Kintora stood in the middle of the grasslands. His wings slowly folded to his sides, as his body melted downward, until he was no longer a dragon, but a human. Being a half-dragon, he could switch at will between dragon and human forms. He grinned, his mind still blown away from the thrill of flying. He hated that he couldn't fly in his human form, but he had learned to live with it.

He sighed, pulling the staff from his back. Planting it on the ground, he looked around. The wind was blowing lightly, and the sun was quite bright. He frowned. His dragon part was shadow dragon, and thus he did not much care for areas that have bright sunlight. Or bright artificial light, for that matter. He looked around. Seeing a stand of trees nearby, he headed in that general direction.

He sat down underneath the trees, making sure he was entirely in the shade. He sat, his chin on his hands, contemplating what his next move would be. He couldn’t be seen by humans, or any of the other ‘pure’ races of this world, for that matter. They would all want him dead. They saw him as an abomination, something that should not exist. He was so concerned with what was running through his mind, he didn’t even notice someone approaching him…

Adsero, as usual, was paying little attention to her surroundings. For a person who generally pissed other people off, she wasn't overly aware of the people around her. Just another reason for the added scars all along her body. She was enjoying the sun shine today, though she wished the wind wasn't blowing. Though she had lived most of her life dealing with weather typical of Arda, she couldn't help but long for fires of a home she couldn't remember. She yawned and looked around her, wondering what to do on a day like today, and saw a stranger resting beneath a tree. Never one to consider what other people's feelings might be, Adsero walked up and squatted in front of him, tilting her head to the side. "Lo. Nice day. Cold though. Who are you?"

As far as she could remember Adsero had never met this person. Of course, it wasn't like she could meet every person in the entire world or anything but she liked to know the faces of people near her. This, at least, helped when she pissed someone off to the point where she was cornered in an alley faced with death by bladed weapon. Had he been here the whole time? It was possible. Adsero had been known to ignore entire buildings collapsing if she was busy with something else. "Sorry, I ask alot of questions," she decided to add after a moments thought. Better warn him now she supposed. "Anyway, I'm Adsero."

Kintora jerked around when he heard the voice in front of him. Before him stood a being like nothing he had ever seen. She was tall and wiry, with a long black braid down her back, and the deepest brown eyes he had ever seen. She was clad rather simply, with a green tunic and tan breeches.

He decided that she was most likely extremely powerful, so it was best not to anger her. "No, that's quite alright. I have a tendency to do the same. I am Kintora Hedge. Adsero, you said your name was? What might your last name be?" His gray eyes flashed. The wind kicked up a little, and whipped his hair away from his face.

The wind blew through Ita’s face as she navigated through the Grasslands. Here, the grass grew up to her ankles and there weren’t many landmarks anywhere. Her hood was down and her wolflike ears sticking straight in the air. She gripped her staff with her right hand and looked left and right with glowing red eyes. Rellik, Ita’s minion, flew at her side quietly. The lupine looked around yet again: still nobody around. Without saying anything, she handed her staff to Rellik, who wrapped his ghostly frame around it and held it in the air.

Suddenly, Ita began to run. She didn’t move very quickly, but when she fell down to all four legs that immediately changed. Like an oversized wolf with a cloak on, Ita galloped through the Grasslands at an amazing speed. It was an odd change from her sluggish bipedal self. Rellik tried to keep up with his master but the added weight of the staff he carried made him fly slower. The pair ran about a mile before the lupine came to a grinding halt. She struggled to her feet and dusted off her cloak.

‘Whhhhat wrrrrrronggg?’ Rellik asked as he gave the staff back to his master.

“There are people over there.” Ita answered, pointing in the direction of a patch of trees. There were two people there, obviously talking to eachother.

‘Taaaaaalk?’ Rellik asked, flying around Ita in circles. The necromantic lupine contemplated that.

“Alright. We’ll lull them into a false sense of security and kill them, then entrap their souls. I’m in the mood for murder anyway.” They then walked about 50 feet over to the pair.

“And what might you two be doing here?” Ita asked, leaning on her staff.

