept mindfully in the middle now, trying her best to stay around the more capable fighters of the group. She kept her bow at the ready with an arrow nocked if she needed to draw quick.
Thankfully, the Drow were making a stronger stand now and their group ran through the chaos of the ensuing fight.

Yet, just as they were breaking away from the armory, Leandra remembered Falarion and her knapsack. Panicking and with so little time to decide, she slung her bow and waved down a Drow guard to accompany her, as she rushed through the chaos to get back to the armory. She breathlessly told the guard what she was returning for and was relieved when they got there to find Falarion running out to her. She could not waste any time greeting him, though, and she merely barged into the armory to grab her knapsack and then she turned tail to sprint through the marketplace on all fours. She was determined to not be left behind.

The group joined the captain of the Drow guard just as Leandra caught back up to them, out of breath. She anxiously turned around to watch the way they had just come from. She felt on edge the entire time and worried the enemy would follow their group despite the Drow defending where they had come from.
Falarion sat down beside her, panting just as much as she was, and Leandra wiped tears from her eyes as she pet him during this brief moment of respite. She felt a cascade of emotions threatening to overwhelm her at the thought that she might have left him behind, but she quelled them for now.

Hearing the new plan, Leandra furrowed her brows and then stood back up to face Desrick and the others. Her expression was determined, as she said, "Nobody is going to do something alone in the caves again. If one of us has to stay behind, then we all do. We just have to take the chance that we can maybe make up that time or that it'll be worth it in the end."
Falarion leapt up, flapping his wings briefly, before landing on Leandra's shoulder and meowing, as if to emphasize her point.
Leandra grinned at him and pet his head, as he rubbed it against her hand and purred.
Remembering what happened last time someone stayed behind in the caves, Leandra furrowed her brows again with worry and resisted the urge to look Alistair's way.

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[Goonfire]

On the way to the council hall, Crow released a tightly-held sigh of relief. “Thank you. Those shots would make Azaria proud,” he assured Leandra, who seemed frazzled as she darted between the armory and the council hall.

The idea of collapsing a tunnel to buy time was nothing new, by now. However, one person staying behind was a twist—one for which Crow didn’t have the appetite. “Wait...” he interjected, brow furrowed. “Where is Alistair? He might be able to destroy the tunnel and not trap himself in the proverbial hornet’s nest.” He glanced around, peeking outside to see if he could spot the slippery shadow mage.

Lioness075 Zazz SilverFlight Naberius

 

[Zazz]

Azaria took the opportunity to load up on supplies in the armory before following after the others. She watched after Leandra as she darted back in for her cat and pack, taking down a pair of light elves in the meantime. The drow bows were surprisingly well balanced, despite the added shield. A little weighed down with things for both herself and the others, the assassin brought up the rear, making sure Leandra did not get left behind.

"Shadow boy would be ideal, but can he do it alone?" She did not know what exactly a cave-in would entail. "If he can, the rest of you should go ahead. I will stay to make sure he doesn't actually die, this time." Azaria winked at Alistair. "Someone's got to."

The halfling assassin passed Ora a full quiver, along with a pair of dual wield swords that were just the right length.

 

[Baconhands]

Meera couldn't believe how difficult it was to lead animals an extended distance. She was starting to think that those horses she had tamed when she was younger were actually just some extended family who were simply entertaining a child. Now that she gave it some proper thought, the likelihood of that being the case was increasing. A heavy sigh left her lips as, once again, the mounts pulled on the reins, and the poor shapeshifter had to wrestle with them to try and get them back under control. She resorted to bargaining in the end - food, berries from her own supply, for good behaviour. There was one mount that was actively listening to her, and when it became apparent she was rewarding him for following her, the others soon got in line.
"I wonder if you have a name," she said aloud, musing to herself as she led them all the way back to the group. "Mind if I call you Hendrik?"
She stopped at the entrance to the underground tunnels, trying to recall if Crispin wanted the mounts somewhere specific. She wasn't certain how well these mounts would do being underground, and part of her could sense their nervousness and their resistance. Not even the prospect of berries were settling them this time.
She looked at the mount she had named. "What do you think?"
Hendrik didn't respond, and gave her a non-chalant stare.
"Very helpful," she sighed. "Damn it, am I going crazy?" She let out an audible huff. Hendrik did similar.
"I think the plan was to ride you and your friends out of the city. What's a reasonable amount of time to wait? For them to come to the surface, that is."
Hendrik shuffled a bit, inadvertantly stamping his hoof three times.
"Three minutes? Sounds good to me."
SilverFlight

 

[Flutterby]

They made quick work of the first small wave, working as a group to stop the mages where they had found them. But there were undoubtably more, with soldiers not far behind. They hurried back to find the rest of the council, and discovered another obstacle to success.

