Birathi (No longer accepting)

Wyverus

He smelled pride and greed. The guards seemed extremely happy with their catch, unfortunately the joke was on them. Wyverus wasn't the forgiving type, especially for those who tried to kill him. "Hold on" Wyverus heard Lamika speak.

He looked at her, the smile now faded, again displaying a void of emotionlessness again.

"We have some time on our hands, and I have to ask, what's the matter with you recently? Is something bothering you?"

Wyverus looked at the floor, and then back up. He took a breath and stared straight into Lamika's eyes. "Love is a hard emotion for a necromancer to comprehend, and I guess it's best that it stays that way" Wyverus said simply. He guessed that Lamika understood what he meant. He still felt attracted to her, but she was more interested in Haven, and as much as that bothered him he wasn't prepared to risk the group again. Not with the plot unveiling as it was. He nodded to the elf, and they snapped the guards necks before heading out into the bitter morining air. Wyverus noticed the possessed figure turn and shout, but before he could hear what it said, he had hugged Lamika and was totally enveloped in the shadows.

"Taur, if you call feel my spirit, wish for us back".

Taur

Taur was deep in reverie, lost farther in the past perhaps than he had ever been. He remembered every detail of this journey, from first meeting the young adventurers as they passed by his clan's village to eventually joining them on their quest, from leaving his beloved wife and setting out on a journey which had carried them all across Birathi. And now, of the torment and bloodshed that threatened those still so young.
The smell of burning flesh stung his nostrils, bringing back other memories, darker images of times spent in great battles far from his mountain home. The old bull shook his head to clear his thoughts, trying to return to the pleasing reveries of snow-covered peaks and the Mother River, yet the memeries eluded him.
In the back of his mind, he thought he heared a voice, calm, quiet, yet forceful, unrelenting. Many years' experience had taught him not to ignore such voices.
Slowly, Taur sat, crossing his legs and laying his palms flat on his knees. He began to regulate his breathing, controlling the regular pattern of inhalation and exhalation. With each breath, the sage old Oxman found himself closer to the Mother River, felt her strength flow through him like her waters flowed through his mountain home.
He focused on the voice now, listening close to what it had to say. He listened as the voice spoke.
"Wish for us back...wish for us back..."
The words echoed in his mind, becoming clearer with each resonation. Taur inhaled deeply, drawing his mind in on the images of Lamika and Wyverus. He saw them in his mind's eye, as clear as if they stood before him then.
Taur opened his eyes, the low sun dazzling him. The two stood before him, as he had imagined.

Wyverus

Wyverus felt Lamika clinging onto him tight, as the darkness sucked them into a void, moving at speeds faster than light. Lamika's body went limp, the pressure had knocked her unconscious, but if Taur obeyed Wyverus' words, she would be fine. "Wish for us back" Wyverus yelled, getting more desperate with each shout. Then Wyverus felt warmth, he heard birds chirping, he smelled burning flesh. A rush of voices rushed past Wyverus' figure, as he struggled to support Lamika, his body was losing energy, but he need to hold on long enough to get back to the group.

He heard Taur's mind.

Light flooded his vision, and the triggers to his senses intensified. The light dimmed to the comfertable shade of morning, and Taur's figure sat on a stump of a tree. Lamika fell, but she was caught by the arms of her admirer. "Lamika! Are you ok?!" Haven spoke, rapidly.

"Leave her, she must rest. Shadow teleportation is not designed for those who do not practice necromancy. Just be glad she's back".

"As we are you" Wyverus heard the familiar voice of Jenko.

"We are glad to see you both back in one peace" Taur said, smiling. Wyverus didn't recognise the expression, he knew very little about Oxmen, however he felt the happiness from Taur's soul.

"Unfortunately," Wyverus said, his silence echoing his regret "the body of our late-friend Palleus' body has been inhabited by betrayal. He is leading a legion to our position, maybe if we get back to Blackmire we can get some help from the locals".

The group looked shocked and concerned. "Well if it is the only means of reasonable defence we have" Taur grunted, as he stood "let the Mother River lead us to Blackmire, and to victory!" He roared, and the group cheered. Wyverus looked over to Haven, gazing deeply into Lamika's firmly shut eyes. But jealousy had been evicted from his veins, now Wyverus felt good for them, something he had never felt before.