Kintora turned at the arrival of the new person, and felt a shock as he felt the hatred that the souls of the dead had for her. She wasn't a necromancer, there wasn't enough hatred for that, but there was something about her. Tightening his grip on his staff, he nodded. "I was merely resting, and as for her," he said, nodding towards Adsero, "I do not know why she is here."

A shadow crossed over Adsero, like the flash of a bad memory, before fading again. "My last name's Regno but I'd prefer you just leave it at Adsero." She turned and stood to face this new stranger. "Lo. I got bored and it was sunny out. How about you? Come to walk your....er....that thing?" She gestured toward the comet like compainion. There were suprisingly more people then Adsero expected. Normally the grassland had few visiters and those it did have meerly strolled through or something. Still, the plain had it's own allure and if she was here, there was no reason why others wouldn't be here. Kintora didn't look like he liked this new stranger though, then again he could just be annoyed at being interupted. Maybe they had met before? It was possible. Adsero thought about it for a minute and then realized she really didn't care. She couldn't sense things like others could, too lazy to learn. She figured if she was attacked she would fight and if she wasn't, she would do whatever the hell she wanted.

Kintora nodded. "Adsero it is then." Turning to Ita, he cast a glance at the comet spirit. It was a familiar of some sort, but he was still unsure which, though this was the second time he had seen it. He only used animal familiars, such as his wolf, Iranil. It was definitely a spirit familiar, however. He just wasn't sure which type. Ita seemed old and decrepit, but he knew that looks could be quite deceiving. He knew that from experience.

He laid his staff across his lap, not wanting to seem threatening, and at the same time wanting to make sure he was prepared in case Ita tried something. He glanced at Adsero. For the first time, he noticed that her aura had a bit of a red tint to it. 'Hm. She's an elementalist (someone whose magic concentrates in one element). Fire from the looks of it.' He shrugged. Glancing back at Ita, he tilted his head. "What might you be doing out here, if I might ask?"

Ita’s maw turned into a wicked, corrupted smirk. Her crimson eyes were filled with bloodlust and her pointed wolflike ears tilted backward a bit.
“I am just passing through.” She answered, regaining her usual emotionless composure again. The lupine could barely control her excitement. She hadn’t killed anyone in (what seemed like) ages. Rellik flew around frantically to mirror his master’s emotions.

The lupine casually wiped off some saliva that was dripping down her muzzle with one of her paws. She eyed Kintora again.
“Have I met you before?” Ita asked innocently. Rellik flew over to the man and hovered in front of his face as if he was examining the necromancer.

Kintora raised an eyebrow. "I believe we have met before, yes. In the Land of the Dead, wasn't it? There were four of us there. Myself, Everto, a dwarf, and you." He glanced at the creature buzzing around his head. He sent it back to Ita with a sharp backhand. "And that annoying creature," he said with a glare.

Adsero raised her eyebrow at the obvious dislike between the two. They apparently had met before and judging by the fact that they weren't swapping war stories yet, she was going to assume it hadn't been a happy meeting. "Annoying maybe but at least it looks like it's having fun." What was that expresion Adsero had seen a moment ago? It seemed familiar but she didn't know why. One of those smiles that didn't make you want to smile in return. This stranger was starting to put ader ill at ease and she didn't like it. Then she remembered what was familiar about the smile; how could she ever forget? The burns along her skin tingled with memories and she frowned, something Adsero didn't do often. She wasn't sure she much liked this person and Adsero liked almost everyone. "It seems you two have already met, but would you mind introducing yourself to me?"

"lot of necromancers and dead souls about today its a wonder theirs any dead people left dead. And i belive me and ita have ment once or twice previusly... but not adsero or you Kintora no one hope you dont mind me listning into you covosation but it cant be helped" snorri had Been walking for a whille and was getting tired when he saw the gathering he needed a rest so he had siddled up to them with out them notesing but when he reconised Ita their was no point staying hidden.

Kintora nodded cordially. "And speaking of the dwarf, here he is. And yes, I have met the both of you, although it may have slipped your very short mind, my friend. The Land of the Dead?" Turning to Adsero, he nodded. "I apologize. Adsero, this is Ita, a soul handler. Ita, this is Adsero, an elementalist." The glance he cast in her direction said that he suspected there was more to it than that.

