Fire and Ice|Malagard, Khelek

[Darastrix]

Nagi stood before the gathered Fira warriors outside the gates of Malagard. With him were a few of Khelek’s own: soldiers who had elements besides just Ice. Their Ice signs would protect them from the wyrm’s freezing breath, but would do little offensively. That was why Lucifer had appealed to Naurorod, through Thelon.

A scout, borne on the back of the wind, dove to the ground and murmured quietly to Nagi, who gave a short nod and waved him off. “The wyrm has been sighted,” he stated to the assembled fighters. “I will take us all there so it can’t feel us moving toward it. Once we arrive, everyone should space themselves out—slowly and carefully. Remember: it can’t see you; it can only feel you walk, so step lightly, a few men at a time. When everyone is in position, I’ll bring as much force to bear as I can to pin the frost wyrm while the rest of you attack. Are there any questions?”

[Kender Bard]

A couple of the Fira warriors glanced at each other, wondering how Nagi was supposed to hold the wyrm himself--either it wasn't very impressive or he was a lot more powerful of a Mind than he looked. "No, sir."

[Northen Light36]

Several other warriors were wondering the same think and giving Nagi considering looks, but none had any questions. "We're ready sir," Ashra told Nagi, idly reflecting on how odd it was to be taking orders from someone other than Tres, Artica or Ann. Sooner this is done, sooner we can be home and out of this force damned cold.

[Darastrix]

The Crystaland soldiers expressed their readiness to the prince as well. None of Khelek's people seemed surprised or doubtful over Nagi's declaration that he would be able to hold the wyrm, though even if they felt any misgivings, they'd be damned if they'd show it to the Fires.

Once assured everyone was ready, Nagi touched his signs together, and--with considerable help from his ring--teleported the group to the location the scout had relayed to him. The wyrm was in sight, though distant enough that their movements wouldn't be easily detected if they took care in moving.

The Ices moved first, their element enabling them to move over the snow without sinking into it as they fanned out, weapons drawn.

[Kender Bard]

The Fires, glancing at Nagi and then the Ices, began to move as well, treading with as much care as was possible and thinking of how the sooner they killed this beast, the sooner they could get back home.

Though it was difficult to tell from the distance, the wyrm seemed to move towards them a little quicker.

[Darastrix]

Nagi kept his signs together and began building power as the wyrm approached. He wasn't very concerned for himself yet; he hadn't moved from the spot he'd teleported to, so there would hopefully be no sense of presence for the frost wyrm to pick up.

The Ices reached their positions and stopped, growing very still as they waited for the wyrm to come within range.

[Kender Bard]

The wyrm grew closer but then slowed and stopped. It jerked about in an odd way, swinging its 'head' as though confused. At one point it even spun around in place. One of the Fires bit his lip to keep from chuckling at that.

But then the wyrm stopped. It lifted its tail end and slapped it down, hard, on the ground. Wump. Wump. Wump. It continually did this, growing faster and harder. It also began to move forward, slowly, between slaps.

[Darastrix]

It's trying to find us, Nagi thought. An animal might break and run for safety with the wyrm slamming the ground like that. Or if the wyrm was near enough, it could make a creature lose its balance and be able to feel it scrambling back to its feet.

Clever. Or maybe it's just instinct. Without Schuldig to prod its mind, he couldn't be sure.

~Brace yourselves and hold steady,~ Nagi sent. It was a large group, but they were near enough that he could get the message across. ~It's trying to spook us into moving and giving ourselves away, and I need it to come a little closer.~

The waiting while such a huge creature came right at them was enough to make one want to break ranks just to be able to DO something. A couple of the Khelek soldiers glanced back at Nagi and looked forward again. Their prince was out there with them, practically unarmed and unarmored and still standing his ground. They couldn't break in front of the Fires when he was still there. They'd never live it down.

