Freeing Slaves|Ilyamen

[Toyoll]

Nyala sniffed the air, analyzing the wind. With a grumble, she made her way back to the weary group of travelers, not sensing anything dangerous.

The freed slaves huddled in a tight knot, mostly talking among themselves, preferring not to speak with the fearsome-looking knights. After what they've been through, who could blame them? The she-wolf wandered over to her comrade. "We should be close to Ilyamen, I'd give it a day or so."

[aivea]

"Where do we take them first? It's a tough choice between somewhere to rest or somewhere to feed them," Audra asks, looking back at the huddled mass with a frown. "At least no one in their right mind would think we're bringing in an invading army; as dead on their feet as some of them look, if we took them to Ronduin they'd be smothered by overly concerned citizens."

[Toyoll]

"Yeah...Then there's the problem of getting them all back from where they came from." Nyala stuck her thumbs under her belt and contemplated the rag-tag bunch, "It's not like we can jus' ask 'em where they lived and drop 'em off at every corner of Naruta. We ain't a caravan, after all..."

She made a face, "Weeeeelll.......If we leave them in Ilyamen, they could probably hitch a ride back to their homes with a merchant or somethin'....but they look in pretty rough shape... Ronduin might not be a bad idea, so long as we keep 'em together...."

[Kender Bard]

"What's that?" one of the prisoners gasped, pointing in the distance. It seemed as though a piece of the horizon was bucking and wriggling. Whatever it was, it was growing bigger - closer, actually.

[Toyoll]

Nyala's eyes snapped to the horizon. Not having an eagle's gaze, she couldn't interpert the shape any better than the prisonners or Audra. But the sight somehow deeply frightenned the she-wolf.

Every hair on the back of her neck stood, her hackles raised, her ears flared wide and her instincts sent alarm bells ringing. She shot a nervous look at Audra, "Tell them to hide.......NOW." Nyala whispered, almost growling.

[Kender Bard]

The slaves didn't seem to need too much prompting. Most of them scrambled on their own, running all different directions as the thing in the distance drew nearer. All most of them knew was that it was big, and after their ordeals, that's all they needed to hear.

The wyrm charged on over, coming faster and faster as it scented prey. The scattering drew its attention.

[Toyoll]

Nyala barked viciously, tackling one of the panicked slaves to the ground, "NO! LAY DOWN!" Quickly getting up she shouted at the others desperately. Nothing triggered a predatory instinct more than fleeing prey. But they ran, they scattered and the thing was only getting closer. Anything done beyond this point was in vain, it was already coming their way.

So Nyala did what came to her naturally, she fell to the earth and prayed that Worg's plants would hide her and the others.

[Kender Bard]

The wyrm was merciless.

Finally it'd located something to vent its frustration and pain on, something that wasn't hurting it back. It undulated into view, sending anyone still left into screaming panic. Their screams were cut off as it struck and devoured a few, though at this point it was mostly going for violence; what it didn't eat, it trampled, or ripped to shreds with its small feet. Trying to catch one particularly elusive slave, the wyrm made a hard downward strike. It missed its mark, and its teeth embedded in the ground dangerously close to Nyala.

Its foul breath rolled over her in waves as it snorted in frustration, trying to free its mouth.

[aivea]

"Nyala!" Audra calls, from where he stood he had not seen that the wyrm missed, only the attack coming too close to the she-wolf. Whatever it is, it's too close to avoid fighting it. It's probably not possible to take less than a few bruises here.

He touches his Storm sign, intending to launch a thunderbolt, but nearly jumps in surprise when his elemental abilities failed to activate.

[Toyoll]

Nyala's heart stopped.
Barely looking over her shoulder, the she-wolf found herself staring straight into the giant orbs of the wyrm's eyes. It's hot, sour breath swamped her nostrils and she felt her stomach turn in protest.

When the shock finally yielded, Nyala leapt clear, landing not too gracefully a few feet away. She felt weak, her senses dulled and she felt strange, like a veil had fallen over her. Dismissing this as a side effect of shock, Nyala stumbled back as the creature flailed about. Her numb mind suddenly understood that it was trying to get free, the Beast's heart raced.

But Nyala was determined not to let this fear get the best of her, although her animalistic side was putting up a good fight.

When they were naught but pups, Poldorans were tought that a battle cry would kill the fear inside them. So Nyala pulled out her bone daggar with a savage roar, it's ivory blade bearing endless battle scars. The she-wolf darted around the living piece of black and took a stance next to Audra, "Kill it."

[Kender Bard]

The wyrm finally managed to pull its head back, freeing its jaws. The effort left one its fangs embedded in the ground though, jagged where it had broken off, gleaming a faint shade of red from blood; either from its victims or its own, it could not be said. Turning, it warily swept its tail at Nyala and Audra, hoping to bowl the two into a better position to strike.

[Toyoll]

((Well...I waited for Acadia, but I think we need to keep going. Sorries!))

Nyala only just avoided the wyrm's sweep, not feeling as nimble as she normaly did. The she-wolf ran up to the creature and ripped at it with her dagger. But like so many before it, the bone blade snaped against the wyrm's inky-black scales. Nyala was momentarily stunned, she watched as her beloved ivory dagger fell, useless, at her feet.

With a frustrated growl, the Poldoran fell back, not knowing what she could do. Her powers were failing her and for some reason, Audra hasn't thought about pelting it with his lightning...

Nyala watched as the slaves scattered in the distance, what ever happened now, she had to keep the thing's attention on her. Seperated as they were, the former prisonners would be easy prey.

She ground her teeth and swore bitterly, the usually battle-ready girl was suddenly very frightened, this may be an opponent who she could never defeat...

[aivea]

(Sorry! I had the braindead. I hope this isn't too OOC knowledge-ish; I remember from the thread in Khelek involving the wyrm one of it's eyes was quite damaged, and it most likely would look that way.)

Audra manages to dodge the attack, and swears under his breath when his sees the dagger snap.

"You're lucky I don't have my lightening, worm," he growls before looking over at Nyala. Sharply, he commands, "Throw your broken knife into it's eye! Don't even think of asking anything, just do it!" With one eye damaged once that's taken out, things'll get a bit easier. I don't know how sharp a sense of smell this thing has, but it's damn hard to kill what you can't see.

Underneath the sharp tone, however, there is an untone of uncertainty in the merc's voice. He isn't sure if they can do more than just bide for time, and even then, if they could buy enough time that their deaths won't be in vain. For now, the attempt to sound threatening and in charge is a defense mechanism to try to jolt back awake his own courage, and to keep from looking like he was scared which may encourage the beast to target him.

[Kender Bard]

The wyrm snapped towards Audr's voice, giving an almost keening whine as it narrowed in on one of the bothersome creatures. It twisted abrutply, underbelly momentarily sliding over its embedded too. This caused a little tear in the creature, and it paused with a start at the new pain before moving off the tooth and lashing out at Audra with a claw.

[Toyoll]

Nyala blinked, stupidly cluthcing to her broken blade. She watched as the beast's own fang cut into it's black hide, a small ghost of a smile dancing on her lips.

With an almost manic laughter, the she-wolf willed her legs to move and soon, she was running for the crimson-coated tooth. It glowed like a red beacon against the black, the key to victory against the greatest foe.

Nyala managed to dodge the thrashing wyrm, blindly falling back on an instinct more primordial than her own wolf's blood.

At the tooth now, Nyala wrapped her arms tightly around it's glossy surface and pulled with all her might. She growled and roared, then slowly, painstakingly, it began to shift.

But it wasn't fast enough.