{Dull introduction stage + Ita = don’t mix. O.o I’m ready to do something interesting! It’s time to FIGHT!}

Ita looked over at Snori who had just arrived from out of nowhere and weakly nodded in greeting. The lupine turned her fur-covered head towards Adsero and Kintora again and gripped her staff.

“Come, Rellik.” Ita commanded to her hyperactive minion, who quickly returned to its master’s side without any fuss. “Yes, my name is Ita.” She confirmed, a smirk still wiped across her face. She took a step backward with her long, muscular lupinic legs and pulled up the hood that came with the cloak she wore. ‘Time.’

Ita’s glowing crimson eyes shone even under the shadow casted by her hood. She bared her teeth; oversized, pearl-white and needle sharp fangs showing not a trace of old age in them. Saliva dripped down her maw again, but this time the lupine didn’t bother to wipe it off. She growled; acting less villainous and more beastlike.

“Gul Ky'ostal lu' Lar Elghinn!” Ita yelled, saliva flying everywhere. This simple phrase activated two spells. The first made a ghastly power fly all around her. It disappeared, but then a suit of ghastly armor formed around her. Breastplate, leg armor, plate arms, boots, and finally a helm appeared upon her, all a gray-blue swirling color. The second spell activated a summon. It looked as if an invisible wind blew three ghosts into being. The first was a satyr spirit wielding a long staff. The second was a satyr ghost identical to the other, except that it carried a sharp scimitar in its hand. The third: A tall Celestial ghost. Huge, once flawless white wings protruding from his back had ripped or tattered wings from the sadness and depression that came with being forced to fight for your enemy. His armor was detailed and provided a good deal of shielding from attack. The weapon of choice: A shortsword held in both hands.

Ita breathed heavily for several seconds to recover from casting the spells. When she had, the lupine took two steps even further backward while the ghostly trio each took a step forward. She smirked. It was such a wicked and crazed smirk, an expression that immediately says, “I’m going to kill you, and you don’t have any chance of beating me! Ha ha!”

“Verin Nizzre.” Ita said: yet another spell incantation. In her left hand (her right was tightly gripped on her staff) was born a ball of crackling negative energy. It floated close to her palm, ready to be launched at an unlucky target.

Kintora's eyes narrowed. Rising to his feet, he uttered an incantation of his own. His eyes flashed, changing from those of a human to those of a dragon. His face stretched out into a draconic snout, and two wings and a tail sprouted from his back. He dropped to all fours, and began to grow, until he dwarfed all three of the humanoids. His eyes blazed, as his true nature was revealed: A shadow dragon. He let out a bellow. His tail uprooted two trees and tossed them straight at the spirits.

"a fight already so impatiant" Snori muttered the same incantation and his body was coverd by the same gastly armour raising a shadow monster he cried "fight only the lupine the others have done no harm!" he then unleshed his ace in the hole he chanted a demonic verse and the cround opend up yealding a deamonic beast. Snori pointed at ita and snarled for it to attack. he then cast halt undead to stop the 'spirit handler' from using her undead spirits againced him. Drawing a spear he charged at towards her.

{Hi, you're godmoding: controlling my character (well, in this case, characters). What if my spirits somehow evaded your spell? It's not your place to say if it "stops the 'spirit handler' from using her undead spirits against you." Perhaps you could word it like, "Snori aims the 'halt undead' spell upon the spirits in an attempt to stop the 'spirit handler' from using her undead spirits against him." I don't know, just a suggestion. O.o

Are ghosts even the undead? Who knows, I'll just play along anyway. :D I've bagged on Panthro enough, sorry about that. >.< *gives him a cookie for tolerating it*}

Ita snarled as she watched Kintora transform into a large shadow dragon.
"A half-dragon, huh? Such scum. They should all be slaughtered in the most ruthless and painful way." Ita mocked. She didn't truly give a care about which races were outcasted and which were not (heck, she was outcasted from her clan herself). "Good thing, though, that that is what will happen to you right now." She watched with pleasure as all three spirits dodged the incoming trees that were launched at them.

"Poor, poor little creature." the lupine taunted. But then a verbal challenge met her sensitive ears, this time coming from Snori. She bared her teeth as he activated a spell identical to one of hers. Suddenly, her two satyr ghosts were frozen in place. Ita was furious.

