PLEASE CLOSE ~ DEAD

[Marcus Pheonix]

((I'm back!!! Also stole toppage from Kestra haha!))

 

Ren sighed happily as he lay down on Celty's back, comfortably nestled between her ever beating wings. The large bird ignored him, her keen eyes had noticed something odd on the Horizon, since leaving the barracks they had been on a straight course towards the school. Concerned she re angled herself, tilting slightly. Feeling the change Rens hands clamped down like a vice around the feathers, he was lucky she didn't malt or his hand holds wouldn't be as sturdy.

"What's happening? Where are we going? Did you see a fish? You're my spirit creature you shouldn't get hungry... shouldn't you? You're a bird I guess, maybe you do get hungry Ill have to ask when we get their... where are we going?" He asked, his voice an endless sea of questions. Celty spun upside-down. Suddenly Ren was hanging from the feathers.

"Ahhh! Fine, fine, do what you want I'll stop asking questions, please turn the right side up!" He said quickly, his eyes crossed watching as his glasses slowly inched forwards onto the tip of his nose, wondering whether he would risk catching them. Luckily Celty righted her self and Ren let out a loud sigh and moved towards the front of the bird, gazing out into the distance. His eyesight was no where near as strong as hers but he could see the dark formation of clouds ahead.

"A storm? What's so unusual about that?" He asked her.

"Yes I know its not the season for harsh storms, but there are always abnormalities," He said, re assuredly. They were rapidly growing closer to the dark formation of clouds and he could feel the wind picking up, tugging at his oversized coat. That was unusual, at this distance they shouldn't be feeling the pull of the wind, even when they were this high up.

"Oh... dear," He said as the site came into view. His eyes widened in terror, it was a tornado. Large and devastating, and what looked like wagons and carts. His eyes adjusted and he glimpsed the large red dragon fairly close to the tornado, it appeared to be getting up.

"Why are we flying towards the tornado!?" He asked, now shouting over the wind. Celty ignored him and plummeted into a dive, her keen eyes picking out the rotation of the wind and matching it she began a large parallel circle around it. Now that they were closer Ren realised this was no ordinary tornado, the fact that it wasn't moving, and the fact that he could now see lots of people cowering from it. The dragon was further evidence, most likely the dragon was fighting whatever creature had summoned the terrible typhoon. Ren pressed himself flat to Celty's back the wind whipping over him at harsh speeds. What on earth was she doing?

Letting out a loud screech he felt her dive again, her speed accelerating past the harsh pull of the wind. Then he felt impact, it was minor but he knew the feeling. It was the same feeling from before. She had caught someone, maintaining the accelerating she shot out of the harsh reaches of the wind, flying low over the treetops. Once far enough she deposited her prizes, Ren leaned down over her neck and saw two injured men, probably tradesmen. Both had looks of agony and fright, but at the site of Rens face they relaxed slightly.

"You a summoner?" The one with the injured arm asked? Ren nodded, grinning slightly, it was pretty obvious.

"Help the others! My best friends still there! Also what about all your friends?" The second man begged. Ren paused, friends. He must have been right, the dragon must have belonged to one of the summoners at the school, most likely a teacher considering the power.

"Gotcha! Will do, let's go Cel-

He was cut off as she took to the skies again, Ren winced at the g-forces.

"Warn me next time!" He shouted, the bird ignored him and began flying back towards the tornado. She arrived quickly and soon Ren was struggling against the winds. Once more Celty was flying with the rotation of the wind behind her, but it was clear that she was struggling against such force. Ren was pressed completely flat against her, the wind pulling as hard as it could on his coat, trying to draw him into its reign. He wished she had left him there... but a fiend should never be without his or her summoner! Determined he looked up, and then regretted it.

The moment the harsh winds got a grasp on his face he was ripped off the back of Celty, his coat flaying out as it caught the wind.

With a cry Celty ignored her initial targets and rotated around the tornado again, moving inwards and dangerously close. Her talons lashed out and pulled Ren out of the tornadoes grasp, her second talon was soon gripping another member of the caravan and she was flying back to where she deposited the first to. Ren grimaced, she had a very strong grip and she clearly didn't want to lose him again.

