Birathi (No longer accepting)

Lamika

When she opened her eyes again the world was dark. A few silhouettes moved in front of her, but she couldn't see clearly. A hand suddenly shook her roughly until the world started to swim back into focus.
"Where.. What?" Lamika tried to speak but her throat felt closed and dry. "Jenko.." Another hand covered her mouth and forced her into a bewildered silence. A woman's voice came out of somewhere, but the only figures moving seemed to be men.
"You've only brought me one?" the voice was disappointed. "And the youngest, weakest one at that."
"they will follow. Already we could hear them calling for her as we left the building," a soldier replied, the one whose fingers were clasped over Lamika's mouth. "I know they will follow."
"For your sake, I hope you are correct in your knowledge." Lamika tried to turn to find the woman, but instantly she was slapped by the soldier and her world blurred into black once again.

Haven

The supplies rolled in suprising quickly. Wyvverus seemed in a real rush to get everything together. He seemed different. I almost recognised the look on his. It was almost like the look of the pack before the hunt.
No time to think about that, i scolded myself.
"Wyvverus, what about weapons?" I asked. Taurs words had made him feel guilty but that didn't mean they should travel unarmed.
"We will be meeting an associate of mine outside of the city to deal with that." He replied coldly.
"Haven. We really should get moving. I guess its all up to you and your nose now my friend." Jenko smiled.
"Alright people stand back." I closed my eyes, breathed deeply and loosened my hold on the beast. I gave it just alittle breathing room and felt it push for more. But with Lamika in my mind my will was indominable. I trapped it, only half the lion i would otherwise be.
"Alright," I half growled, my throat a little changed. "Follow me." I grinned my lengthened incisors glinting. I pulled the hood up on my loose over robe to hide my half changed self and strode out of the door, following the smell of steel, leather and fear.

Wyverus

The Werelion lead the way, even though Wyverus could detect every noticeable organism in 4 miles. This state he was in, it was volatile and overpowered, but it was very effecient. As long as he could keep it under control. The team burst into the night, hot on Havens heels. Every person Wyverus passed, the harder it was to resist murder, but he coped. For now...

Lamika

She could hear soldiers constantly, but she could never see anyone. Now the tone of their conversation changed and darkened. A breathless voice began to speak: "We've caught sight of her companions. they're on their way. Must we wait? I say we kill them now before they even get a chance to come close. Ranare would approve, I'm sure."
Lamike felt her chest harden. If only there were some way for her to warn them, or free herself so she wouldn't have to be the bait. She knew she had to do something, even though she felt no fear of the soldiers defeating her troop. She'd seen Wyverus and Haven fight, although she had also seen Pelleas die...
"I feel..." Lamika began coughing and moaning, pretending for all she was worth to look like she was dying. A fat soldier came and loosened the ropes around her chest, pounding her back a few times to try and help. Still she tried to keep from breathing, and a few more soldiers moved around her to see the show. Finally the leader came by and covered her mouth with his mint smelling hands.
"this should shut her up," he mumbled, smiling as she passed out again.

Jenko

We could see the torches in the distance. Haven confirmed that Lamika was being held there, and Wyverrus told the group that there were at least a couple dozen people. After a quick consultation with Firego, who was better at tactics, Jenko addressed the group.

"We think we should split up and try to get closer to the camp. If someone can get to Lamika without alerting the gaurds, that would be best. Either way, we are relying on the element of surprise."

He looked around the group, only now realizing that someone was missing. Some leader he was turning out to be.

"Where's Godric?"

"He stayed at the inn. He said something about not being good in a fight, and waiting to see if she comes back there,"

It made sense actually. He should have thought of someone waiting behind, but now they had to go back to town to collect their last member. That could be a problem.

"I don't like the idea of splitting up," said Taur.

"I know it's not the best plan, but it's all I can come up with."

It was eventually decided that they would break of into teams. Firego and Haven would go one direction, and Taur and Wyverrus another.

"What about you?" asked his younger sibling.

"I'll join you and Haven momentarily. I just want to see if I can get a better view of the campsite."

As they disspersed, Jenko climbed up into a tree. They camp was centered around a fire, and he could see a trunndled figure that must be his sister. As he reached the ground again, he did not rush to meet up with his brother. Instead he tried to get closer on his own.

