Ciraxis opened his eyes.

The rainforest was completely muddy, and Ciraxis's talons were stuck to the dirt. It took a bit of effort to pull them out, but it was a nuisance.

"It's worth it... it's worth it..." he repeated to himself.

But the rainforest was not going to give up. It continued to annoy Ciraxis beyond his normal patience limit. He easily got aggravated, and wanted to fly. He so, desperately wanted to fly there. Too bad his wings were muddy from tripping. They wouldn't fly for a while.

Ciraxis continued walking down the muddy trails, every once in a while falling into a deep bunch of gooey mud. Each time, he groaned and got out of it, dirty right after cleaning from the last time it happened.

He encountered a tree. Right in the middle of the path! Ciraxis sighed, and gripped the tree with both arms, and began to rip the tree from it's roots. It was a tad slow, perhaps a couple minutes, before Ciraxis got it out of the ground, and away from the path. He grinned at his success, and continued walking down.

Tonight sure was boring.

The sun had now set over the western horizon; evening had just begun. Seraph wandered around aimlessly through the thick brush of the Taurerosa Rainforest. He had traveled a great distance to escape Lomedor, to escape his thirst. He hoped that by fleeing to the wilderness he would not be tempted by blood. So far he had been able to escape the temptation by avoiding humans, but the thirst grew rapidly each passing day.

Seraph had no one to keep him company other than his dragon, Marius. He was once Mordecai’s dragon, but he had been passed down to the young vampire so that it could watch of its master’s pupil, and Seraph was happy to accept a companion. Ever since being turned he had few things to talk to. It took all he had to keep from going mad.

Suddenly the two heard a loud noise of something cracking wood to their right. Seraph was content in leaving it alone, but Marius burst with excitement and thundered off through the forest toward the noise. The vampire tried to stop his friend, but there really was no hope in this scrawny boy stopping a monstrosity of a dragon.

Eventually Seraph gave up and simply followed the dragon to the noise. He had no clue where he was taking him, and he was a little worried that there would be a human there that had been responsible for the noise. But he did not want to leave his friend behind.

Marius came to a slippery stop on the forest floor. Trees were uprooted by her massive body as they caught it path. Seraph was close behind her, and immediately saw why the dragon had been in such a fit. There was another dragon here or at least half of a dragon. The shape of the body looked humanoid, but it was covered in scales with two wings.

Seraph was a bit relieved. He could tell that there would be no temptation to drink this dragoon’s blood. It would be impossible to bite through the scales. “Hello,” the vampire called waving his hand in greeting, “I am sorry if my friend startled you. I am Seraph. Who might you be?”

Nathaniel was tired of all these forests. Utterly. True, this place had the distinction of rainforest, but that hardly made it any more enjoyable. Being hit with stones, set on fire, and a number of other unpleasant things he'd have been just as glad to turn around and go back to the city. Instead here he was, trudging through the dark forestry with the clear definings of determination in each step. It was a fight to pull his feet out of particularly thick mud at times, but Nathaniel's trance like state left him ignorant to such things. Even the chirping insects were ignored, the bravest of them winning his attention for as long as it took to burn them before he continued on.

Yes, Nathan had brought fire. The fiasco from before had left him wary of it, but there was simply no other way to travel through these dark parts without it. Besides, the fire would have difficulty travelling off of his torch; damp, warm air was not an inspiration for it to spread. The fire performed its task dutifully in such weather as well; the trails were lit and allowed the warrior holding it to travel safely. For the most part. Nathaniel had ensured to bring his sword with him, the metal occasionally catching the orange glow and glinting like a beacon in the wet lands. It wasn't long before other things were glinting though; particularly the path ahead. It was set on a ridge, and during this time of the year it constantly flooded. Waist deep water filled with leeches, tadpoles, and a number of other distasteful things crawled about in it.

Regardless, Nathaniel had to pass through it to get to his goal. Drawing in a deep breath he mentally cursed whatever deity had handed him this fate, then stepped forwards and into the water. His wore two sets of pants for this, specially tucked into his ankle boots so that nothing would crawl up his legs. Still, it was thoroughly unpleasant to wade around in the water, especially when the transition from ankle-deep and waist-deep was a slow one. Time gave way to anticipation and disgust. Black specks floating on the water clung to his clothing, and he'd been forced to hold both arms above the water, one with the torch held high and the other with his sword drawn so it wouldn't rust. A water spider skittered onto his shoulder, though within moments skittered off; no doubt something else catching its small attention span.

A brush against the ankle, a nudge against the thigh; apparently fish had sought the solace of this water as well. It was weird, for he was under the impression it drained regularly. Then again, there were many things that he did not understand; he was a man of only those skilled needed in life to survive. Some of his basics were more than what others could claim, but still not enough to make him anything more than a simpleton. He was not well read or learned, and indeed his reading and writing was thanks to position he'd had for a number of years. It had been embaressing to be in his twenties and have to hire someone to teach him such skills, but the man had wisely chosen not to taunt the dark haired man.

"Blast this infernal place. It should've burned to the ground." With nothing but contempt and irritation the man did not notice time passing, and soon enough he was once again out of the water and on the muddy trail. His boots gave squealching noises with every step, and folds in his clothing saw the deposit of water droplets and small fish that had been caught. Nathaniel paused long enough to smooth out his clothing, knocking off a number of black flecks and ashes, and even a few water creatures. When he'd been young he might have been fascinated, but what held his attention now was something far more grand; a dragon. Or so the rumors went, anyways. Though he had never encountered a dragon, he naturally hated them. His prejudice against other races was strong, and he'd brought up on tales of how evil the things were. As always Nathaniel was performing a great deed for the whole of Arda, even if it didn't see it.