As Ora reached out and took the equipment Azaria offered her, with a quick nod and a "Thank the mounts for you, Azaria," she listened to the debating around them. To separate or not, to lose a round-mark or not. Not that the latter was really an option- if they didn't delay the summerland forces, the evacuation would prove a wasted effort.

"I'm inclined to agree with Leandra, at least partially. No one is staying behind alone." Ora said, getting her new gear set. Quiver over the back, remaining blade back in its scabbard to put the new ones in her hands.
"And I'm not enthused about putting it on Alistair, with or without Azaria." She took a moment to think, and then glanced at Crispin and the captain of the guard.
"How much longer can we hold them off, before we absolutely have to collapse the tunnel? Meera should be back, within a mark or two. With mounts, the round-mark diversion could be cut down to half a round-mark. It would be close, but we could still get to Myst before Evereach." It was a stretch, and she knew it. But a whole round-mark was just so long to give up without another thought.
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[Goonfire]

“I worry about leaving anyone in here,” Crow groaned. “Whoever stays behind risks detection and capture, hence why I seek a solution that does not involve anyone staying behind.”

He pondered a viable solution before glancing at the guard captain. “A narrower passageway is a major logistical problem for such a cumbersome army. They require more food and supplies than a handful of agile fighters. Suppose we all stay as Leandra proposed. Would we be able to buy more time and perhaps weaken them via hit-and-run tactics, sabotage, and attrition?” A few sinister ideas stewed in his head, and it was clear those gears were turning behind his sharp eyes.

SilverFlight Zazz LazyDaze Flutterby Baconhands Lioness075 Naberius

 

[SilverFlight]

"We wouldn't be trapped with them." Desrick tried to explain. "But we would have a a full mark round added to our journey. The only hope we have then is to find Mira and the mounts and ride hard for Myst. Evereach, thank Cyndabrynde, did not try to bring horses though."

"I agree with Leandra too, I don't think we should separate again. Even for the experienced, navigating Cyndara's forests is no picnic."
"So, we all go together?" Desrick asked them.
"We can't let Evereach follow the escaping drow up those tunnels." Crispin added.
Desrick thought, brow furrowed, then nodded. He turned to the nearest drow soldier and pulled him to the map they had laid out:
"Tell your soldiers to fall back to the collapse point. If they cave the tunnel after themselves, we go down this neck, and cave this route. It should leave Evereach with no choice but to follow this path which will put them out as far away from the drow as we can get them. That should permit your people to escape."

The plan was set. It was a risk, giving Evereach more time before Myst was warned, but they couldn't gamble with the drow people.
Desrick lead the way through the tunnels to the rendezvous point, following the map he'd been given. There were echoes of combat and the rushing of feet as the drow withdrew. The high elf commanders were sensible enough not to let their soldiers chase too far and split the force. When they reached the two tunnels, one for the escaping drow, and one for the adventuring party, Desrick could see that there were pillars designed to be collapsed for just such a purpose.
"Get down the tunnel and keep clear of the debris." Desrick ordered. The drow soldiers made sure the stream of their people kept moving. There were only stragglers now. The plan had worked as well as it could have. Some families had only escaped with the clothes on their backs, but they were alive.
A faint orange light could be seen from the tunnel behind them, where the high elves were advancing. Desrick felt the heat before he realized what was happening.
"They're casting a collective spell. They're scorching the tunnels! We need to leave! Now!"
The raging inferno raced towards them, incinerating everything as it went. Flames leapt and died and were replenished by the magic supplied by a score of mages.
Desrick ran to one of the pillars. He heard the drow's escape tunnel collapse as soon as the last man had been pulled through to safety. Now it was up to them.
Desrick smashed one, and the rocks above them rumbled ominously, but did not come down.
They needed someone to break the pillar on the opposite wall.