He painfully smiled at the frightened man in the other talon.

"Hi!" He shouted over the roar.

"Who are you? Didn't see you among the guard!" The man shouted back.

"I just got here! Private Renley Waters at your service!" Ren shouted. The reached the depositing zone and, with much more care than last, Celty deposited her prizes on the ground, then landed. Ren hurried back up onto her back, due to him falling they had missed one of their targets. And after 3 successful saves it surely wouldn't go as well on the next return. Ren was visibly hesitant to return to the terrifying site but before he could dismount once more Celty's wings were flapping and they were heading back.

 

((Well he saved 3 people, feel free to make it interesting whence Ren returns, let me know if I should change it))

[DragonSpirit009]

Areo knew from experience when a monster stood to make a stance something big was going to happen. And of course he was right as the winds started to pick up. He was glad that Vulpis was there to heal him which made it easier for his summoner to give him the power he needed. Quickly before things got to bad Areo turned around slamming his claws into the ground. It pierced the earth causing Bastian’s hands to sting but they had no choice. With pressure the dragon drew a deep line in the ground forming a small ditch. He repeated this once more making the ditch deep enough for people to hide from the wind.

 

“Come!” Bastian shouted over the roaring winds. “In the ditch! NOW!”

 

Areo remained with his back at the tornado and lay close to the earth. He could only trust what his summoner was seeing. His claws bore deep into the ground so that the winds won’t carry him away. At the same time his wings were spread wide open working as a net to catch those that were taken by the strong winds but also as shield to those who were hiding in fear.

[na82008]

((sorry i haven't been posting. I got a job recently and it takes up a lot of my day.))

 

"An abomination?!?" Sandor said. Oh no, this is bad he thought. The worst possible thing that could have happened has happened. Then the wind began to pick up. He saw people getting thrown over, horses falling. Bent down, putting his arms around Rayanard's neck. He saw a tornado form back where the abomination was. The wind was pulling at him, and he wasn't sure he could hold on, but dismounting could be more dangerous.

 

((Is Bastian telling the students to get in the ditch or the NPC's?))

[DragonSpirit009]

((To anyone who is listening or close by))

[Kestra15]

Vulpis took shelter near Areo; while she, like her Human, was a Healer there was the overriding priority that Abominations had to be stopped at whatever cost, and Areo was their only real hope. Selena had the skills and knowledge to halt death, and while it would indeed be easier to simply let Vulpis cure the wounded it would leave both without the strength to face the Abomination. Areo had to be protected; with the massive Fiend, the Abomination would tear through them all.

 

Selena had managed to drag the man into the ditch that Areo had created, though it caused intense agony to the man. Even as the winds whipped around them she put a hand in her satchel and pulled out a small tin of leaves, handing one to the man as he tensed in pain. "Chew on this, it will help the pain," she promised him, turning to help others struggling into the ditch.

[Fortune86]

Helios heard shouting in familar voices, but he could not hear them properly above the raging winds and screams of man, beast and monster. As he held onto the tree Helios thought back to the book he had read the day before, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of monsters and Fiends.

 

Deminjal was a wind type, which was weak to ice magic. But none of the nearby Summoners had ice Fiends, so they could not rely on an elemental advantage to fight the Abomination. Perhaps Vulpis, Selena's light Fiend could do something? Light was immune to wind magic, both being white elements? But how could he get a message to her through the storm? And what would he say?

 

Helios suddenly remembered that his own Fiend, Cerberus, was also light element. The tornado would have no effect at all on him.

 

It was a weak, desperate idea, but it was all Helios had. It would be better than just clinging to the tree and listening to the cries of those thrown around by the strong winds. He had to do something.

 

He shifted himself as much as he dared to try and bring his chest as close to his left hand as possible. He scraped his hand along the bark, not daring to let go entirely, and touched his thumb to his heart.

 

"Ohr!"

 

The silver Fiend landed at the bottom of the tree, snarling in response to Helios' terror. Sandor and Rayanard were close by, but he ignored them as he listened to his Summoner's fractic pleas.

 

"The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped." Helios whispered, pouring everything he had into the thought. "The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped. The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped. The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped. The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped. The Abomination is our enemy. It must be stopped."