And yet. There was also that interesting tidbit he'd picked up about it not being a full dragon. About some half human half dragon, a bastard child of an unwanted love. Such spun tales were common, though with those two species running in the things blood Nathaniel couldn't help but pause. It wouldn't have mattered if the product had been made when Curin blessed a statue; the simple fact of it was that Nathaniel needed to help the creature. Halflings were only half bad after all, and could, with proper schooling, be brought over to the good side. Used to track and kill those of their own kind, given their own abilities. Though eventually he'd like to see even halfbreeds eliminated, he did not doubt their usefulness.

Which was why he came alone, without any bandits or mercenaries. On his own accord he had decided to reach out to this misguided spirit and try to help it. If it refused, well... He'd brought his blade as well. Nathaniel wasn't keen on fighting a dragon, but if it couldn't be helped then it was nothing less than duty to see to the end of its life. But words first. Lately he had been too quick to action, and it had cost him quite a fair bit of physical health; he knew how to use his words to twist others around his fingers, and he would do just that.

Eyes glinting in the light, he caught a sight that made him pause. Skid marks. It could have quite possibly been a werewolf, or a malboro. If it was, better to have it out in the open right now. If it was the dragon, well... that'd be quite the useful discovery indeed. Even more importantly, he could hear whats sounded like the tearing of bark, and possibly another voice. "Hello? Is someone out here?" Without any strung together consonants the harsh dialect of his voice couldn't be heard. Perfect. I'm just a harmless snack, no doubt. A smile touched his illuminated lips.

Ciraxis's massive body stopped moving, as he seemed to sink into the ground a bit.

He turned to face the vampire, casting a gaze on the form. It seemed like quite the vampire, but why would it be out here? Ciraxis seriously doubted that any random person would just come waltzing up, greeting someone who could easily tear someone apart and eat them if it weren't for his-------- dragon.

He nods at the vampire, and responds.

"My name is Ciraxis, the Aegis of Arda. I am a half-breed, consisting of half-human and half-dragon specimen. My mother was a black dragon who mated with a male human, somehow. Eventually, I was incubated within an egg, and eventually, hatched, even though I was half-human. I was hungry when I became born, and naturally started biting my father. I grew teeth. I started eating my father when I was hungry. I ended up killing him, and my mother just laughed. My mother is a blessing." he monologued.

He sighed, and took a small bow, even though it was really strange why he did it. Perhaps it was because he introduced himself so very nicely. He probably gave too much detail for a Who are you, but nevertheless, he liked distinguishing himself.

"Now. Who are you---" He basically finished his sentence, but his ears twitched when he heard someone calling out. He brought a friend? This doesn't seem good., he thought to himself.

Now, his introduction of himself was fine and dandy, but this man could be a staker, for all he knew. He could be some person who wanted to kill Ciraxis for no apparent reason. Maybe Ciraxis ate a cow, and it belonged to this person? Maybe Ciraxis stole something from him? Ciraxis was just being paranoid. He considered himself stupid for thinking that he was going to be attacked.

Another yell.

"... who are you and who is yelling?" Ciraxis inquired. He already seemed suspicious of this man, and the yelling just made his suspicions worse. Perhaps he would have a nice feast before trekking off further to change himself to a full black dragon. Perhaps he would have assistance? Either way, Ciraxis did not care. He just wanted to become a full fledged dragon. Why was it so hard? Leeches, then a a pack of wolves, then these people?

Ciraxis awaited an answer.

Nathaniel at first heard nothing, and so he took a few steps closer. The wooden torch in hand was twisted, so that the flames lapped longingly at the ground and the end of it was held poking out the top of his fist. The grass was wet, and it stood no chance of burning. There were a few torn pieces of bark that could be problematic, but nothing he couldn't avoid. The male was doing little more than stand perfectly still after all, dark eyes the same satin shade of blue as the sky as he stared upon the sight ahead. Normally the path would have been black with shadows, but with the trees severed and strewn about the moonlight was able to pour its pale light upon the three.

One clearly appeared to be a dragon. The man's hand tightened slightly on the hilt of his blade as he considered the prospect of killing it. If that was the halfbreed, it was clearly too far gone to be saved. It looked too little like a human to ever be forgiven for the crime of birth.

"My name is Ciraxis, the Aegis of Arda." Those words were enough to still the rage of Nathaniel, at least for now. The common tongue fell not from the lips of the dragon, who in truth acted more like some over sized dog than a fearsome demon. Still, bathed in light the lizard-like thing was as repulsive as the stories claimed. Thick scales of a demented yellow on its underbelly were like the scales of the mindless fish of the sea; fish from the pond he'd waded in, even. The thick black areas from the dragon looked dry in areas, showing the typical signs of worn creases. Ugly, ugly beast; it'd be fitting to kill it. Not far off was another creature of black scales, though this one smaller. He was too far to make out a mouth, but was it possible this was the speaker?

"I am a half-breed, consisting of half-human and half-dragon specimen. My mother was a black dragon who mated with a male human, somehow." Nathaniel's grin grew. Clearly this was the one he was looking for, then. He decided not to think hard on the matter of conception, because being the self indulgent male he was he felt a tinge of jealousy at another man performing such a feat. There was taming dragons, but that was truly a story of its own. Still the halfbreed continued, and Nathaniel stifled his thoughts so that he may hear better.

"Eventually, I was incubated within an egg, and eventually, hatched, even though I was half-human." Odd. So then, could this half breed still be considered a mammal? Egg born. Interesting. "I was hungry when I became born, and naturally started biting my father. I grew teeth. I started eating my father when I was hungry. I ended up killing him, and my mother just laughed." Suddenly Nathaniel wasn't quite as envious as the halfling's father. In fact, he felt outraged that some female would sit idly by and encourage her son to kill his father; different race or not. He'd heard of some other species performing such practices, but that barbaric sort of approach was precisely why dragons had such poor reputations. His chest swelled with indignation, urged even more to wipe out the scum that were dragons.