Pyrrhus made sure to keep an eye on Leandra, offering to help her onto his back as they escaped. He always had an eye out for Crow too. "If I'd have been given a choice," he said, trying to keep his voice calm in the face of firey destruction. "I would much rather be back on the surface, in some lovely village, playing my lute for a good meal and a soft bed!"

Lioness075 Naberius Zazz LazyDaze Flutterby Baconhands Goonfire

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass, Soiled Sketchbook, Charcoal Pieces

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Leandra was uncertain of how to take Crow's compliments for her ability with the bow she had been given. She stared down at her hind paws while tears welled in her eyes at the realization that she had actually killed someone. She could not believe she had actually taken someone's life. For all she knew, the man had just been a soldier doing his job and nothing more. Sure, it had been in self-defense, but she had actually killed someone.

After she had so adamantly refused to let anyone try to deal with the cave-in alone, Leandra felt her heart drop at Crow's suggestion that Alistair would be more than capable of handling it on his own. She gave Crow a surprised look while she quietly asked, "Did you even hear anything I just said?"
Leandra felt as if her heart could not drop any further, her mood quickly going down the drain.

Even though Azaria briefly questioned if Alistair could do it alone, she quickly followed up by saying she would stay at his side.
Determination kicked in for Leandra and her ears perked up as she tried to find Alistair so she could stare him down.
"I won't let him do it alone either. If Alistair is doing this, then I'll be at his side as well."
It was hard to pin down the feeling, but Leandra had started to feel some sort of kinship with Alistair in the little time they had spent together. He had practically told her his life story at this point and ironically enough, she had told him so little of her own. In fact, she had not divulged much about herself since joining this group. She supposed that was due to her never-ending slew of questions, but she also felt a slight disconnect from the group. She did not intentionally try to be secretive, though she knew she did not feel comfortable sharing the darkest parts of her story with anyone yet.

Leandra shook her head, having let her mind wander briefly, and tuned back in just in time to hear Ora agreeing with her. Surprised and pleased that someone did so, Leandra's mood lifted a bit and she hesitantly smiled at her tail friend.

Then Crow spoke up again and completely turned around in what he was proposing they do. Confused now, Leandra could only give him a bewildered look in the moment. Yet, the new plan he suggested was far more viable and made the most sense to Leandra.
Excitement overtook her confusion and Leandra did not even get a chance to say so before Desrick seemed to reach the same conclusion.

The good plan was set into motion and Leandra worriedly tried to find Alistair in the ensuing chaos. So much was happening all at once and she wanted to stick close to the shadow mage. While he may have hurt people in his life and did not have the nicest beginnings, Leandra still felt closest to him after he had divulged so much to her. He had entrusted his life with her own by sharing so much and Leandra felt she should return the favor by trying to protect him. Even if she routinely failed to protect herself.

Sighting him already making his way towards the cave tunnel supports, Leandra cried out, "Al, wait!" In her panic, she failed to realize she had called him anything differently.
Running up to him, Leandra glared and then scolded him, saying, "What's wrong with you? We were still discussing our plan and you just walked away from the rest of us without a word? Did you forget what happened last time?!" She felt tears welling up in her eyes again and she hurriedly wiped them away while sniffling.
"Don't be so selfish!"
She practically shouted this, catching herself afterwards with an embarrassed look.
Leandra looked away from Alistair and then heard Pyrrhus shouting his offer and extending an arm towards her. When he galloped past, Leandra furrowed her brows and then accepted the offer, clambering onto Pyrrhus' back without another word to Alistair.

Quiet now, Leandra focused on maintaining her balance on Pyrrhus' back, belatedly realizing she had never even ridden a hooved animal, much less a being, before. Certainly not bareback either. Yet again, Leandra found herself in unchartered territory and her heart began to race once more.