 

While Helios focused intently on his mantra Cerberus turned to face the tornado and began to run, dodging caravans and flying goods parcels. The wind attack had no effect on him, not even causing his fur to ruffle as he drew closer. Cerberus dived through the wall of the tornado and end up mere feet from the Abomination's right foreleg. He scaled up it, powered on by Helios' commands, reached the head and sunk both sets of front claws into Deminjal's right eye.

 

Many things happened at once. Shocked by the attack Deminjal lost concentration and the wind dropped almost instantly, dropping everything it had sucked up. The large Abomination roared and shook his head with such violence that Cerberus was sent crashing to the ground. The force of the blow caused Helios to be knocked clear of the tree were he fell amongst the remains of a caravan and felt something impale his leg. He screamed in pain and clutched at his thigh.

 

Despite his efforts Cerberus's claws had done little damage, only serving to infuritate the Abomination further. Crippled from his fall and the sharp pain in his leg Cerberus could only manage to crawl away a few feet, roaring in defiance and pain. Deminjal lifted one heavy leg and brandished his own claws, intending to crush the injured Fiend at his feet.

 

((Someone please stop him!))

[Kestra15]

From under the protection of Areo's wings came a streak of silver, barreling out of the fire Fiend's shadow and straight towards Deminjal. Easily the smallest Fiend on the field of battle Vulpis was not by nature a fighter, but that didn't make her defenseless - and with the exception of possibly Areo had seen more battles than any other. As Cerebus was thrown clear Vulpis practically flew at the Abomination from his blind side, the wind creature focusing on the unwelcome addition of another Fiend.

 

With the same agility she had displayed when climbing the statue not a few hours before Vulpis leaped onto Deminjal's back, small enough that she could thread her way around his spines, her diminutive size offering an advantage against the much larger combatant. Even as he raised a claw to deal a punishing blow to her fellow Light Fiend Vulpis leaped at the Abomination's head, her claws raking at his good eye and finding an anchor in his pseudo-flesh, clamping on his snout to find purchase as her tails fanned out and filled his view.

[na82008]

Suddenly, Sandor saw a white tiger like fiend be summoned. The fiend that must be Helios's. He was worried for a moment it would attack him, but after a second, it ran strait into the tornado, compleatly unaffected by the winds. Sandor let out a sig of relief as the winds died down. He wasn't sure he could have held on to his fiend much longer, or if the fiend itself could have held out agains the wind. He then noticed Helios fall out of the tree. Oh no Sandor thought. He hopped off Rayanard and ran to where he saw Helios. He was hurt very badly. His leg was a bloody mess, with a piece of wood sticking up through it.

 

Oh no, oh no. What should i do? Sandor thought. He looked over to the abomination. Selena was over there, but taking Helios closer to the abomination could end up getting him hurt worse. "Helios, I going to go get Selena, I'm going to leave Rayanard with you, ok?" He didn't wait for an answer and started running toward the abomination.

[Fortune86]

Helios opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The only thing he could manage was a nod, but Sandor had already gone. He was shaking all over and starting to feel light headed. The blood felt slick between his fingers, but due to the way he had landed on the wreckage he couldn't actually see what had happened to his leg.

 

Cerberus struggled to increase the distance between himself and Deminjal. He could see the Abomination furiously trying to shake the smaller Fiend from his snout and batting at his with his claws.

[DragonSpirit009]

Bastian cursed under his breath when he saw a familiar light fiend charging the Abomination. All he could do was pray to the gods that he would be alright. If anything did happen to him either Diana or Imari would kill him for sure. Suddenly the wind died down and Bastian peered out from the ditch. Cerberus had done some damage and cause Deminjal to lose power over his attack.

 

“It’s now or never Areo.” Bastian spoke to his fiend.

Areo knew instantly what he should do and raised to all four. He turned around ready for battle once more but he had to be careful. Vulips was a bit too close and he might easily bite her in half rather than Deminjal.