"My mother was a blessing." Blasphemy! Who was he to claim his mother was right? Obviously this half creature was very misinformed, and dangerous as well if he'd eaten his own father. Perhaps talking wasn't a great idea. But then, facing someone such as him wasn't looking too great a choice either. Decisions, decisions. Which route to go? His foot shifted, and he considered turning away and leaving, but something caught his eye. Another being, one of whom was male if the light and Nathaniel's eyes did not decieve him. The shoulders looked the right proportion for such a gender, anyways. Nathaniel hadn't been close enough to initially hear the vampire introduce himself, but he had suspicions the other might not be draconian. Would he not know of his own if he were?

Still, better safe than sorry. The dark humanoid shape gave a bow, and Nathaniel could only assume this was the Ciraxis he had heard tale about. Perhaps there was no matter of allying at all; he would simply need to kill the other and be done with it. But how, with the other dragon so close? Likely an ally, if not the thing's mother. He needed back up, warriors, barbarins, anything. Someone who could weild a sword and form a meat shield between him and the dragon man. But the way back was far, and if he moved now the light from the torch would no doubt give him away. He would need to wait here, silently, until he could come up with a thoughtful plan.

"... who are you and who is yelling?" Damnit. No doubt the trees and branches had twisted his words, slowing there flow. It was not unheard of, when the moist warm air sat low to the ground and not a single breeze blew. He couldn't deliberate over being caught though, he needed to decide what to do, immediately. He could step out and reveal himself, but what if he was merely eaten? Then again, running away was just as likely; someone had told him that you were never meant to flee from those that would eat you, for it only spurred them on to chase. Perhaps talking was in order, some sort of peaceful approach. For now. Until he could get back to Lomedor, strike up a crew and rip the wings right off of the beast.

As was dreadfully apparent, Nathaniel was never a fan of his mother, even taking her life. He had, however, had a great deal respect for his father.

"It is only I, a... friend, in a sense. I do hope you don't mind my rather rude entrance, but I heard... tales. In the cities." His arms were raised, though his sword sat in one and the torch in the other. If need be he could spring into battle at the drop of a hat. "It's... quite amazing to see you for real." A smile played with his lips, gushing every bit the fanboy he could. He felt none of it, but manipulation was something he could perform when the need arose. His biggest threat was the vampire, who he stood wary of as well. Not because he suspected the other a vampire, but rather because he feared him to be a dragon too. It was good for both of them; if Nathaniel had known the other was a vampire he'd have already attacked, rather than attempt any civil form of control over the three.

Slowly his dark gaze shifted to the massive black ash dragon, before trickling away and back to Ciraxis. A boyish smile and wide eyes were well illuminated by the glow of his torch, his messy hair only adding to the look.

Ciraxis shifts his gaze towards the man that has just appeared. His eyes quickly narrow, as he realizes he has been spied on. He seems angry that this intrusion has called, as he seemed about ready to just breathe fire on the hapless warlock. But he maintains his 'cool'.

Apparently, the man has heard of Ciraxis's words. Ciraxis could use this to his semi-advantage, perhaps to clarify. Or perhaps Ciraxis could use his bravery and attack the mere human. No, that's being openly hostile, and would not result in a friendly response. Ciraxis's goal was to be a full fledged dragon so he could spread chaos, not die because he decided to attack some random person who just HAPPENED to be walking by, who might be one who could easily dispatch Ciraxis. Well, he could just say hello and go along his righteous way, destroying whatever was in his way. If the human got in the way, he'd be in trouble. That sounded like a good idea.

But there was something unnerving about this man. He seemed to boil with fury and anger towards others, as if he was the superior race. It was like this man seemed to hate every other living thing that wasn't pure human.

"It is only I, a... friend, in a sense. I do hope you don't mind my rather rude entrance, but I heard... tales. In the cities." said the human.

Ciraxis was mentioned about? That's very strange. Ciraxis isn't anyone worth noting, yet. Was this a ploy to try and lure Ciraxis into a trap of some sorts? This man seems despicable, in fact, inferior! Ciraxis could easily destroy and devour this man without much effort. So why not try? No. Once again, that would be openly hostile, and blah blah blah, something about dying, blah blah blah. Well, there was one way to solve this.

"I killed my father just because he abused me. He thought I didn't turn out right because I was unpure. Not a full human." Ciraxis sighs.

"He shouldn't have mated with a dragon." he adds.

Ciraxis imagines back when he was but a baby half-breed. Cute. He would go out and play with another animal, sometimes biting it. Then his father would come with a sword, and attack Ciraxis. You have to learn to be civilized, fool!

Well, that won't happen anymore.

"Now. Who are you and why must you intrude?"

Seraph listened to the human-dragon’s introduction; although, he was quite bored with it. The undead did not much care for titles of the living. The living constantly paraded around blood and fame; the undead merely laughed at their foolishness. Such things could not be taken to the afterlife so why bother.

Seraph was about to answer the human-dragon’s question; although, he had already given it his name. But before he could another creature crept out of the darkness. Seraph’s body immediately went rigid when he saw it. It was human, and it had been weeks since he had last fed. His body could not take the presence of fresh blood being near.

Seraph’s whole body stiffened up as the man spoke to the dragon. It was taking him every once of energy to control himself. Marius let out a low growl sensing his friend’s distress. The vampire tried his best to not look at the man. Every once of his body wanted to sink his fangs into his neck; only his soul complained. Eventually, he came to realize he could not hold it back.