Interactions: SilverFlight Goonfire Naberius
Mentions: Flutterby
Nearby: Zazz LazyDaze Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

Crow shuddered as the upset Leandra scolded him. “M-my apologies,” he stammered. “I saw the way he avoided certain death and got... er, presumptuous. I did not advise leaving anyone behind, instead hoping we could repeat that set of results, sans concussion and having us worried sick.” He fought to see eye-to-eye with the beast-woman; his ideas and methods surely seemed wicked to any peaceful person. He gazed at her, curious about the thoughts racing through her mind as she processed her first kills. The inquisitor silently wondered—as he often did—what it was like to have a more normal upbringing, one in which violence wasn’t looked upon with indifference.

With the sudden turn of events, Crow drew out a whimper of discomfort, his contemplation interrupted by a literal wall of fire. He brought up the rear as the others moved to finish the job and flee, stubbornly honoring the promise that no one gets left behind. “I would rather be in that soft bed of yours, having but a nightmare,” he agreed, doing his best to give Pyrrhus a reassuring smile and—just as importantly—remain calm.

Lioness075 SilverFlight

 

[Flutterby]

Ora returned Leandra's smile with a small nod, not able to force a smile of her own just then. Too much was going on. Her face was pulled into a neutrality that she clung to like a shield.

Desrick took their suggestions quickly and sent a soldier away to coordinate the plan. As they moved toward the tunnel that would be their path, Ora could only hope the Meera had been successful. The fate of the world was in the (easily distracted, often shaking) hands of the sweet little being.

The pillars were a genius design, she was completely willing to admit. Her own people had used similar methods, once upon a time. Actually, they were probably still in place, and they just hadn't fought on their own turf in so long that..
Her admiration of the design was cut short by the ominous orange glow and Desrick's voice. Ora's heart leapt into her throat, and it felt like she was moving in slow motion as she placed her hands on the other pillar and tried to give it a shove, at least a foot below the point designed as the weak point.
Desrick's pillar came down, and the ceiling shuddered. It held.
The orange glow grew brighter.
Ora shoved again, hard enough that she couldn't hold back a grunt of exertion.
The pillar stood, and she imagined she could feel heat on her face.
She was too short. She couldn't do it alone.

"Need some help here!" She shouted, trying in vain to wedge the edge of her spare sword into a crevice to destroy the pillar another way.

 

[LazyDaze]

"What a shame, here I was thinking Alistair would give us an encore of his last performance," Iolas said with a shrug of his shoulders and a smirk. Of course, he too would rather not leave anyone behind, but if someone HAD to do the dirty work, that man was more than capable. Iolas couldn't help but feel that this close calls were the work of a divine entitiy giving them a warning, or sign of things to come. Despite his cool exterior, he couldn't help but feel as if someone would be lost sooner, or later, so a tactical retreat was welcome news, even if it did tug at his pride a little. Nevertheless, the plans were laid out and he couldn't complain. Although Iolas might be the most cynical, and realistic one out of the group aside from Azaria, and Crow, even he felt wrong potentially sacrificing his comrades. After all the best course of action, wasn't always the best course of action.

Iolas held back a chuckle when it came to actually caving in the tunnels. It was as if the god of irony was dancing in their midst. Then the break, if you could call it that, was over. The tunnels were in need of collaspsing, and their resolve was literally being set a flame. Desrick acted quickly and destroyed a pillar where as Ora battled the opposite pillar with what seemed to be wit and ingenuity in place of the raw strength. However, her plan would be fruitless without a slight boost. "Excuse me miss, but I would much rather be your stepping stool than their roast," Iolas said with a smile while elevating Ora. If he was bothered at all by the impending doom, it didn't show.

Flutterby SilverFlight

 

[Zazz]

While Desrick took down the first pillar, Lohrithe readied his new shield and kept an eye on the advancing troops, making sure the other drow retreated safely and headed topside. A slow wave of orange light rolled their way, and Lohrithe's eyes widened, until he had to literally shield them from the incoming fire. "FIRE!!!" He grabbed hold of a small boy who had been hiding in the shadows and threw him over his shoulder, then ran for safety.

As Ora and Iolas attacked the second pillar, Azaria watched the chaos unfold. The fire. Lohrithe and the child. Desrick yelling. For once in her life, she had no battle plan; they were going to be incinerated. They were going to die, and Lassard was going to burn Cyndara to the deepest part of the ground. The assassin went to pull Ora and Iolas away from the advancing wall of fire when suddenly she stopped. Something was happening.