 

With a deep rumble in Areo chest a massive fireball burst out of the fiends mouth sending it soaring towards the Abomination’s chest. He did so several times causing the monster to retreat a few steps with each hit. With each fireball Areo gave a few steps getting closer and closer. When Areo was satisfied he stormed towards Deminjal, his jaws opened and locked around the monsters neck. Deminjal roared from the sudden pain and impact and tried to use his claws to scratch off the red dragon but Areo stood strong.

 

~~

 

Beldor had left his post of fighting Gussies to taking his summoner to the sky. He knew she was small and frail and would be easily carried away by the winds. With both in the air they looked down to all the dangers on the ground and it caused Bella to feel even more weak.

 

“I don’t know what to do. How can we help?” she spoke to her fiend but he wasn’t paying attention. He knew what his summoner wanted and he was waiting for the right moment. It wasn’t long before the right moment had appeared. With the tornado gone and Areo having a lock on Deminjal it was a good time to attack. The small winged wolf fiend stared to go into a dive building up his electrical attack. Bella clinged on for dear life knowing that what was going to happen was going to hurt real bad. Beldor’s electricity covered the wolf forming an arrow out of himself. It was now or never and the electrical spear hit Deminjal in the side but in the some process the head bud that delivered it cause immense pain to Bella.

[Kestra15]

As Areo launched his first fireball Vulpis twisted and scrabbled for just a moment's purchase; so far luck and timing was on her side, but a single solid blow from Deminjal would certainly put paid to the small Fiend's attack. However her objective had been achieved, giving Areo an opening and stopping Deminjal from finishing the job on Cerebus. A claw whistled by Vulpis, enough to catch one of her many tails, and for a moment the purple glow faded and flickered as Fiend and Summoner were subjected to pain.

 

The moment passed and Vulpis decided she could wait no longer. As Deminjal staggered from the second fireball Vulpis managed to get all four paws to the Abomination's snout and launched herself, making a jarring landing on the Abomination's leg and bouncing away, stumbling to the ground and rolling with the momentum as Areo pressed his attack. Getting to her feet slowly Vulpis crawled over to the downed Light Fiend, the imperative to heal allowing her to push through her own aches, one of her nine tails hanging limply. She approached Cerebus slowly, hoping their common alignment would allow the Fiend to recognise she would not - could not - do harm.

 

Selena bowed her head as she tightened a bandage around the arm of another caravaner who had been brought to her attention, a wave of dizziness passing through her. Although neither she nor Vulpis were injured severely both had their share of cuts and sprains, and it took the Summoner a moment to push through the feeling and focus again on just her body. She was tending to a line of wounded, gathered her only because so many had taken shelter in Areo's ditch, but she looked up at Sandor's approach. Glancing back at the battle taking place she saw Cerebus was lame, her Fiend approaching him to tend to wounds, but it was hard to see what it was that Cerebus had actually suffered from to cause such a crippling injury. Her Healer's mind then went to the second possibility.

 

She rose and clipped her satchel shut, satisfied that no-one was in immediate risk of death as she walked over to Sandor. "Helios is injured?" she said, more a statement than question.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Kestra15

[Fortune86]

Deminjal strugged and writhed in Areo's grasp, using his own claws to rake and tear the best they could at the Fiend. Together the Abomination and Fiend rolled together, scratching biting tearing across the tracks, each trying to gain the upper hand. They nearly squashed the nearby Cerberus, who just managed to pull his injured hindleg out of their way. Deminjal finally managed to wrestle his neck free from Areo's grasp and countered with a powerful blast of wind breath right in the dragon's face.

Cerberus snarled at Vulpis, more out of pain than anything, but it sounded much weaker than he was normally capable of. Try as he might, he could not pull himself to his feet.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Fortune86

[Marcus Pheonix]

Ren sighed as the wind began to die down. Something must have happened. They soon returned to the battle and Ren could now see the giant creature, now engaged with the dragon.

"Oh wow... he's huge!" Ren said, pushing his glasses back up his nose to try and get a better look. Celty glared at the two engaging creaturs, she was large but both of them made her look like a baby in comparrison, she flexed her Talons and began to angle herself towards the 2nd one.

Ren gasped as he realised what she was intending.