“Enough!” Seraph screamed at the two, “get out of here human, if you value your life. You are in grave danger if you stay. There is a beast who wants to kill you, and I cannot stop him. If you do not leave soon, he will rip you neck open and feast on you. You must leave immediately!”

"I killed my father just because he abused me. He thought I didn't turn out right because I was unpure. Not a full human. He shouldn't have mated with a dragon." Nathaniel resisted giving a very loud, 'duh', instead nodding empathically. It seemed foolish that any man would bed a dragon and expect a full human, but he did not question the idiocy of some of the more delusional men. Particularly thick-headed, if he'd gone ahead and beat some half dragon in full view of its mother. The man was lucky to have recieved such a merciful death; cruelty was a simple manner for creatures as dragons, who were rumored to live forever. But enough of that, he needed a plan. If the other had killed his father because of cruelty, then it was possible he could be reasoned with.

"Now. Who are you and why must you intrude?" Nathaniel straightened. When Ciraxis had spoken he had slowly lowered his arms, letting them hang at his sides. The torchonce more teased the grass with short breaths of flame, and the very tip of his sword rested on the forest floor, the hilt held sturdy in his hand. "Like I said, I'm a man from the village... Nathaniel. I uhh, wanted to see if it was true, y'know? I haven't seen many dragons where I'm from." He offered a wide smile, though with a single glance at the dragon pet of the Vampire his face fell into one of awkwardness. Also a game, though one would have to be able to see through bluffs to notice.

"Sorry to barge in. I can go, if you want, I just... I wanted to see, y'know?" All the while his voice was smooth, if not somewhat bright. After spending so much time at the pubs, he was used to the drunks and how they acted. Some of them would drink only a few beer and start staggering everywhere, but the more reserved ones were just easily engaged when drunk enough. After speaking his eyes roved to the sight of Seraph, roving over him slowly. "Are you a dragon t--"

"Enough!" Nathaniel's words died in his throat, and he looked genuinely confused. He was. "Get out of here human, if you value your life. You are in grave danger if you stay. There is a beast who wants to kill you, and I cannot stop him. If you do not leave soon, he will rip your neck open and feast on you. You must leave immediately!" Nathaniel stared for a long while at the vampire, not quite comprehending what the other had said. Was he telling him to flee? Warning him? Of what? The other dragon? Maybe the halfbreed wasn't as civil as he seemed... It wouldn't be the first time a creature played the role of a caring creature to lure another into its trap. But why would this other one warn him, if it were so?

Shifting unsurely he looked between the three, his shoulders tensing. Every fiber was alive, every nerve screaming as he paid attention to that which surrounded him. It was impossible for something to sneak up behind him without some magic spell when he was like this; snapping twigs, calling birds, and even the whispering wind went noticed and catalogued by the warrior. At this point attacking him from behind would result in a swift blade to the gut; it was likely a similar fate for anything that attacked him from ahead. Though he didn't seem like much of a warrior, it was difficult not to recognize his stance of defense. Tensed legs for bracing, arms held apart, back straight. Hsi fingers squeezed the hilt of his sword slowly.

Then Nathaniel broke out into a small smile. "I'm ah... trained. I came armed; the woods are dangerous. Just.. what wants to kill me, exactly?" His dark eyebrow was raised, though such facial expressions were mostly lost in the shadows of the wood. "Or are you one of those.. prophet people?" Why didn't he heed the warning to run? Because a very clever warrior had gifted him with quite a nice bit of logic, even if he would denounce ever having heard it from her. It was the simple fact that byrunning in the woods he was more likely to encounter a monster than if he stayed where he was. He also attracted less attention this way. Unless one of them planned to kill him, in which case...

He was ready.

Ciraxis glared at the vampire.

"If you are referring to me, I would not harm without decent reason." Ciraxis informed the vampire.

He turned to the human. "Fear not, human. Unless you have come with hostilities, I shall not devour you. I am not fearsome if I do not wish to be."

Indeed, Ciraxis seemed to be in a more casual pose, at least what he could do with his current frame and build. He really wasn't the one for casual speak, casual eating, or even casual fighting, but he has learned to maintain himself, regardless of his impatience.

It seemed as though this human was afraid. Ciraxis sighed, as that was not his intention. Well, he did have a skill of intimidation, after all. Perhaps that was it. Regardless, Ciraxis would just wish that the man keep his stature, lest Ciraxis give into cravings and devour him, not caring for what he said. So Ciraxis then shifted his body, and gave another small bow, in respect towards the human. Chaotic Neutral had decencies.

Anyways, Ciraxis had one issue with this human. If this human has never seen a dragon before, then he must not get out often. However, Ciraxis had to admit, he WAS quite the figure, being the mild narcissist he is.

Ciraxis stood there, an odd casual look on his face, body, and even his own weapon. He eyed the man carefully, making sure he wasn't any traitor of the sort.

Strange.

Seraph could not tell what the others were saying to him. He could focus on nothing but the thirst. His head felt like it was about to split open. He screamed in agony trying to focus on holding the thirst off. He had never felt the thirst so strongly before. His entire body was beginning to react to it. His arms began thrashing about uncontrollably, and his body rocked back and forth on his shaky legs. He eyes balls grew bloodshot then became covered in blood. The vampire had heard of a blood craze, but he was still young and had never experienced one before. Vampires had been known to go insane and kill dozens in this state.

Marius let out a loud growl. He was confused by his master’s actions. He understood his master’s need for blood and knew he must be thirsty as he had not had a drink in a long time, but he had never seen him like this before. The dragon’s massive tail began swinging back and forth, and his wings began to flutter as panic set in. He tightened his jaw and showed off his large white fangs which shimmered in the moon light. He was afraid that one of the strangers was somehow responsible for this.