Haven

I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was really here. Returned without a scratch. All thanks to Wyverus. I lifted her carefully into my arms and strode towards the others.
"Wyverus," I paused looking into his eyes. "Thank you ... friend." Even to me it sounded like a question. An olive branch out toward the hand of the Dark Apostle. His reply took me by surprise with the force of its conviction.
"Of course. Of all these people, you are the closest to me. You too share a dark gift." His voice was calm and the slight nod of approval settled the butterfly's in my stomach.
As we began the trek to Blackmire with the entire group celebrating the return of Lamika and Wyverus i turned to Taur.
"Twice you have saved me mighty bull man. Twice you have risked your life where taking mine would have been so much easier. So this is for you." I lay Lamika down and reached into my pack. After much rooting around my hand settled on a pair of cold metal objects. I drew out two silver chains. One with a rampant lion crafted in silver hanging from it. The other, a single diamond tear drop.
I placed the lion around my neck, letting it hang down over my muscular chest. The other i wrapped around his arm for the chain was too short for his thick muscular neck.
"With this you can halt my change. Turn me back at any moment."
"Why didn't you say something sooner?" He looked almost angry.
"With it you could trap me forever. Leave me nothing more than a feral husk. My humanity will rest within that diamond when i change. I had to be sure i could trust you."
"Perhaps you are more wise than i first suspected," intoned Taur in a deep and booming chuckle.
"But i have one more request mighty warrior. Teach me the way of the sword." With that i picked up Lamika and turned back to the road ahead.

Taur

"The way of the sword it shall be," Taur muttered, watching Haven carrying Lamika off. After a moment's thought, he followed.
The chain was cold against his hide, bringing out goosebumps and making the thick hairs prickle. After a short time the sensation subsided, yet still Taur gazed at the object attached to his thick forearm.
The teardrop-shaped diamond glistened, and it was clear to the old Oxman that it did so through its own inner light, and not that of the rising sun. Taur took a moment to comprehend the power it contained, the power over another's life which was now his.
Taur was familiar with such power- he felt it embodied in the weight of his axe in his hands- yet the implications of the last minute were far greater. No man or beast that he had encountered had ever willingly entrusted Taur with the ability to stop them, end their life. None had chosen to feel the unequivocable power of his blade. Yet here Haven was, entrusting his very nature to Taur, and putting his faith in the old bull's capability to make the right choice.
The power was not lost on him; rather, he felt as if it might be too much for him.
Taur shook his head, brushing the notion to the back of his mind. He would do as Haven had requested, and as he knew he should. He slipped the chain into his satchel, feeling somewhat better about his abilities, but couldn't shake the feeling that the diamond tear drop was already burning a hole in his previously indomitable will.

Wyverus

The group stood outside a two-story building, cracks adding detail to the rugged stone walls. Jenko was discussing what would be the best course of action, while Wyverus fell into deep thought.

As if it wasn't bad enough that they would have to kill Palleus' body, Wyverus would also have to kill a brother. Necromancers usually got on well, but he wouldn't tolerate his friend's body being violated like that, especially not to kill his other friends. Wyverus didn't know who did this, but they were obviously working for the king, making their mission of overthrowing him that much harder.

Wyverus zoned back in. "Either way, I'm sure the Hollow Men can back our legion. Right Wyverus?"

He nodded. "I'll do my best".

Taur

Blackmire was no more appealing than it had been when first they were here. The houses were a ramshackle collection of buildings constructed one upon the other, packed into every available space. The roads were not paved, and sewage flowed freely about the floor. In short, Taur decided, Blackmire could be somewhat likened to a cesspit.
But when Taur had first entered the town, he had not felt the undeniable apprehension he now could feel rooted in his gut. Something was deeply remiss.
Something had changed in the town since last he was here. There was now a dark aura about the place, an aura which made Taur's skin prickle. Around him, he saw his companions shifting on their feet, equally uneasy.
Slowly, comprehension began to dawn on the old Oxman. The King's men still kept a presence here, waiting for their return.
He cast his eyes about, looking for a way to prove or disprove what he suspected, but nothing presented itself. Taur became increasingly wary. The shadows seemed to stretch out infinitely.
Conversations died and the group fell silent, save for the sound of their boots on the ground. Taur listened as closely as he could, alert and ready.
From behind them, Taur heard the sound of a bowstring tightening. To his left, a clash of mail and the cautious unsheathing of a sword.
With a growl, Taur spun and struck.

Wyverus

Taur spun and clouted a trembling soldier, who had just unsheathed his sword to attack. Wyverus' ears detected the tightening of a bowstring to the right of me. As he turned to face the omen, the whistling wind signalled the release of the projectile. It stopped in midair, and the necromancer revolved it to face the archer, he looked petrified. He launched it back at him, and it sliced straight through his chainmail armour. The team looked very shocked, and Wyverus shouted for them to take cover in one of the surrounding buildings. Taur and Wyverus scanned the area for any more soldiers, and they noticed a platoon charge through the empty streets. As the two allies counted the formidable army, roars erupted from the houses, and civillians emerged with swords and pitchforks.