"Celty no! It's far too dangerous, let's fly down and see if we can be of any further help, bringing people to safety! If you try to fight I guarantee we won't come out of there healthy!" Ren said shouting directly into her ear hole to solidify his point. She made a movement similar to one would roll their eyes and re adjusted herself and landed next to several people. Ren looked over the side at them. Unlike the caravanners these people seemed more competent, and he knew that they would be the summoners. The man seemed to be wincing whenever the dragon took damage so he assumed that it was his fiend. Performing a very sorry salute he called down to them.

"Private Renley Walters reporting for duty... uh I was just assigned to study at the school... but I got sidetracked, is there anything I can do?" He asked, looking nervously at Celty as she continued to glare at the two struggling beasts, weighing up her chances.

 

((Let me know if Bastain and Selena and whoever else is there is no longer there but those are the two I'm assuming hes talking to, mainly bastain))

[DragonSpirit009]

Areo was knocked quite back by the wind attack causing him to stagger a bit. He shook his head and blinked his eyes trying to regain his sight back. The gust of wind had dried them out quite a lot causing it to be a bit irritated. At that moment Deminjal saw it as a moment to return the favour of jaw crushing attach he received earlier but Areo was alert. He heard the large Abomination move and with swift moment the dragon fiend lowered himself causing to Deminjal to miss his neck. Even thou the Abomination had an upper hand moment Areo lifted up his head and swung it to into Demijal’s shoulder. From some point it merely look like a head bud but when Areo had hit the monster with the back of his head his two horns pierced into Deminjal’s shoulder injuring him rather severely.

 

Bastian looked to his left when he heard someone talk to him. It was the summoner of the large bird. He couldn't really talk right now and needed his full attention on the battle but there was one thing the could let the boy do.

 

"Gather the injured that isn't to close to battle and bring them here. If you can do that I would appreciate it."

 

((Think of when how giraffe’s fight. How they swing their heads at each others necks.))

Edited July 9, 2014 by DragonSpirit009

[Fortune86]

Despite the injury to his shoulder Deminjal still had enough strength to fight back. He reared up on his hand legs and brought both sets of front claws raking down on Areo before pushing the dragon away. The Abomination backed away a few steps and roared, getting his bearings.

 

A noise in the air caught the Deminjal's attention and he looked up to see several flying Fiends on the way. Seeing as how he was now greatly outnumbered the Abomination decided to cut his losses. He grabbed a dead oxen from the wreckage in his jaws and turned away before fleeing across the landscape.

[na82008]

When Selena asked, Sandor answered "Yea, he fell out of a tree and a piece of wood went through his leg, hurry!" Sandor then turned around and started running back to Helios.

 

((sorry its short, i didn't want to hold up the rp ad i don't have a lot of time to type this))

[Kestra15]

Vulpis was cautious in approaching the wounded Cerebus, but there was the same air of confidence and caring about the Fiend that surrounded Selena when she tended her patients. They were first and foremost Healers, and it was confidence and competence in their art that gave them an air of peace and focus. Aware of how the other Fiend was more erratic given the age of his Summoner Vulpis moved until she could reach out with a paw to touch Cerebus. As Deminjal made his retreat Vulpis reached out and touched Cerebus, lowering her head as once again she let the healing power of Vundiha flow.

 

At the same time Selena was racing across the wreckage of the caravans towards Helios, easily keeping pace with Sandor as they moved to where the young man had fallen. The battle with the Abomination had caused a panicked exodus of Guppies as Selena had hoped, but there were still a few around to hassle and hound the humans, and the wounded Helios was easy prey. One had already noted him and was approaching confidently, certain that it would have easy pickings, but before it could reach Helios Selena and Sandor were clearly charging towards their fallen comrade; unwilling to fight alone against the two humans, the Guppy slunk away.

 

Selena came to her knees just short of Helios, skidding the last couple of feet on the dirt as she put her blade to one side and opened her pouch. The injury was severe, his leg impaled and still leaking blood heavily around the wound. Pain, infection, damage to muscle and bone...with conventional healing techniques Helios' chance of survival would be slim in the long term. But the wood itself was stemming the worst of the blood flow and had not hit any organs, and Selena was quick to pull another bandage out to staunch any more blood loss. Thankfully it was an injury that was within Vulpis' power to reverse.