Seraph’s mind became oblivious to the world around him. All he could think of was blood. All he could feel or hear was his heart pounding like a drum. The pain in his head ceased. His arms and legs became still. It was as if the whole world had stopped, and everything suddenly became clear. He took a step forward then fell face first into the mud. He had passed out from the stress the ‘craze’ had placed on his mind.

Ciraxis took a quick glance towards the man, seeing him convulse. But after a split second, he quickly turned to him, taking a step back. He seemed startled and shocked at this completely random thing. After watching the man fall into the mud, he quickly pulled him out, seeing as the man was unconscious. Ciraxis growls at the human.

"Were YOU responsible for this? You have come to try and annihilate us?!" Ciraxis yells at an incredibly fierce tone, that would severely intimidate. (( OOC: See my intimidate skill/feat. ))

He quickly looked at the concerned dragon, and spoke in a language known as Draconic.

Translation: You apparently know this man. I am going to come up there, and strap him on you, while you seek him to safety. Please let me know how it turns out.

Ciraxis seemed to take forever to talk, but he was extremely fluent in it, being his natural language.

Ciraxis flew up to the top of the dragon's back, and rested the man there. The dragon seemed concerned still. But Ciraxis still went on. He took a few ropes, and tied them around the dragon's chest area, and then back, but away from the wings, as he tied the man to the dragon, safe and sound.

Translation: Alright, go.

After he said that, he quickly turned to the human. For Ciraxis's massive self, it seemed hard to move that fast. But he growled fiercely, as wildlife near scurried away in extreme fear. Some just fainted.

Ciraxis speaks in an extremely angry tone. "Did you do this?!"

He seemed really concerned for some reason. This wasn't natural of Ciraxis. Surely something must be wrong.

Roja Bloodbane loathed the mud, he loathed the thickness of the mud, and most of all he loathed the Taurereosa Rainforest. The mud slowed his movement despite his strength but he still managed to slosh through it, leaving a deep trail in the mud for a second or two before it filled back up again. He did not even know why he was out here. All he could think about was these lands burning. He thought it would be at least good for some lighting. His rage piled up on him and he could see no plus side to being out here. There was nobody to fight, nothing to kill, and nothing to eat. It was a hellish place he did not wish to be in any longer. He wanted to attack it and destroy it but the mud kept him slowed and drained but finally he snapped. He took up his mace and slung it through the mud, slapping it on a tree. He continued ot attack the mud for a while until he hit the side of a tree, leaving a hole similar to a bit mark in it. But the hole only went about half-way through it when it should have taken down the whole tree. He let out a groan as he put away his mace and attempted to kick the mud with his mighty hoof, but unsuprisingly he could not even muster that much. He had been thrown from the arena so they could bring more contestants in, but he would return even stronger when they threw him out and eliminate his new competitors.

His energy slowly regained but his breath was still shallow. His tail whipped the mud off of itself and the mighty half-minotaur kicked at a tree that was just off the side of his murky path. It shattered and crumbled at the strength of his kick but left him exhausted. The only good thing he could now see about this hell-hole rainforest was that it provided some training of sorts. He let out a low growl before he could hear some commotion a bit farther in the distance. He sloshed through the mud and peered through some trees to see a half-dragon, a full dragon, and two humans. But something seemed off about one of them. He ignored them and focused on the dragon who seemed to be the tronger of them all. It also appeared that the mud was shallower and thinner than before, acceptable battle conditions. A smile seemed to erupt on Roja's face as he prepared his mace.

He could feel his blood begin to boil, this was the perfect time for one of his beserk phases, and although it would leave him drained in the end he would do a great more deal than normal. He erupted from the trees and swung the mace at the bearded human, following up by swinging his mace and the half-dragon. "Die by my Mace!" He shouted.

Ciraxis got hit when his back was turned.

As he was talking to the half-dragon, he heard lots of splashes. He wondered why the human was getting closer. Perhaps the human had something to say to Ciraxis? Maybe even to the dragon, or the vampire? Nevertheless, Ciraxis liked his space.

Too bad it got violated.

Ciraxis heard the splashes got heavier, and didn't think those were human. He slowly turned around to see what was there. At least he turned. SLAM goes a mace, right to Ciraxis's stomach. Ciraxis arched a brow, but his scales were dented.

"My scales! You son of an ogre!!" Ciraxis roared at the minotaur, an extremely intimidating voice bellowing out from Ciraxis's vocal cords.

He quickly unsheathed his two-handed blade, and launched straight towards the minotaur, sending his blade vertically from the center of the chest to the groin, with exceeding effort. Ciraxis was used to the forest, there was no doubt about that.

Ciraxis was angry.

Alberic flew high above the trees of the rainforest, which wasn't really the smartest idea in the first place but he was on to a stench, or rather above a rather long trail left by some thing very strong. To tell the truth, Alberic wasn't much of a dragon, infact he was more like a Drake than a dragon, he wasn't large enough to be a fully grown dragon nor was he a full fledged dragon. Even if he was a pure bred dragon he would have been the runt of the litter.

Spotting the end of the trail he started his desent into the trees, his wings pulled in and his arms and legs tucked close to his body. He used his tail to put a bit of a spiral on his glide making him spin for a short distance. Getting closer to his target he lifted his head to ascend and spreaded his wings again to slow himself up.

Landing nearly 30 feet behind the Minotaur and slightly to the right of the mud. He landed and started his transformation back into a human. His face shifting and his skull turning to form a rounded head. Alberics spinal cord and tail bone shrunk back down to a normal human sized form, as his arms and legs altered rather severely from a reptilian shape similar to an aligators legs to a more fitting lengthy, straightened posture of a gentleman's apporatus with out the attitude. His wings now rapped around him like a cloak, he really needed to figure out a better way to store them.