Water seeped in from the cracks in the tunnel rocks, but in an unnatural manner; it came together to form a barrier between them and the fire, thickening. The young halfling elf's jaw fell as she watched the fire roar behind the wall of water, closer and closer, until Everreach's magic hit. The tunnel echoed with a violent hiss as water turned to steam, filling the air with hot, heavy vapor. Licks of flame threatened to break through, but the wall held. The steam burned, but it was infinitely better than the alternative. Azaria looked back the other way and found one woman, the one who had been sitting next to Tluthaonar at the council, standing still amongst the chaos. It was she who protected them. But the assassin knew the water wall could only be held for so long; the elderly woman was already visibly sweating with effort.

"Crow, your hammer!" Azaria shouted over the hissing and the rumbling, pointing at the pillar. They did not have time for Ora's cunning antics.

 

[Flutterby]

Finally, someone came to her aid. She wasn't sure who she had expected, but she spared the smallest amount of time to give Iolas a smile as she accepted the boost. She could hear Azaria's footsteps, knew that if she looked she would see her coming to pull them away. But if Ora died in that tunnel, consumed by fire, the pillar would fall with her. One way or another.

The dampness under her hand as she wedged her blade into the proper spot was the first indication of their savior. The water sprung to the surface of the rock, glistening under her palm, and then past it, into the air. A wall of water, billowing steam, stood between them and destruction. The feeling of the hot, humid air filling the tunnel reminded her of quenching iron.

Iron. Right, wedge the sword and push, you idiot.
As Azaria shouted for Crow, who Ora knew was sticking to Pyrrhus like glue, Ora's blade found a home and she gave a shove. The pillar gave a satisfying shudder.
"Get ready to move." She said to Iolas, and then gave another hefty push.
The pillar buckled. Ora hopped off Iolas, leading the few steps to safety. The pillars had been designed to buckle outward, so as the tunnel ceiling came down, she was able to turn and watch as her sword disappeared into the rubble. The sword she had forged with her own hands, in her little cabin on the side of the mountain. She was surprised to not feel sad.

 

[Goonfire]

Staring at the water wall in disbelief, Crow was lost in the moment. “Who could be doing that? The elders?” he wondered aloud before Azaria called him back to reality. “Hammer...? ... Oh!” He whipped around, ready to bust the pillar, but instead saw Ora and Iolas’ teamwork already did the trick. He offered Iolas his shoulder to help him rise, then made the final dash to safety once the elf was on his feet.

At first, the dust trickled down with that foreboding rumble. Then, from the growing fissures came gravel, then cobble. The inquisitor shielded his own head with his bag on the way through—not that such a practice would magically protect him from several tons of earth. Regardless, his aim was to ensure everyone in his party made it out alive—himself included, naturally.

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[SilverFlight]

Pyrrhus laughed despite their situation, Crow's comment delighted him.
"When we get out of this, you can spend the rest of your nights in my bed!"
Goonfire

The wall collapsed with a roar of rubble, water and steam. Ora and Iolas' last effort had saved them.
Desrick panted, feeling the knee-deep pool sink happily into his trousers, but it was a good feeling compared to the searing heat from a wall of flame. Steam mingled in the air, and he heard the breath and movement from his team, but in the pitch dark, not even his Cyndaran eyes could see them.
"Anyone have a bit of light? I'm out of acorns." He asked with half a smile. He didn't need to see the collapsed wall however, to know the job was well done.
"It will take Evereach days to clear this, or days to find their way around it. Unfortunately now, it will also take us days to reach Myst. We bought only a little time, but the drow are safe, that is a victory at least."
"Good show Ora, Iolas. That was fast acting." Pyrrhus praised them happily. "We'll get to Myst in time, don't you worry Des. Meera's still up there remember? She'll find us, and bring you two-legs some more legs to get there!"
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Crispin could be heard sloshing through the water to where Ora had stopped, clear of the falling rubble. He felt in the darkness for her hand.
"We'll get you a chance to make a new sword." He promised softly. "A better one. Myst's forges are famous."
Flutterby