 

Vulpis, for her part, imparted only enough healing power into Cerebus to ensure his own injuries would not be debilitating, knowing that Selena was expecting the small Fiend to join her and take care of the much more critical Helios.

[Fortune86]

Cerberus flicked his tail and growled, but took no other actions. He was feeling too weak to try and fend the smaller Friend off.

 

Helios looked up at Selena when she arrived and started to see to his injury. He had gone quite pale now and simply could not stop himself from shaking. He had had a few bumps and scrapes over the years, but this was the first time he had been injured as badly as this.

 

"It hurts" he said in a voice just above a whisper.

 

He was starting to feel light headed, whether due to bloodloss or shock he didn't know. He had completely forgotten about Deminjal, Cerberus and the caravan of carts and wagons he was supposed to be helping protect. All he could think about was the pain in his leg.

 

((It might help if someone gets him to recall Cerberus. An unsummoned Fiend doesn't feel any pain and can't be hurt futher, and will be healed when Helios is.))

[Marcus Pheonix]

Ren nodded at the man, he looked over and saw that one of the older people amongst them was helping a student. She must be a healer, that's why he wants us to bring the injured back He thought calmly.

"Okay Celty let's go! We'll start with those we brought a safe distance away first," Ren said, happy she didn't cut him off again. Celty flapped her large wings and took off. As they flew Ren took the first time to properly look at the destruction beneath him, that tornado had done its damage. Pretty much all the caravans were on their sides, with the exception of some that had been blown into the nearby trees, but even those weren't clear. Many carts were impaled on branches and many trees had been knocked down onto the carts. As they flew Celty eye'd the many people that were scrawling on the ground, making sure to remember who she'd have to stop for on their way back.

They arrived at the destination and saw the three men they'd saved all stand up, two of them winced as they did so, while the third nursed his arm.

"What happened? What happened to that typhoon? And the beast?" The man with the injured arm asked.

"The beast fled, and I don't know what happened to the tornado but assuming it was the beast that caused it, it must have stopped producing the tornado when it ran off," Ren said.

"Im to bring you back to the healer, and seeing as both of your legs are working you can join me up on Celty's back, you're legs are more important... assuming you can keep balance," He said, smiling at the man.

 

Celty was a powerful creature but having too much weight on her back could cause her to lose balance, especially when those on her back were not used to adjusting their weight during flight. As such Ren preferred to take a max of two other people on her back, but that required those people to have at least one functioning arm and their legs in proper working order.

He slid down Celty's back and helped the man climb up, where he briefly demonstrated the proper way to stay on.

"Of course if you don't care about the sights or are unsure, just lay down and hug her like this," He demonstrated. The man nodded, looking unsure at his two comrades, Celty had her neck turned at over 90 degrees and was fixing a cool eye on him, as if daring him to pull out her well groomed feathers. The man nodded and assumed a stance similar to Ren, though further down between her wings where the wind would catch less.

"Okay you two, as this won't be a high speed catch it won't hurt as much, place your arms perpendicular to your body so that you can rest them on Celty's talons when she grabs you... it'll be more comfortable that way... like a 'T' shape," Ren said, sighing as the men quickly assumed a 'T' position. Celty flapped her wings and grabbed both men around their waists, they quickly wrapped their arms around her talons, afraid that she would drop them.

They then returned back to the site of the teacher.

"Here's the first three sir, we'll go grab some more... do you want me to pick up your other students first, in case they're injured? Or should I focus on the traders?" Ren asked, watching as the man with the injured arm slid down Celty's back less gracefully then he had done earlier with slight amusement.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Marcus Pheonix

[DragonSpirit009]

Bastian bent slight over when Denimjal pushed Areo in his sides. He swore he could hear his ribs crack from the attack but Areo had to hold his ground and protect everyone. Areo quickly came to his feet again ready to tackle the wind based monster but his attention was drawn to something in the distance. Bastian sighed with relieve as he saw back up approaching in the distance.