Wyverus and Taur grinned. They had reinforcements.

Taur

Taur waded into the midst of the enemy, slashing and hacking at them as he might a thicket of overgrown nettles. Heads and limbs flew in all directions as bodies crumpled under his axe's blade. Around him, the citizens of Blackmire surged from homes and businesses, makeshift weapons in hand.
For a frightening moment, Taur was transported to his past, a mercenary among many in a war that wasn't his. He shook the thought away, tightening his grip on his own emotions. He swung his battleaxe with greater precision, living in the moment, surgically dispatching those brave or foolish enough to try and face him.
A rallying cry went up from the villagers as they broke the enemy line and poured like so many insects into the midst of the soldiers. The wind carries tales of other combat erupting in and around the town; clearly this insurrection against the King's control had seen some planning.
Taur felt his mind drawn away from combat, turning in on an itch within itself. He looked to the chain on his wrist; its inner light had become brighter, more intense. Haven was changing.
Behind him, he heard a roar.

Wyverus

Haven was charging, and that wasn't good. Not at all. Haven wouldn't discriminate between ally and enemy, and that was the problem with all of these civillians. "Taur!" Wyverus yelled "keep him under control!" Wyverus decided to try and help stop Haven, they just couldn't let him loose here. Taur got in front, and tried to take the bulk of the monster's strength. The necromancer got behind him and summoned shadows from some of the bodies that had already fallen.

But Taur gave way...

Lamika

Lamika had woken in Haven's arms, with her head gently laid on his shoulder. Even after she woke, the werelion refused to set her down. She noticed the way his eyes kept drifting to her black eye, and she saw pain in them. Repeatedly she had assured him she was fine, but his anger towards the enemy was undiminished.
Then, they had reached Blackmire. To Lamika it felt as though the soldiers had come out of no where, as all the citizens that followed. Her head ached from lack of food and water, and when Haven set her down to fight she felt her legs shake. Then, she saw him begin to change. While being carried Lamika had noticed the chain around his neck, and from Firego she knew what that meant. He had given his diamond, his humanity, to someone.
Though Lamika was no expert in the ways of werelions, she knew the power in the diamond, and did not know if any member of the group was truly worthy of wielding it. Without thinking, she staggered forward to Haven's form. In some foggy distant world Jenko called to her, but all she heard was the rough panting of Haven's Beast.
She managed to get between him and Taur, who was raising an object that shone like the brightest star. "Stop! Wait, let me try!" Her voice was desperate, and it caught not only Taur's attention, but the Beast. He turned, and their eyes met. "You may look like some wild lion, but Haven, those are your eyes! Please, listen to me! Haven, you can regain control!" A claw cut across Lamika's cheek and she fell to the ground, still fighting to hold Haven's gaze....

Taur

The Oxman turned to face the brunt of the Beast's charge, hoping to protect the innocent members of Blackmire's new-founded resistance. The Werelion leapt high and Taur tackled low, hoping to pin the struggling animal down before he could do any damage. The impact knocked Taur to the ground, and immediately Haven began to attack, attempting to savage him before moving on to other prey. Taur squirmed, trying to get on top and use his body weight to suppress the writhing Werelion. Shadows coalesced around them as Wyverus tried to control the Beast's flailing limbs.
Taur heard Lamika's voice, saw her running towards them from across the street. An arrow nearly missed her but she seemed not to notice. She was shouting, pleading with Haven's human side. The Beast stopped moving, and for a brief moment Taur thought Haven the Man might break through. The Beast fought back, and a mighty swipe from its giant paw struck Lamika across the cheek, laying her flat in the sewage of Blackmire's streets. Taur shouted out to her, but the Beast slipped its crushing jaws about his throat and began to squeeze. Long canines incised his flesh, and hot blood welled from the wounds, though his major arteries remained intact. At the taste of blood, the Beast began to shake its head, becoming frenzied. Spots began to form in Taur's vision, but with a grunt, he was able to free himself from under the animal's mass. He gulped in air, staggering forward, and fumbled in his satchel for the diamond.
The increasingly familiar feeling of Haven's claws bit into the old Bull's back. Taur cried out, but did not try to stop him. Haven's bulk carried them both forward, and Taur allowed himself to fall, using the Werelion's momentum to throw him off. Writhing, the beast righted itself and pounced, roaring wildly. Taur met him head on and pressed the diamond to Haven's head as he had with the Spirit stone. The deadweight of Haven's unconscious form knocked him to the ground, and he lay there, panting for air, the battle raging around him nothing more than a distant clamour of meaningless noise.