[Kender Bard]

The Fires were just as nervous and one even began to shift his weight when Nagi's command came. This man is going to get us all killed. But like the Ices, their pride wouldn't let them run like cowards. So, tensely they waited while the creature continued towards them, the ground trembling under their feet at its poundings.

[Darastrix]

When the wyrm was as close as Nagi felt it absolutely had to be, he raised his hands, signs touching, and curled his fingers into claws as though he were grasping something in front of him. With that gesture, he focused the brunt of his gathered force on the wyrm’s head, trying to hold its mouth shut as he strove to hold it in place.

“NOW!”

[Kender Bard]

The wyrm twisted and writhed, its powerful strength impressive to watch but difficult to restrain. It was like trying to hold a house together during an earthquake, a tree in the ground during a tornado.

Fortunately for him, the Fires were quick to jump on the command and threw their pent up nervousness and energy into their attacks as they summoned fire again and again, some preferring quick bursts of lesser damage and others allowing precious seconds to slip by as they conjured great burning spheres. The assault was merciless and quick. The pain of the fire served only to send the wyrm into an even more powerful and panicked frenzy.

Even more fortunate was just how much the creature was ill-suited to flames. At one point its flesh split and glistening fat and something else oozed out of the wound. The juices caught like oil and the fat burned hot and quick. Soon the entire creature was engulfed and burning itself to death. At this point, its struggling grew weaker. Clearly, it would die soon.

[Darastrix]

Nagi had gasped when the wyrm first began its struggles, and grit his teeth as he fought to keep control of the creature. Thouth, but it was strong. Despite the cold, beads of sweat popped up on his forehead, threatening to trickle into his eyes. Nagi narrowed his eyes to mere slits and tilted his head back a little, rather than risk closing them completely. He could shield himself or hold a wall of force in place blind, but for this, he needed to see.

Khelek's men launched their own attacks at the wyrm at the prince's call. They couldn't freeze the wyrm, but they had javelins and arrows aplenty, and a few had Wind, Earth, and Storm signs to complement their native element. Some of the stronger Ices among them even thrust thick, jagged "icicles" at the wyrm. The cold wouldn't hurt it, but the sharp points could.

As the wyrm renewed its efforts with the pain of fire and steel spurring it on, Nagi sank to his knees without realising. He needed to bring all of his strength to bear, and standing was just using more energy.

Good, he thought faintly as the fire engulfed the weakening frost wyrm. If they burned that easily, the nest or den that Crawford had Seen could likely be dealt without requiring Fira's continued assistance.

With the wyrm dying and the flames hot enough to keep those without Fire signs from coming forward to use their swords, the mixed-sign soldiers kept up their own elemental attacks. At that point, it seemed a waste to continue using their bows. The Earth-Ice, a soil-affinity, made the hard ground beneath the creature shoot upward in several places, stalagmites of ice and earth stabbing at it from below, while the Wind fanned the flames higher.

Nagi barely noticed, a mantra of "hold on, just hold on" running through his head.

[Kender Bard]

When the wyrm had shuddered its last movement and lay still on the ground, one of the Ices, seeing Nagi on his knees, hastened over and knelt down to check on him. "My lord, are you hurt? My lord?"

"It's over!" a Fire cheered and his clanmates cheered right along with him, the desert-dwellers whooping gleefully over their kill. What an impressive story they had now!

[Darastrix]

The Ices were more restrained in their celebrating; there were relieved and satisfied smiles as they clapped each other on the shoulder, though nothing as overt as there might have been had they not needed Naurorod's help.

Nagi started to shake his head, but the movement made the world seem to spin around him. "Not hurt," he murmured. "Exhausted. It was so strong...." At the moment, he didn't think he'd be lifting anything with his mind for a few days. He gave the Ice a weak smile. "I don't think I'll be teleporting us back."

[Kender Bard]

The Ice pat him very gently on the back. "That's all right, highness," the man remarked gently. "A little walking never killed a man."

The prospect of having to walk back through all the snow and cold put a damper on the good mood of the Fires and they began to quiet down.