Areo still stood his ground waiting to see what the monsters plan was but it seemed to know he was going to be out numbered. It retread and both summoner and fiend could relax a bit. Bastian sunk against the wall of the ditch and took a few deep breaths. He wasn’t really that physically tired. He was more emotionally. To worry about the traders, his students and of what happened earlier, all would easily take its toll on anyone. Yes indeed today was a bad day.

 

Areo on the other hand went to take care of some of the gussies that were left, squashing them as he scouted the area for people that needed his help.

 

Bastian closed his eyes when the new comer asked if he should look for the students. But he just shook his head.

 

"No they are fine from what Areo can tell me. Take care of the traders for now."

[Kestra15]

((I was getting to that bit Fort ))

 

It was the matter of seconds for Selena to bind the bandage around the impaled branch; between the wood and the bandage most of the bleeding was staunched, but the ground and Helios' clothes were already covered with blood. The ground absorbed what it could of the blood but still left it dyed a deep brown, while Helios' trouser leg was heavy with the thick fluid. She took no time to simply slice the trouser leg off altogether, leaving his leg exposed. There was bruising all along and ragged flesh around the wound; this was one of the most serious injuries Selena had seen for some months, and was gruesome to behold. Thankfully she was well-practiced in holding her 'game-face,' and she smiled up at Helios.

 

"It won't hurt for long," she smiled, right hand stroking the young man's hair as she knelt there, keeping her left hand on the bandage to stem the blood loss further. "Vulpis and I will heal you and you will be walking again before sunset, but I need you to do one thing first." Her voice was soft and measured, as if they were simply discussing the weather or arranging for a card game instead of trying to save his life. "I need you to recall Cerebus. Vulpis has healed his wounds, but while he remains Summoned he is a drain on your energy. I need you to concentrate, to picture your Fiend in your mind, and imagine him sleeping. Tell him he's won his fight, and he's safe to rest."

Edited July 12, 2014 by Kestra15

[Chicogal]

Diana had taken shelter in the ditch with Rain, leaping off her back in order to get low. They had both started to slip and slide - this Abomination wasn't at all as threatening as a Titan, but it was still extremely powerful. She prayed fiercely as she watched the battle between Areo and Deminjal, and when the tornado fell, she and Rain leapt up to deal with the Gussies. She didn't want to distract Bastian by helping with the Abomination, but she was quite ready to take over with water attacks if it really did come down to it. But her students went ahead, and she watched as they assisted the battle. Oh, they had learned already, and- And just a short time ago, she had seen Cerberus take down the tornado attack! The large cat was still there, in and out of her vision.

 

The monster saw that it was defeated, and it retreated. Her deep blue eyes swept the scene - it wasn't looking good. The tradesmen were strewn all over the place, as were their goods... She spotted Selena healing Helios in the background, already tending to her duties. That woman was going to be a true asset to their school. Rain trotted back to the trench and the nearest traveller on the ground. Diana slid off her back to crouch down next to him. His eyes were closed. "Are you alright?" she asked, taking hold of his wrist. No response, but there was a pulse. "Hello?" His eyes flickered open, and he let out a moan. "My... arm..." She saw the angle it was bent at, and winced to herself. Selena was going to have a lot to do today. "You'll get help soon," she soothed.

[Fortune86]

The military Summoners had arrived now. A few of them set up a perimeter around the wreckage to keep further monsters at bay but many of the others set to work at helping the wounded. Those who had been found to be beyond the aid of even the most experienced of healers were carefully lifted to one side and laid underneath whatever blankets or clothing could be used. There were a number of bodies, several being quite small.

 

Dead animals were dragged away and left in a heap while the living were rounded up and placed in a makeshift pen. The wreckage was cleared from the road bit by bit and any goods were checked against the merchant's lists to be handed back to their rightful owners at a later date.

Helios didn't pay any of this any attention. He whimpered as Selena bound his wound and screwed up his eyes against the pain. When the older Summoner asked him to recall he gave a short nod and tried to concentrate.

 

Cerberus continued to snarl and flick his tail, raking the claws of his right foreleg through the dirt. As Helios tried to imagine the Fiend asleep Cerberus' next growl turned into a yawn of sorts. The silver lion laid his head down and chuffed before reluctantly closing his eyes. Moments later he was but a swirl of pink mist that quickly spun its way to the crystal in Helios' chest.