Alberic started to walk toward the group ahead not really sure what to think other than beign curious and that he was the cat. Or at least he was in this situation, 'bad kitty' his mind repeated. It wasn't like he was in danger or that he felt any trouble near by, it was that the minotaur had just gotten attacked.

A long cut made it's way down Roja's torso before he backed away. He grunted in pain and readied his mace as he looked in the half-dragon's eyes. He was pissed now and about to go cold-blooded. A state which made him completley mad before knocking hum unconcious. He generally used this to advantage in Lomedor to assur his victory over tough opponents. Now he was using it here for a kind of personal gain. "Not an ogre! A minoaur!" He roared but stopped hmiself from attacking when he heard a slosh of mud behind him. He turned to see a man with dragon wings. "Not another one." He murmered to himself, glancing between the two half-dragons. He roared as his eyes rolled into his head and he began to charge the first half-dragon. He lowered his head and swung his mace at the two blades of the first half-dragon, attempting to open up an area where his horns could try and pierce.


(sorry for the short post :()

OOC: Ciraxis wields a two-handed blade, not two hand blades. :/
OOC: Don't worry 'bout it!

Ciraxis was about to attack, but keeping a ready stance, he looked at the other half dragon, and lowered his guard a bit, to observe him. He seemed to be transforming into a human. Ciraxis mentally cursed himself, wishing he had that power, but unfortunately lacking it. He eyed Nathaniel just standing there for now, and the minotaur, apparently pissed, charged Ciraxis. Ciraxis sighed, and aimed the end of his blade to the ground, diagonally, and pushed out his sword, so that if the minotaur got closer than Ciraxis's range, chances are the minotaur may hit the sword, at the risk of bending the sword. If Ciraxis's plan didn't succeed.... it's going to hurt.

"We must stop this fight! I have no quarrel with you, minotaur! But I shall devour you if you pursue your actions! You do not know what I can do!" Ciraxis roared.


OOC: Sorry for short post. Busy as hell right now. :lol:

Nathaniel's grip didn't loosen on the blade at all. Each hand was steady, holding fast to that which was clutched in it. The torch, held in his offhand, was of a looser grip; still, it was hard to imagine he couldn't defend himself. The amber glow of the torch, held near the sword, made the metal glow in the dim light and appear marvellous hues. Nathaniel managed to keep from distraction though, instead keeping his eyes focused lest one of them attack him while he was enjoying the sight. Then, a deep voice gave him pause;

"If you are referring to me, I would not harm without decent reason." It appeared the half dragon-- Ciraxis, was it?-- had spoken, and when he turned to Nathaniel he confirmed the thought. "Fear not, human." The half beast continued, unhindered and without any fear, "Unless you have come with hostilities, I shall not devour you. I am not fearsome if I do not wish to be." Well, that was good. One less thing to worry about, and possibily even more a sign of weakness to manipulation. The creature had already said it devoured its father for misdeeds; though he cared little of the circumstance, he thought the man deserved it for being as idiotic to test the strength of a dragon. One had to be clever, strike from afar. And never, ever leave the dragon standing. Letting it live was only ensuring doom.

But he had no intentions of killing this one. No, this Ciraxis seemed good for moulding. To be used against other dragons and races, to be convinced to attack other creatures. For the benefit of humankind, Nathaniel would see if the path of this one couldn't be changed. Perhaps even convince the dragon to embrace its human side more, shun the dragon within it. It could never be human, and when the final stragglers of other races were killed he was sure to be done away with as well, but for now he was useful. Capable of civil speech and thought, perhaps even discussion. How Nathaniel loved half breeds; so charmingly pulled they were to being at least somewhat decent, in their own standard of morals.

The other one, though. Now that was a problem. He didn't like the sight of the other black dragon, which stood close to the humanoid figure of the other male. It seemed mindless, no more intelligent than a common sow. Perhaps this Ciraxis could control and tame it though. Nathaniel wasn't fond of the thought of a dragon around, but he would deal with it until the proper occasion arose that he might do away with it. Now all that needed consulting was the male looking figure. Entirely human, with no tail or wings to speak of. "So. Where is this enemy you speak of, then?" As if on cue the black dragon let out a loud growl, and Nathaniel looked to it sharply, tilting his blade as if fearing it would attack. Nathaniel would rather not fight a dragon, for an old friend had delightfully informed him his insides were soft and went well with certain drinks, but he would stand his ground if need be. Die the chew toy of a giant dragon. Shameful, but not as shameful as trying to outrun it only to be caught would be.

The dragon only became more riled, and the hairs on the back of Nathaniel's neck stood up. He could feel the breath of wind as the massive wings swept the air, the tail swinging wildly and glinting fangs revealed by moonlight. The animal looked entirely ready to attack, when suddenly the human man stepped forth; promptly landing face down in the mud. Nathaniel faltered, one shoulder slouching and his whole upper body drawing back in surprise. A soft, "Huh?" escaped his lips, though it was lost to the sounds of the jungle. Quicker than he could decide whether this was a ruse the halfling had stepped over to the fallen man, pulling him out of the mud quickly. Before he could react to the sight the half dragon roared, "Were YOU responsible for this? You have come to try and annihilate us?!"

Nathaniel flinched at the harsh tone, blinking in surprise. The force alone was enough to make his stomach twist and his muscles clench, a savage part of him demanding he fight back for such insults. However, the logical side of him won out, and instead he stood for a moment, dumbstruck. Slowly he lowered his sword, the tip clanking against a rock. The noise fell on deaf ears, as Nathaniel tried to speak. It was odd; normally when he was denying accusations they were true. This, though... he had no hand in. He didn't know what had happened, hadn't been close enough to see the change in eyes and realize it was a vampire. Instead he could only wonder if perhaps the man was underfed, or else suffering from some sort of fever. It wouldn't be unlikely, given the harsh poisons unique to almost every plant in this wretched jungle land.