He almost made it too. He could see Lamika's prone form through the trees. Suddenly something appeared behind him and grabbed him.

Taur

Taur's size was a handicap, he was aware. There was little he could do in the way of stealth, so Wyverus was forced to go ahead by a few paces and make sure there were no unwelcome surprises on the way to the campsite.
Taur disliked putting another being in danger for himself, but he was well aware that Wyverus was more than capable of handling whatever the king's men could throw at him. He watched the necromancer as he stalked a few meters ahead. The man was almost animalistic, driven by primal instinct. Taur almost pitied those in the camp who stood in Wyverus' way.
Wyverus motioned for Taur to drop; he ducked behind a tree, hiding as best he could behind its ancient trunk. Peering around it, he tried to understand what had caused the man to start.
Wyverus was nowhere to be seen.

Haven

I joined Jenko and Firego on the quiet prowl up the hill. As we got close i could smell her and that smell drove me on until i noticed something else faint on the wind. Leather and steel but not from infront at the camp, but circling around behind us.
Suddenly i heard Jenko cry out in suprise. Whirling around i saw them. Soldiers in black had snuck up on us, hoping to take us off guard. Up on the hill fire roared into the sky. For a moment i thought i could see Wyvverus shrouded in darkness before the flash faded and the soldiers descended on Firego and I. Without a thought i threw the cloak into the darkness, exposing my nightmare esque half changed visage. I struck the man on top of Jenko, launching him into two of his compatriots and giving Jenko time to form a loose semi circle with Firego and I. I could feel the beast writhing again. As if giving half a taste of freedom had bolstered it's hunger once again.
"Guys. I think it's happening again." I growled, feeling my whole body shake with raw need. "I don't think i can hold it this time. If I .. if i can't control you have to kill me, you'll only have one shot and if you screw it up, run like hell." The shaking got worse and my will power began to fade along with my humanity.
"I'm sorry" I wept as my skin shredded away with the sheer force of the change leaving nothing but beast in it's wake.

Wyverus

"Finally, I thought this time would never come" Wyverus laughed, as the soldiers began the assault. He quickly used a shrowd to shift to the behind of the legion. Sneak up on me! Ha! You'll pay for your arrogance. The soldiers to the rear were totally oblivious to his existence, unluckily for them. He whipped six tendrills into the mans back, and then, to his partner's horror, literally tore him in half. The partner screamed, and half of the platoon diverted their attention to the necromancer.

Wyverus formed two swords from the darkness of the night, and a man yelled "He's a necromancer! Warlockcraft! Execute him!".

"Bring it on you sons of whores" he replied, the demon inside still gripping a lust for blood.

Lamika

the camp errupted with the sound of battle. Lamika's chair was knocked over, leaving her free of the ropes around her waist. Quickly she undid the ones around her wrist and ankles and stood in confusion. With the darkness it was impossible to see shapes, all she saw was Haven transforming eerily against the moonlight.

The Beast

Freedom! Once again a taste of glorious freedom. The cool breeze rippling across my fur. A feirce roar escaped my lips but these prey did not tremble like the others. One of them lashed out, a small pain like a sting across my ribs. That was merely fuel for the fire of rage buried so deep in Haven the Man. Jenko and Firego fought, holding there own against these black clad attackers. I pounced on the man who had struck me. Claws tearing into abdomen, razor sharp incisors grating against bone and with a final sickening pop the mans decapitated head rolled across the grass. His chest was little more than a bloody pulp.