Wyverus

Haven and Taur were both down, after a tough civil battle. The Necromancer was the last man standing in the group. The chaos continued around him and he noticed Lamika was down, he called for Jenko and picked her up from the sewage puddle and Jenko appeared next to him and took the elf from his arms. Wyverus ran to the pile consisting of both Haven and Taur. The oxman was still conscious but the werelion was otherwise. "Need some help there partner?" Wyverus smiled, offering a hand to Taur, the giant hairy palm grasped his. With the aid of some shadow power, Wyverus wrenched his ally back onto his feet. As the two faced to resume battle, an amazing sight greeted them. The scarlet red tunics and chainmail of the king's men littered the ground. They were victorious.

Lamika

She opened her eyes to the sight of Firego. He was smiling, but seemed distracted at the same time. "Haven," she murmured, feeling a sticky mess running down her cheek. Firego shrugged.
"You can see him later. I was told to stay with you here. We won, but we were lucky this time. If the villagers hadn't joined in... Anyway, you just need to rest. We met a villager that knows which way. He said he'll bring us a map. We need to be ready to leave again tonight. Wyverus also seems really nervous, I almost feel as though the king and his men are not the only ones chasing us."
"Well, when I was kidnapped I thought I heard a lady."
"Firego!" Jenko's voice interrupted the conversation.
"Stay here, I'll be right back." Firego patted Lamika's head before turning away.

Haven

Once again awoke tired and ashamed. It had happened before. Even with the diamond. But what burned most of all was knowing i had hurt Lamika. Perhaps i was turning feral. Perhaps they would be safer without me.
They need you.
The words flowed effortlessly into my mind. My head whipped around scanning the room for the source.
"Who are you? Where are you?" I spoke into the empty room, still scouring every crack and crevice of the room.
I am Fenris. God of the beasts.
"A god? No this isn't happening. I've finally cracked. I'm feral and this is my human mind creating a nice safe delusion."
I AM NO ILLUSION, boomed the voice. I felt as if my mind was on fire. I barely contained the shriek of pain.
The beast in you is special. You are no mere Rexguard nor a simple Rex.
"Then what am i?" I asked finally giving up my search of the room.
You are the fabled one. The foretold child. Child of the protector. Raised in the shadow of a Rex. You are the beast King.
"The Beast King is a myth. A childrens story. One Lycanthrope to bring them together, to rule them all. Surely there are many better than me."
It is your destiny Haven. You contain the Bestia Imperator. Just watch.
I felt power. Like a breeze of lightning flowing across my skin as softly as silk. My eyes rolled up into my head and i was looking down from the sky.
There stood a man a top a mountain clothed in gleaming half plate armor. At his side a beautiful elven blade. His golden blonde hair flowed in the wind, a simple golden band adorned his brow.
He seemed in the midst of a great speech. He drew his sword and raised to the sky. A noise like thunder boomed. The roars and howls of thousands of shifters gathered around the hill like a ocean of man. A roar of consent that echoed within my bones. Finally a slender woman with a beautiful bow stepped up to his side and i fell toward the scene.
The man looked fit if wisened with age. A carefully trimmed beard sat below cold blue eyes. The woman was too beautiful to be human, clearly an elf. The figures felt almost familiar. Then in an instant it all became clear.
He turned to the elf and smiled. He brushed a single curl from her face exposing the scar on his arm. The rampant lion over a T. Then he whispered softly.
"I love you Lamika."
The world fell away and once again i was in the room.
Have faith Haven. The beast will bow to your will. You just have to believe. That scar will be your weapon.
With that the presence was gone. I gathered up my belongings and strode out to face the others.
The first figure i bumped into was that of Taur. He looked at me as if he could sense something different.
"You've changed," intoned the old bull scrunching his brow.
"I had a..vision of sorts."
"Go on." He looked down at me calmly.
"I am the Beast King or at least i will be. Fenris spoke to me through the diamond."
He looked at me dubious then seemed as if he remembered something.
"I need to check something. I have a copy of the tome of legends in my pack. If what you say is true. Well we could really do this." He marched away and began rummaging through his pack.
I turned around and saw Lamika. A single bloody line etched across her otherwise perfect cheek.
I strode toward her and as i got close she caught me out of the corner of her eye and turned to face me. I didn't think. I didn't pause. I marched right up to her and kissed her.
Her arms wrapped around my chest and she buried her face in my shoulder.
"It heals perfectly." I whispered and she looked up at me teary, smiling and confused.