The centaur could be heard sploshing his way to where he had seen Crow last.
"Crow dear, not bruised I hope? Can you put the lights on for us?"
Goonfire

Meanwhile Desrick tried to find Lohr.
"Your parents, they got to the escape tunnel in good time yes?"
Zazz

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas had also heard Azaria's footsteps and a nervous smile cracked on his face as he realized their time was almost up. Anyone with eyes could see that the situation was deteriorating. Despite the demons they faced on all sides, Iolas wasn't nervous. It was strange...this wasn't the first time Iolas had tag teamed with Ora, and he slowly began to develop a trust. Not unlike the one he had with Azaria, but in a different way. In fact, this was becoming true for everyone albeit slowly. So, he wasn't nervous. Iolas's only thought was what to do once Ora's plan worked because he was certain that it would.

"She is as impatient as ever," Iolas said as he broke out of his thoughts. Iolas readied himself at Ora's command and then they were off. With a little help from Crow he was able to stand up and follow Ora to safety. The last thing Iolas wanted to do was be buried alive, or drown again. He would occasionally slash at falling rubble along the way and eventually they made it out safely. The high elf didn't dare strain his eyes in this realm of darkness, but his ears would twitch at every familiar voice, breath, and step. He began to make a mental map of everyone's whereabouts using these sounds. He heard Pyrrhus jovial voice complement his and Ora's teamwork. Iolas would have bowed if someone could see it, but he settled for a simple reply. "I only played the role of a stepping stool, Ora was the true mastermind."

He continued to listen to the voices, the way the water sloshed beneath their feet. He knew the whereabouts of everyone accept one, Azaria. This was not uncommon, she was probably the only one who could successfully sneak up on him in broad daylight let alone darkness. Perhaps it was still his ghostly chains of the past that still haunted him, but he was hesitant to call out to her. "Azaria? I can promise you I am not drowning this time," Iolas said in jest to the darkness, reaching out to what was becoming a solitary flame in his life.

Zazz Flutterby SilverFlight Goonfire

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra LaFrae	Nickname: Lea
Race: Tabaxi - Beastwoman	Home Country: Cyndara
Occupation: Huntress / Astronomer Apprentice	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20), Twin Daggers, Collapsible Spyglass, Soiled Sketchbook, Charcoal Pieces

Spoiler: Falarion's Appearance

Feeling as if Pyrrhus had perhaps forgotten her presence, even Crow it seemed, Leandra felt her cheeks flush at the casual banter between the two. She was just about to suggest getting off and running on all fours without Pyrrhus' assistance, but then the fire was rushing after them and water was meeting it along with the pillars finally collapsing. It all happened so fast, Leandra leaned forward and tried to not dig her claws into Pyrrhus' neck while she clung to him.

As things calmed down again, Leandra quickly scrambled off of Pyrrhus' back, her anxiety starting to spike with how dimly lit it was now. Even her feline eyes were struggling to see in pitch black.
Glancing back at where Pyrrhus had been behind her, Leandra said, "T-thank you for the help, Pyrrhus."
Remembering the words exchanged between him and Crow, Leandra's cheeks flushed again and she was grateful for the darkness as well as the fact that her fur also helped to conceal this.

Turning away from Pyrrhus, Leandra tried to scan the dimly-lit tunnel for any sign of Alistair. She felt her heart racing for several reasons, most notably the fact that she had just yelled at him in front of most of their group and she had no idea what his reaction had been since so much had happened.
Taking a few tentative steps forward, Leandra called out, "Alistair? W-where are you? Al?"
Worry overtook her and she tried sniffing at the air, trying to find his scent. She tried to avoid doing this around the others since she could tell most of them did not have a nose like she did. She had a feeling that doing this was unusual to other people.

Nearby, Falarion cried out, fearfully trying to find Leandra, but pausing when his paws started to get wet with all of the water in the area. He glanced around the dark tunnel and did not see his feline friend, crying out a second time for anyone who might be closer to him.