Haven the Man

Disjointed images flashed through my psyche. Men in black. Firego and Jenko gradually retreating up the hill. The feeling of wind against tensed muscles. A flash of pain. A blade grated along it's, no, my Haven scolded himself. My ribs, like a damn xylophone. First they take her and now they want to kill me? All vesitges of control were given over to the beast now. These new images were much more graphic. The crunch of two bodies colliding, a look of raw fear, hard wired into man from the damn time. The beast had it's prey. Next came a smell. The musky scent of leather and metal and what appeared to be a throat. The feeling of teeth into meat. The sound, like the wet pop of a boot out of mud. The next image took my mind a while to process, as if my mind were shielding me from the image. Like a crimson puzzle it finally came together. An open chest, now so much red mess. A head a few feet away, the neck now a ragged stump.
I have to take back control. This is out of hand. Out of control. This should never have happened.
I threw my mind at the beast, desperately fighting for control.
In the ensuing internal struggle my body must have paused because i was sure i saw a blade coming for my head before Firego intercepted it with a suprisingly deft strike.
FInally control edged back in my favour and that was all i needed.
"Back...Up..Hill" I managed to growl out, much to Jenko's suprise. Without another word we edged back up the hill, exacting a fearsome toll for every inch we gave, every step they took forward another cut or bruise from the brothers.
Finally we made it to the others but the beast want to finish what it had started.
"May the lords have mercy on my soul," i wept allowing the beast one more taste of freedom.
And the savage escapade began once again. How monstrous we must have looked to those men. Wyverrus shrouded in darkness, despatching men right and left and on the other side of the hill the beast. No vestiges of humanity visible, tearing men apart in its almost god like wrath.
While all around the others fought on.

Taur

Arrows rained down on Taur as he broke from the cover of the trees. He ducked his head, the projectiles merely bouncing off his thick hide. Taur did not bother to pull out the arrows which did stick in his upper right arm, instead flexing his huge bicep to eject them. A look of shock played across each of the group of archers' faces. Taur dispatched them skillfully and quickly, minimising their suffering. He had been forced to fight far harder in the past- this was less of a battle and more of a long, drawn out exercise. Except if he failed, the stakes were far higher.
Taur heared Haven roar, the sound echoing across the hilltop. Something was remiss. Even as he slew the last of the archers, Taur looked to see where the werelion was. Much of the group had crested the hill and were fighting away the King's men. Haven stood away, transformed into the Beast. He tore into every man in sight, eviscerating their broken bodies and moving on in moments. Left unchecked, Taur knew it would not be long before the Beast was forced to move on to new prey.
Taur sensed movement in his peripheral vision; he turned just in time to parry a desparate lunge made by one of the soldiers. Taur took the man's wrist in his vice-like grip and, with little effort, flipped him onto his back. A single blow from his axe decapitated the soldier.
Without pause, Taur opened his medicine satchel and took out a spirit stone. He could feel the power of the mother river flowing from it, causing the hairs on his arm to prickle as the energy flowed through him.
He charged after Haven. The Beast heared him coming and began to bound towards him, hunger in its eyes. Clearly Hven had lost his battle. The Beast pounced. Taur grabbed hold of its mane and, heaving, turned and threw it to the ground. He forced his body down onto it, trying to supress its movements. It was strong, powerful, and Taur knew he could not hold it down for long. He grappled with the Beat, aware of every gouge its long claws made in his skin. At last, he was able to force the Spirit Stone down onto the Beast's forehead- at once, it stopped struggling and fell limp. Taur shifted his bleeding body off of the werelion and placed the stone back into his satchel. At once, he and the unconscious Haven were surrounded by their companions, but Taur did not wish to hear what they had to say.

Wyverus

Wyverus noticed the slaughter occuring on the other side of the battlefield. Haven had let himself go, just as Wyverus had himself, tearing people apart left right and centre, displaying no emotion. The necromancer swatted away a few more soldiers, and hacked away a few of the limbs of fallen calvarymen, who still squirmed for their pathetic lives. All of a sudden he felt a shock and he fell to his knees. He didn't recognise the sensation, but it was painful. Pain? I haven seen you for a long time...

He fell down to his hands now, and as he looked up, he expected to see soldiers brandishing their weapons, yet all he saw was a dark figure... a familiar figure. No! That's not possible! A sharp hit smashed the final conscience out of Wyverus' waking time. Just before he plunged into the dark abyss, he heard the familiar voice of a young man, reverbed with the sound of something else. "Put him with the other prisoner. The others are retreating, just throw them into the dungeon chamber. I'll notify her".

Her? He thought, before he slipped in to unconscienceness.

Wyverus

A dank, mouldy smell greeted Wyverus as he awoke. His lazy awakening was quickly interrupted by the realisation as to where he was. Observing the scene he could tell he was in a dungeon, but apart from that, there wasn't much else he could decipher. Wyverus raised his head and listened carefully when he heard the familiar sobs of a friend. "Lamika?" Wyverus whispered. "Lamika, are you there?"

The sobs stopped. "Wyverus?" the elf asked, the sorrow still embeded in her voice.

