A Feast of Souls (Plot)

[Kender Bard]

It had taken almost no time for Tiakara to circle around the continent. Her long body was built for swimming a seemingly endless ocean. Naruta's ocean was child's play. Three days and they were on the opposite side of the continent.

They had bypassed Morilanta. That was the home of those who worshiped Evil--and though their day may come in the future, they were to be left unharassed at the time. No higher power ordered this, but there was no need for it to. Tiakara and Ertrael felt it in their hearts that this was How It Should Be.

But the pickings were slim otherwise. The had begun to move in on the little islands and the coast of the Beastlands, but Ertrael had spotted Nyara and Euryion in that area. They moved on, not wanting to start a feud with the other demon lords just yet. They had been forced to swim wide of two places, Acoia and Mentis. The fury of the Forces was so tangible that they were unable to approach anywhere near those lands.

Rather than keep heading north, the pair found the wide, deep rivers that ran from The Great River through Morilanta's territory. Curious what they would find deeper inland, Ertrael flew ahead and Tiakara began to use her powerful limbs to slide up the river. It was slightly easier than the trip cross the desert had been.

In a day's time, Ertrael had found civilization in the form of Aluvar. He flew back quickly to his keeper and reported this to her.

~A banquet for us both~ Kiatara announced. Ertrael agreed. ~Fly ahead and take what you want from the creatures. I will gorge on what is left.~[/b]

That worked for Ertrael. Kiatara had no way of really picking and choosing, and once she began to feed, he didn't want to be in the way of her maw. So as the giant demon lady made slow but steady progress towards the River, Ertrael flew ahead again to Aluvar.

[Skittlebug]

A small group of Beasts heading back from a trip to the ocean are first alerted when all the wildlife in the river begins fleeing north. The information they manage to glean off of the animals is more than distressing, and the group rushes homeward. There is no way that they can outpace Ertrael, however.

No one notices the flying demon at first, and the first few who do are confused, until they realise the speed that he's moving at. They don't have much time to react beyond that before he gets there.

[Kender Bard]

Ertrael summoned his dark trident to hand before dive bombing on the first of the Beasts, rapidly impaling him. The black weapon suddenly began to exude a smoke, starting from the tines buried into the body of his prey. Ertrael inhaled this smoke--captured soul, delicious.

[Skittlebug]

Panic erupts, this can only be a demon. A few of the tougher clansmen rush to face the demon, while most begin to flee.

[Kender Bard]

Ertrael pulled his trident free and swung it hard at the nearest Beast. Keeping momentum with the attack, he flipped ends and swung again with the sickle side. His wings began to glitter and he seemed to summon shadows to his form.

[Skittlebug]

Once the word spreads, the clan is quick to react. They've been patrolling the River and dispatching of any they find for a short time, but they've learned enough of the demons to know more or less what to expect. This isn't the same. That fact is painfully obvious as soon as Ertrael begins cutting down their clansmen so easily, and swiftly.

Word reaches Osane quickly and she dispatches some of the guards to evacuate the non combatants, while the rest she leads to face the demon.

[Kender Bard]

Three more, Ertrael thought as he backed off in a seeming retreat. He could subside on skimmings. The rest would go to her. He hunched himself, wings drawn in tight around his body even as his whole form grew darker and darker. He was curious to see if any of the fools would rush him if he kept 'retreating.'

[Skittlebug]

A pair of the men closer to him, intent on protecting their family, push after him as he falls back. Osane and the other guards arrive in time to see them advancing and rush to join in what appears to be the men pushing the demon back, enraged by the sight of the dead on the shore."

[Kender Bard]

Idiots, Ertrael thought, amused. He waited a bit longer until he was pleased with the number of Beasts near him and the amount of power he had built up. Abruptly, he threw open his wings and spread his arms. The shadows flew away from him, almost leaving him radiant by comparison to how he looked moments ago, and began to race over the bodies of his pursuers, seeking their mouths, nose, ears, any orifice they could slide into the body of his prey without so much as leaving a sensation behind save for a chill. Those unfortunate enough to be caught began to choke on seemingly nothing, collapsing. When they were still, the shadow within them returned and entered Ertrael's body, feeding him.

[Skittlebug]

The Beasts being consumed can barely make a sound as their fellows watch on in horror. It does give the others pause though, as enraged as they are, they stop their advance for now.

[Kender Bard]

That was all the escape that Ertrael needed. He launched back into the sky, flying high but not out of sight. Merely out of range of most attacks. He wanted to remain visible and to keep them still. He laughed, cackled really, and circled above. A quick glance upwards revealed that Tiakara was making steady progress. They were going to notice her approach in the distance any moment now.

[Skittlebug]

It is while those who are still standing cry out in anger and dismay at their clansmen being consumed, and the demon soaring out of reach, that they notice something on the horizon. Something huge.

We can't protect the clan from this, Osane thinks as she realises the gravity of the situation. With very few other options, she directs all who are left to help get everyone off of the island. A handful, including her, try to keep an eye on the flying demon as the others rush to help with the evacuation.

[Kender Bard]

Can't have that, Ertrael thought. He flew ahead, hoping to coral the fleeing Beasts in the same way a dog might herd sheep. He kept mostly high above but would dive down periodically to swipe at someone, using his presence to provoke fear and prod people into moving away from certain directions.

When Tiakara was within twice the range of a longbows shot, she gave a great roar that shook the ground and made the air itself vibrate.

That's not helping, Tia, dear, you colossal, fat cow, Ertrael thought angrily, gritting his teeth.

[Skittlebug]

Osane snarls as her people do their best to get past the flying demon, feeling helpless. At this rate, the smaller demon will have picked off everyone trying to leave by the time the giant one gets here. She clenches a fist around her ring and offers a prayer to Worg as she sprints toward the demon, determined to try and save her people however she can.

[Kender Bard]

Ertrael considered who he should go after next. He had just about made his decision on where to strike next when he felt a great pain in his back as something slammed into him from behind, causing him to tumble from the sky a bit before he caught himself. He turned around.

A tall, feathered woman with taloned feet and wings of golden brown hovered in the air behind him. She gave a cry that was like the piercing call of an eagle and dove at him again. "Traitor!" she screamed at him. Ertrael made a hasty retreat and the chase was on as he tried maneuver into a better position to strike at the speedy angel. Once he could do that, he was confident that the fight would be over with quickly. I might have fallen from grace, but it didn't come without its perks, he thought with a dark smile as he narrowly avoided being clipped again.

That left the path free for Osane's people to flee, but those who lagged behind, for whatever reason, were quickly shown this to be an unwise choice. Though Tiakara was still some distance away, her reach was great. She extended one of her longest tentacles and slapped one of the Beasts nearest to her.