Spoiler: Tags

Interactions: SilverFlight (Pyrrhus), Naberius (Alistair)
Mentions: Goonfire (Crow)
Nearby: Flutterby , Zazz , LazyDaze Baconhands

 

[Flutterby]

The darkness rushed in faster than the water, which sloshed over the top of Ora's boots and down toward her toes. It would have bothered her, if she wasn't so relieved to have not just succeeded but also survived.

She knew Iolas was still somewhere near her, so she spoke before everyone started to find their respective people.
"Thanks for the lift, friend. Thought I was roasted for sure." It came out a little breathless, as her heart was still thumping from the thrill. With that, she let him focus on finding their most sneaky friend. A challenge at any time, most certainly in the pitch black they found themselves in.
LazyDaze

She heard Crispin come towards her, and quickly fumbled her hand into his.
"It feels right to start a new life with new swords. That pair served their purpose for me," She murmured back, giving a soft squeeze. It was a loss, sure- days of labor had been spent on them and they would've fetched a decent price, even used. She placed the blades that Azaria had brought her from the armory into the sheaths at her sides, and felt ready to move on.
SilverFlight

She heard Leandra looking for her chosen friend, as her little companion cried from somewhere further into the tunnel.
"That little thing sounds pitiful," She muttered to Crispin, as she stepped forward to find him. As she walked, she spoke to the group, "Pyrrhus is right. Meera will have come back by now, and we just have to find her and ride as quickly as we can."

Ora got close to where she thought Falarion was, and crouched.
"Come here, small one. I can keep your paws dry if you'd like." Ora stretched out a hand blindly, reasoning that she would either touch the creature, or give him the chance to catch her scent and locate her.
Lioness075

 

[Zazz]

Azaria, like Iolas, could place the whereabouts of each of her comrades by the sounds of their voices and the sloshing of water. She heard the high elf call out to her, and couldn't help but smile in the darkness. Softly, she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Not hit by a rock, either, it seems." She reached up to kiss his cheek before Crow could cast a light on them all.

LazyDaze

Lohrithe, having gotten the child to relative safety, returned to the group. He knelt by the elderly woman who had saved them and called back to Desrick, "I don't know. We will find out once we reach Myst."

SilverFlight

He held the woman in a sitting position. She was weak, and looked frail. The magic had taken much of her energy. She whispered something only the drow man could understand, and Lohrithe's brows furrowed. He nodded. The air began to feel heavy, until a blueish light seeped from the old woman's body into the milky white spherical stone at the top of her staff. The light from her eyes diminished, and her flesh went cold as her life force transferred to the stone.

Then the air was right. Lohrithe laid the body down and found a loose rock. He placed it on her chest, just as he had done for the orc he and Desrick had found dead in the village, and murmured a prayer to Cyndabrynde. The drow then took the staff. "She has given the rest of her life force to our healer," he announced, looking between Desrick, Crow, and Pyrrhus. He held out the staff, letting them choose who was to take the gift.

Goonfire SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Desrick stood silently behind Lohrithe as the old Drow woman said her final words. He put a gentle hand on Lohr's shoulder until he stood, holding the staff.
It was Pyrrhus who stepped forward to take the staff carefully.
"I will use it to the best of my ability." He promised. There was no smile on his face now.

"We need to keep moving." Desrick said quietly. "We've slowed Lazard down, but not for long. We must reach Myst as fast as we can."

The journey up through the tunnel was long, and by the time they neared the entrance Pyrrhus felt as though they had been walking just as long as they had getting to the Drow city. The first sign they had was of the gentle pull of a breeze, washing them with fresh Cyndara air.
For the first time in days, they saw the open sky, and for the first time in what felt like months, Desrick, Crispin and Pyrrhus saw their home.
The soft glow of the trees about them made Pyrrhus pause with breath caught as he gazed up at them, and the brilliant spattering of stars painted across the heavens.
"After so much time away from it you forget," He began in a wistful voice, "how incomparably beautiful Cyndara is."

Crispin stayed close to Ora, using the cloak he had brought to help dry the little winged cat for Leandra.
"If Meera is close by, I should be able to summon our beasts." He took out a tiny whistle, drew in a large breath and blew.
Not a sound came out of it, though he was visibly blowing as hard as he could.