"Damn you!" the soul handler roared, launching the negative energy that she held at Snori. The Celestial ghost, the only one of Ita's minions who evaded the dwarf's spell, stood behind him. The winged man aimed a powerful lunging attack at Snori from behind, trying to stab the necromancer in the back.

{If I godmoded there, well that would sure suck. Hipocrisy is bad. >.<}

(((No you didn't Ita)))

Kintora's dragon form melted into the shadows, disappearing from view completely. There was the rush of air, and a screech as he reappeared, diving for the soul handler, for he now knew that that was what she had to be. Only a soul handler could summon just the spirit of a dead creature, without having a tangible body for it to inhabit.

{{sorry ita... and everyone ells i didnt mean to im very sorry it spoils it for every one}}

The attack made by the winged man struck home on snoris back the gastly armour taking most of the brunt of the atack but it did peritrate leaving a nasty gash in snoris back. Snori screamed not from pain but in rage as he tured and slashed upward with his spear knocking the man back he took his cance to dive into cover with the wound in his back bleeding freely he cast darck regeneration on it and it begain to heal with a purple light beign imited form it. Dissy form the blood loss he leaned out of cover and aimed Enveration at the winged man sending the crackling bolt towards him.

The demonic beast continued its headlong charge at Ita leaving a trail of fire in its wake. coming close to its target it tensed ready tp pounce.

(promise not to do it again and I'll leave the hammer in it's box ^^ and sorry for taking so long to reply)

Adsero drew her swords and let fire engulf her. Though people never stopped trying to remind her that fighting was bad, she still thought it was a hell of alot more fun then doing nothing. So, dispite the fact that she may very well lose, Adsero was smiling and singing a little out of tune as she charged towards Ita. "Trying to avoid the creepy undead spirits." She skirted around the two immobile satyrs and sent a rush of fire ahead of her, careful to instruct it not to injure any of her companions. She steped lightly as she ran, making her way over to Ita quickly and wondering what was up with evil people trying to kill her lately. Maybe I smell funny... But there was no time to worry about it now as one sword swong from above and another shot toward Ita's stomach.

{Lol!!! :rotfl: :lol: Haha, that gave me a good chuckle. :p Characters like that are so freaking funny.}

Ita watched in delight as one of the ghosts she controlled inflicted a wound on Snori. However, soon an ear-shattering screech met her ears...Kintora was behind her. She just barely managed to jump out of the way of the diving reptile, crashing into the ground a few feet to the left of where she once stood. Ita, within moments, got up and dusted off her cloak, which was covered lightly in dirt from the fall. She barely managed to catch a glimpse of her Celestial ghost getting completely pulverized by the Enervation spell that Snori had casted upon it. But then, the burning shape of Adsero seemed to come out of nowhere, slamming one sword into her right shoulder and another into her stomach...

The lupine was in unimaginable pain. She stumbled back a few steps and finally fell to her knees, wounds spewing blood and soaking her cloak with the red liquid. She seemed to struggle to breathe, coughing up blood and letting it drip down to the grass. Rellik flew over to his master. His motions showed of his concern, but there wasn't anything he could do for her.

"O-olath...O...goth..." the spirit handler said between belches of plasma and cries of pain. A black light enveloped all of her wounds. It subdued the bleeding and closed them a slight bit. It would take time for the spell to reach its full healing capability, but for now she was alright.

Meanwhile, one of the satyr ghosts (the one that held the scimitar) had broken free of Snori's immobilization spell. It seemed to have the combined rage of all of the battle participants as it leaped everywhere, slashing at the three that opposed its master with bestial vigor. After attempting to land a couple blows on each, it ripped the staff from the other satyr's hand and dual-wielded its way to a few more attempted attacks.

Kintora bellowed as the satyr spirit sliced at his wing. His bellow turned into another ear-splitting shriek when the next slash from the satyr sliced a chunk out of his crest. His tail shot out towards the satyr, with the intention of either snatching the weapon, or immobilizing the creature.