[Kestra15]

Vulpis wasted no time; the moment Cerebus was mist she raced out of the kill-zone over to where her Summoner was knelt, making sure the bindings around Helios' leg was holding the bleeding in check for now. She knew full well what the Summoner was planning to do, and Helios was certainly not going to like it.

 

"I'm afraid what happens next will hurt, but the pain will leave quickly," she was saying to the young Summoner as Vulpis moved into the boy's vision, hoping that her presence would assure him. "Don't be afraid, and if you feel tired then you can sleep; your body has been through a lot and some rest will do you good. When you wake up, I'll be here, and your leg will be fine." Compassion, sincerity and security filled Selena's gentle tones as she continued to assure the young man.

 

The problem was that Vulpis could not heal the wound with the wood still in place, and Helios was in real danger of dying if they took too long. A smaller wound Vulpis could have simply healed and allowed the accelerate process to force the object out, but with such a large branch through his leg it simply would not work. There were techniques that Humans could use to slowly remove such objects and perhaps preserve his life, but they took time and were not guaranteed success. What Selena was about to do would be much quicker, at the cost of giving the boy Summoner a moment of intense agony - perhaps so much he would pass out, which would be better for him.

 

Selena gave one more stroke of the boy's hair, now slick with sweat as his pale body edged closer to darkness, before she moved down to kneel next to his injured limb. Taking a moment to slip her leather gloves back on Selena took a firm grip at the joints proximal and distal from the injury, and looked up at Helios once more with a smile. Vulpis did not need to be asked if she was ready; they had worked together close to a decade and did not need to talk for something like this. They both knew what had to happen. Selena closed her eyes for a moment to gather herself.

 

Without warning Selena lifted Helios' leg straight up off the branch, sliding his leg free. The movement was smooth, practiced, and clinical, even though Vulpis could feel the anguish it caused Selena - but nothing compared to what Helios must have suffered in that moment. However the pain was short-lived as Selena placed the leg down again on the ground, one hand already grabbing a flask of water and simply pouring it over the now-gaping hole as it started to ooze blood. At the same time Vulpis' paws were on Helios and the Fiend herself closed her eyes, concentrating.

 

Helios was suffused with warmth, a sense of comfort and strength that overrode the pain and made it a hazy irritation. Vulpis' fur glowed brightly, and the wound that Selena was washing had already stopped bleeding as Vulpis let the power of Vundiha work through her. The worst of the debris had been washed out by the sudden deluge of water, and the smaller splinters were simply pushed to the surface as new muscle, ligament and flesh formed rapidly where the was once a hole through Helios' leg. The healing light forced out what little infection had started to take hold, and as the new flesh grew the remains of the branch was ejected from the fresh skin. It was a matter of moments before the young man's leg had been reformed, fresh and intact although tender to the touch.

 

Selena nearly dropped the flask as the power expended by Vulpis was taken from her, and she bent double over the new leg for a moment. Vulpis stepped over Helios' legs and tucked her head against Selena's, sharing in her tiredness. It was a couple of seconds before Selena took a deep breath and knelt upright again, looking to see if Helios was still awake.

[Fortune86]

When Selena said that this was going to hurt even more panic and fear gripped Helios. It was just as well he had already dismissed Cerberus because no doubt the Fiend would seize on these emotions and cause further trouble, even in that crippled state.

 

However Helios was far too weak to protest or ask any questions and could only lie there helplessly while Healer and Fiend worked together to aid him. Although when Selena lifted his leg Helios felt such pain that he managed to produce a cry so loudly that surounding people turned, out of fear that Deminjal had returned.

 

He continued to whimper as Vulpis started to heal his leg, her warm light spreading through his body. Helios had felt drowsy before from the bloodloss, but this was a different kind of tiredness now. While his leg mended and injury healed his head lolled as he fought to stay awake.

 

The pain had faded, gone almost as if it never was, but there still a lingering memory of the sharp ache. When Selena knelt upright and smiled Helios gave her a weak one of his own.

 

"Tha...ou" he whispered, realising she probably felt as exhausted as he did.