There was a moment of silence, then two...He strained to hear above the soft sounds of the peaceful forest. Then, just as he was about to give up, the soft footfalls of four-footed creatures could be heard galloping across the earthy floor.

Spoiler: New mounts

They burst from the foliage, snorting and stamping, lips curled back, showing their pointed teeth. Their blood glowed in their veins, lighting up their mouths, eyes and the effect trailed into some of the markings in their thick fur, the colours ranged from purple to blue to green, and the rest of their bodies were black a pitch. These creatures had soft glowing threads tied to their antlers, and harnesses with glowing gems. They belonged to the village Meera had visited, and were tame enough to ride...barely.

Pyrrhus grinned, "Meera must be close by. Meera! Meera! We're over here!"

There was one beast for each rider. Desrick took hold of the biggest, thickest creature; it had clearly been picked out for an orc. The creature bared it's long fangs, but let Desrick take hold of an antler and use it to pull himself onto its back.
The mounts had neither saddle nor rein.
"You simply tell them where you wish to go." Desrick told the others. "Then, you hold on. These are the fastest beasts you can gentle in our land."
The one Crispin had chosen wasted no time in trying to bite him. "Well, you could call it "gentled", I prefer to say "slightly less savage than the other beasts in the wood"."

"Whoever isn't comfortable with riding, double up with someone who is." Desrick ordered as his creature pranced and fidgeted, eager to be running again.
"It is at least a four mark-rounds to Myst. We stop to sleep, otherwise, we will be running all the way."
"Don't worry about me," Pyrrhus said, "With the energy from that staff, I will be able to keep up."

As soon as the others were ready, Desrick would whisper into his creature's ear. They knew the way, and they would only stop, when their riders told them too.

Zazz Goonfire Lioness075 Flutterby LazyDaze Naberius Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

Crow had realized the dual meanings of his previous comments and nearly melted. “I-I meant...!” He gave a wry sigh and eventually focused enough for the light spell the others needed. He held his hand high so the light had minimal obstructions.

Meera’s calling for Alistair made the inquisitor glance around quickly. “I believe he is making a unique tactical choice, blending with the shadows just beyond my light.” He was one of the last people out, so he was more than certain the shadow mage had made it. After all, his promise was to leave no one behind. It even pained him to have left the deceased elder behind—one whom he hardly knew, and whose fate he couldn’t have changed, regardless.

Emerging from the cave, the half-human gasped quietly at the star-blanketed sky. His pupils dilated, taking in the gorgeous sight to the best of their ability. “Cyndara...” he breathed in wonder. It was everything he had hoped it would be and more. At that moment, he felt strangely at peace, even with the whole world around them in conflict. It strengthened his resolve to end the war.

The mounts had arrived in record time, with Meera likely trailing behind them. There was talk of doubling up, as the others were riding bareback. “Ah. I might need to double up, in that case.” He glanced at the others, quietly wondering who would invite him to ride.

SilverFlight Zazz LazyDaze Flutterby Baconhands Lioness075 Naberius

 

[Flutterby]

Ora watched the exchange between Lohr and the elder solemnly from where she crouched at the edge of the group. The bluish light rose and then fell with the drow's final breath. As she readied herself to leave, Ora murmured something about finding peace in the "mounts beyond," and then followed Crispin quickly.

As they broke out into the open again, Ora raised her eyes to the sky. As Crispin helped her dry off little Falarion, she said softly, "I missed the stars. I think they're my favorite thing here."

The barely-tamed beasts came charging in, so Ora took the opportunity to return Falarion to Leandra.
"There we are, all dry now. Not sure how he'll feel about riding, so best he go back to you." She gave Leandra a quick smile, and then turned quickly to take a mount.

She selected a relatively small one, who pinned its ears as soon as she set eyes on it. Ora gave a chuckle, and hauled herself aboard.
"My pony likes to make those faces too." The animal didn't seem to find humor in her joke, just pawed at the ground to make its hurry known.

"I can take someone..." She called to the others, casting a quick eye about. It would be best if it were Leandra or Meera, really, since someone taller would be able to pull her off rather easily. "...but probably best if its Meera or Leandra."
She looked at Crow apologetically, and added, "Sorry, but you'll pull me off in an instant if you lose your balance."