Still, when it seemed he might have to respond, the other turned away-- flew away, up atop the restless dragon. Nathaniel took a step forward, lifting a hand futiley to reccomend he not do that; what if the damned thing ate him?

Yet, it did not. Ciraxis made odd, gutteral noises that sounded akin to a monster under a child's bed, but by the slow calming of the beast he could only imagine it was some dragon tongue. Why else would you growl at an enraged beast that could swallow you in a single mouthful? When the full dragon calmed enough Ciraxis tied the man to the dragon, finishing with a single gutteral noise and then turning back to Nathaniel. Nathan felt a certain dread, anxiety suddenly slamming through his viens. What if this thing ate him? It was true, his intent here was not noble by their opinions (by his own he was quite the hero and savior) but that didn't mean he had anythign to do with (what appeared to be) an innocent human getting harmed! He opened his mouth, but only gibberish fell out. Then, loudly, the half dragon spoke once more.

"Did you do this?!"

Nathaniel swallowed, then slowly shook his head. His voice was soft, almost a mumble. Still, it was audible enough for the other to hear, if he listened. "I had nothing to do with that.. I don't even know what's wrong." He took a step forward, sheathing his sword and holding the torch low. "Listen, there's a good chance he's injested some form of poison... That, or he is starving. Either way, you should let me look at him. I have some knowledge as to how to help others in such a situation." Honesty rung in his words, because for the first time Nathaniel did actually care. His whole mission was to protect humans and better their lives; it was not at all surprising he would want to help someone clearly in need.

Which is why he was entirely unprepared for an attack from behind. Weapon sheathed, he didn't expect anything but perhaps an attack from the dragon; which he was currently trying to coax into letting him help. Then, like booming thunder he heard an eruption from behind, as if the very heaven's had torn open. He turned in time to look upon a fearsome beast, which uttered a single threat; "Die by my Mace!" There was no time to comprehend there was a half bull creature, nor that it could actually speak. He only had time to try and move out of the way, raising the torch in a sort of defense and bracing it with both arms. His strength wasn't anything compared to Roja of course, and a harsh snap signalled his wrist taking too much strain under the weight of the mace. Abandoning a defense he tried to roll to the side, and in its fury the beast seemed more occupied with conitnuing it's attack on the half dragon.

Too low, too late. The leg of the beast, far more massive than any normal opponent he had trained against, clipped him in the side of the face. A hollow crunch signalled the breaking of a nose, though the angle saved him from ruining his jaw. Tossed like a rag doll he fell to the side of the area, the blow having knocked him out. Usually he would be better prepared for such strikes, but after repeated head injuries during the week, the long trek through the jungle at night, and not to mention the still healing arm which was, once again, broken, he was physically exhausted. He might have been able to heal himself before the green turned to a blurred black, but his energy was so low in reserve even that feat wasn't capable. He could only hope the half dragon feasted on the minotaur and left him alive out of some sense of decency.


...And he was back. Like a simple fire being lit, black coal suddenly bursting in orange hue. Everything hurt, as usual, and for a moment he wasn't sure where he was. Face down, staring at green grass with tints of purple and orange. Not to mention the crusted brown stains, with fresh red liquid leaking on it. Ah, he knew what that was, then. Had he been hit by something, someone? For the record, who would have hit him and tossed him out here? Maybe that mangy wolf had come back to finish him off, or else this was some demented nightmare, a hellish reliving of the battle he'd encountered. Soon fire would leap everywhere, and all he would smell would be the acrid scent of burning life.

But no. The animals weren't making scurrying noises, there was no whistling sentinel blade. He blinked a number of times, before trying to push himself up. A harsh gasp was emitted with that attempt, the so-called warrior drawing his injured arm close to his chest. Certainly this was no dream if he was in pain. Perhaps Hell? With a slow and careful stride he pushed himself into a kneeling position with his good arm, finally taking a look around. A large figure dressed in brown fur was attacking some small black beast, one of which was reptilian appearing from here. Still recovering from the blow he failed to notice the beast of Seraph, or the newly arrived being. Dark eyes, focused on the half tauren and half dragon remained affixed for a strong moment.

Then it clicked. Of course! Shaking his head to get rid of the lingering fuzziness he pushed himself up so that he stood on his feet. He wobbled, almost staggering a moment. Slowly the blurred double images stopped rolling around, settling into single shapes in certain areas. Roja and Ciraxis remained moving of course, but that was to be expected. In fact, it brought up the very good question of whether or not he should intervene. Surely if he got involved he would be maimed, or worse. He was no match for either of them, and to enter would be to seal his fate. Worse, his eyes had caught sight of more movement as it approached them. Another half-dragon?? His mind screamed.

Trying to muster as much dignity as he could he looked to Seraph's dragon. They needed to be moved, or they would be entered into the fight. The dragon could hold its own, but an unconscious man would be toast. Somewhat hunched and cradling his arm, he desperately tried to imagine how to go over and cut the creature free without being devoured by the clearly unfriendly animal he was tied too. Uncertainly he drew his sword. The torch was destroyed and splintered, and would no longer serve any purpose. Carefully, slowly, he began to approach Marius, giving as wide a berth around the three beings currently locked in battle as he could. He tried to keep himself looking as submissive as possible; that was what you did with dogs, was it not? Perhaps this would work, or by some miracle it would understand Nathaniel meant no harm,

He could only pray, as he began inching towards them with his body on full alert for any more "surprises" or further attacks. If the dragon did prove aggressive he could dash into the woods; with how pre-occupied everyone seemed, it'd likely be possible. Unfortunately, without the torch he would quickly become lost and no doubt eaten by some obscure plant or another. What deity had he defied to earn such a cruel fate?