"Yes, are you ok? You're not hurt at all?"

"No I'm fine"

She was lying, Wyverus could recognise such a tone in any mortal's voice. "Don't lie to me Lamika. What did they do to you?" Wyverus heard footsteps on the cold stone floor. He noticed a shift in shape from a puddle on the floor. Lamika's reflection stood in it, her face was swollen and her eyes were bruised. Wyverus took a deep breath in frustration. "If any of the others have been hurt, those mortals will wish they'd stayed sitting at Ranare's feet".

"How about an immortal?"

Lamika gasped, but Wyverus had already cotemplated and accepted the fact. Palleus was possessed. His familiar voice had a hellish reverberation, and his eyes had become pure white. This could only have been the work of a powerful necromancer, one who's skill rivaled, and even topped that of Wyverus'. And then it clicked.

"No!" Wyverus yelled. He had been played, betrayed. For what reason he had no idea, but the point still stood.

"I'm afraid it's a yes Wyverus, I'm alive and well"

"You look well... for a zombie"

The possessed body (Wyverus refused to call it Palleus) examined itself. "Well, I guess I'll look better than you two in a few hours".

"What do you mean?" Lamika shot back, clearly distressed.

The body stepped in close to the elf's face, staring her down."You, Wyverus, the date from hell. I'm sure you'll enjoy the lovely service the guillotine will provide".

Wyverus sniggered.

"Something funny?"

"No, nothing, nothing at all" Wyverus said, the humour subsiding.

Palleus took one last look at the two prisoners before leaving the dungeon, slamming the wooden door behind him.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Lamika asked.

"The darkness within it, and I refuse to call it Palleus, suppressed my abilities from lethal level. However, I believe he greatly underestimated me". A click came from the cell next to Lamika, and a clanking sound of opening gates was followed by the shaking of keys. Wyverus stood before her, keys in hand. "Let's get out of here" he smiled, something Lamika had never seen before.

The Beast

I could hear charging hooves. A familiar smell. The bull man. Large, tough and strong. Worthy prey for a beast so noble and powerful as myself. I waited for my moment and turned ready to pounce but he was faster. Faster than i expected from an old bull. The wind breezed past my fur as i was swung and thrown before an immense weight pushed down atop me. I struggled. Writhing, clawing, gnashing teeth but i was in no position to do any real damaged. I bucked with all my might to no avail. Then a brief flash as something touched my cold. It felt cold and calming.

Haven the Man

Once again i had lost control. Once again i had put my friends in danger. Once again Taur was trying to stop me. I tried to help him. To fight for control to distract the beast. Fighting to stop it causing him any real damage.
Then something touched my head. Like static flowing across my skin. A soothing wave of calm across my soul. One moment of utter connection in which the Beast and I, side by side in my mind, fell gladly into the black abyss of unconciousness.

Taur

Taur sat calmly on the trunk of a fallen tree, gazing out from the hiltop. The morning's mist was cool against his skin, calming his heated body. Every fibre of his muscles has tight from fighting, and open wounds covered his arms and chest. Haven's claws had found their mark many times; even the light spray of mist stung his exposed flesh.
The valley beyond seemed tranquil, untainted by the violence which had so recently beset it. Trees clustered, a verdant green shrouded in white mist, the early sun playing long shadows between their gnarled trunks.
Footsteps played their tune behind him, almost silent, but no sound could escape the old Oxman in this state. Taur turned to observe the approaching individual.
Haven's body looked much like Taur's own; bruised, cut, and with muscles tense from the previous night's exertion. The Werelion sat besid him, silent, and for a long time both were content to watch the sun rise into the azure sky.
Eventually, Haven broke the silence; "Thank you,"
The notion took Taur somewhat by surprise- he had only done what was necessary. Perhaps Haven sensed his confusion, for he soon continued;
"Thank you for stopping me. It. The Beast. Had you not, I..." Haven trailed off, unable or unwilling to consider what might have been had Taur not put stay to his rampage.
"I did what was needed. Nothing more," Taur gave voice to his earlier thoughts. Haven nodded, yet seemed uncontented. For the while, however, such an explanation would have to suffice; Taur rose from his seat, his body protesting, and began to gather firewood. The bodies of those slain would need to be burned before the group could continue on their path, and a decision would be needed as to where that path would lead.