Snori's demonic beast slammed into one of the satyr spirits{{ the wepon less one}} freeing it from the spell binding it but it turned to it it fell back on its hind legs ready to jump upon it. She cant keep this up not againced three of us and she will die if she fight for to long he thaught ive got to imoblise her to stop her from killing herself... He jumped up form behind his cover and charged towards ita with his master work spear slowing at the last second thrusting the spear between her legs and continued to run trying to trip her.

(glad you liked it ^^ Adsero has interesting internal dialogue)

The satyr sliced across her arm, sending a stinging pain through the limb. Blood slid down her arm, landing with a hiss on the ground and leaving the drit scortched. The acid blood wore away the very edge of the blade where it had cut but the sword remained a deadly weapon and now the satyr had a staff as well. Snori Was off to the side of them keeping Ita occupied and so Adsero figured she could spend a few minutes paying the satyr back for yet another wound. I'm gonna have to mend this shirt later too. Damn i hate sewing. So that she wasn't completely abandoning her other comrade, she summoned up a fire elemental to aid him while she kept Ita's minions at bay. "Help Snori." She threw the elemental a sword and nodded in snori's direction before running towards the satyr, aiming for a slice across the chest.

(panthro.....i'm confused on who's attacking who in your post. And I thought the point was we were trying to kill her (no offense ita). Oh, and you can manipulate the elemental as you like within the rule limits if you like. He's got a semi solid form. Think.....firey jello maybe?)

{{well for one thing think how much it hurts to belly flop into water i think it would have enough force to knock some one over with ease and my charicter dosn't mind ita so he dose not wish to kill so incapasitaing her would stop you and Kintora killing her as your not evil and to the question of whos attacking who my demonic beast is atacking the weponless satyr not the one attacking kintora sorry i just realised its not my turn to post... im an idiot}}

{Ita's not going down without a fight. But she will retreat in a couple more posts, so unleash your deadliest attacks ASAP.}

Ita, now better, got up on all four legs. She was extremely nimble in this state, making it harder for her to be knocked down or hit with a melee weapon, but it would be slightly harder to cast spells and impossible to hit anyone with her staff. She leaped around in a taunting manner, narrowly dodging the charge of Snori's spear (although her hind leg did get cut a bit from the evasion) and continuing on.

***

The satyr holding the scimitar and staff danced around its opponents {not literally}, slashing blindly with the blade and whacking with immense power with the staff. It turned to face Adsero, planning on landing another wound, but the ignigena sliced it in the chest. The satyr spirit stumbled, and despite the immense pain it was in, still didn't make any noise. It bared its worn teeth at Adsero and prepared to stab her brutally.

But something stopped it. The huge, black tail of Kintora shot out at the satyr, immobilizing it when its scimitar was halfway away from stabbing Adsero (which would have meant certain death for the Guardian). Ita witnessed this as she darted around the battle underway.

"Mutt!" she roared while unsummoning the satyr. Everything but the staff disappeared. Ita flew over to get it and tossed it to the other, currently unarmed satyr ghost.

***

The other satyr caught the ghostly staff and began to twirl it in elegant (but deadly) flourishes. It had just been slammed to the ground by Snori's demonic beast, but now it was back on its feet and ready to kill. It leaped into the air and held its staff vertically, ready to fall upon the demon and impale the staff into its head.

The dragon laughed, rumbling. "So now I am a mutt, is that it?" He laughed again. His head shook in disbelief. "No worse of a mutt than you, now am I, Lupine?" His tail uncoiled again, and shot towards Ita, intent on sweeping her feet from under her so that one of the other two could nail her. He roared when he missed, however. That miss had left him vulnerable, so he pushed off, launching himself into the air...

Snori roared in rage at the demonic beast to move and it started to but only a little to late and got the staff embedded in its shoulder belowing in pain it flicked itself around and made to bite the satyr

***
Snori rather than become enraged by his near miss braought the back end up on the counter swing trying to conected it with the back of ita's head.

(Devin, aka adsero, apologizes for not only being late but for not being able to post an in character reply. My computer broke and we've been unable to fix it. I've only got a little time to post so sorry. I'll be back when I can, promise. Um, until then.....I've backed up a bit and am charging up for a powerful fire spell or something. sorry again.)