Ciraxis wasn't all that interested, but he might as well have dinner.

As the minotaur got close, and Ciraxis's blade was ready to stab, in it's position, Ciraxis thought... what if they were to be allies? Very strong, very powerful, indeed. But all these ideas were short-lived during the scene.

Ciraxis was not going to be defeated. He will never let himself die on his quest. If he ever is about to die, he'll be sure to unleash the full of his rage before he'd ever expire. The minotaur would be making a big mistake if he were to try and actually kill Ciraxis, as Ciraxis was very skilled. And when he finished his quest, (that which he just started), he would be extremely strong.

Ciraxis couldn't wait.

[OOC: Sorry, Nath's post kinda made me feel small, not to mention there isn't much to post when I already have posted my actions.]

There! Almost there! Nathaniel had managed to close the largest of the gap between him and the bound midian, and tired muscles had given way to an almost drunken stumble as he ran. Like dead weights his arms swung back and forth with every lunge of his feet, not so much as aiding in his balance. His neck, tensed and tilted, had his head low like a picadored bull. Nathaniel wasn't any more agile than one might expect from a crude magician, and after getting beat about like a rag doll he wasn't feeling too swell either. (A few times the sharp wind had even caused him fear he might be bleeding from the inner canal of his ear. Never a good sign.) Still, once he had passed the threshold of Ciraxis and Roja he need only make it a few more paces.

The sight of trees whipped by his peripheral vision, his chest heaving in growing tension as he moved. The muscles of his thighs coiled, some of the definition revealed against dark black pants. Slivers of moonlight lit his path for him, and perspiration crossed his brow. He was not a slow man, but clearly this distance was longer than expected. It made snese though; Ciraxis and Roja were large men, not easily becoming specks in a distance. Had they been the normal size of men Nathaniel's guess would have been closer, and he would have been able to conserve his energy more readily. As it were he was getting low on it, and every winded breath cause gasping pain to sear across his chest. Broken ribs, perhaps? There seemed no way to escape it, breathing in or out hurt the injury.

Still, there was no time to cast his healing magics. He had to make it to the black dragon, had to help the man trapped to it. Roja and Ciraxis were fighting a brutal battle, and he didn't doubt that damage to the surrounding area was imminent. Plus, the black dragon was likely to step in if the halfbreed, Ciraxis, was injured. On the otherhand, who was to say Ciraxis wouldn't go into a draconic blood rage and kill all life in the surrounding area after shedding the bull man's blood. Nathaniel wasn't sure whether they were real or not, but he'd been around enough races that did such feats it wouldn't surprise him. Though he cared little if the minotaur and Ciraxis died fighting one another, the man on the dragon's back he did care about. He'd warned him of the raging minotaur, after all!

He drew closer. He could see the third party engaged in battle, though knew not who he was or from where. A few features labelled him, too, as being half dragon (or else a very talented designer of costumes) and Nathaniel felt no more pity for his fate. Dark blue eyes gleamed in the starry light, meeting the imposing sight of the dragon as he began to slow in his approach. An error on his part, clearly. A shame, given how much effort he'd put into crossing the small area; for with a mighty flutter of wings the beast had taken off.

Still, like an uncomprehending child he gave chase, hoping to grasp at a tail or perhaps dangling claw. There was no such luck, and within moments the dragon's shadow was smaller than Nathaniel's own. When he finally tripped over a branch he stopped, falling to the ground harshly on his knees. His side ached and his breath had a rattling wheeze to it, and he failed to pound the ground in frustration only because he was busy cradling his side. Damnit!! There was no telling where the dragon was going, or even if the man on it would be safe. What if the dragon forgot the man was there, and tried to rub the binds off against a tree, crushing him? Or laid down, rolling atop him. Or, or, or...

A sigh. There was nothing he could do now; it was out of his hands and right into thsoe of Fate. With a wearied sigh he forced himself up, seeming years older than what he was. A slow glance to the still battling minotaur and two half dragons. There was to be no escape from this place; he could not comadeer a dragon any longer, nor did he have light to navigate the forest by. A sharp wind made him touch his ear lightly, and when he withdrew it his hand was dry. It was odd, but he almost felt sad that it wasn't bleeding as he'd initially thought.

Then, his attention turned back to the matter of hand. Escape. The only way out was to throw his lot in with someone; and it looked like the half dragons were the ones to do that with. Drawing in a deep breath, and nearly reduced to tears because of it, he bellowed to the one known as Ciraxis. "This land is not worth the battle, my friend! Come, let us leave! Do not waste your strength on cattle." The last word was harsh and bitter, and muttered with such disdain there was a possibility no one had heard him. Nathaniel made no attempts to annunciate what he'd said or move closer to see if Ciraxis had heard, merely stayed his safe distance and watched silently, arm cradling his side. The broken one hung limp at his side, and over all he looked strikingly mortal by the night's soft glow.

Ciraxis, in the midst of battle, decided that he'd better finish this battle quickly. He was getting hungry, and some minotaur sounded fine right about now.

"This land is not worth the battle, my friend! Come, let us leave! Do not waste your strength on cattle." a far out voice called. Ciraxis quickly moved his head around to look for the voice.

The place was very muddy. Trees embroidered the surface of the thick muddy reserves. The trees themselves seemed to swell with eerie fright, as Ciraxis had just realized how awful this area was.

He looked at the shadow, and apparently decided it was him. He decided to stand back, and sheath his sword in his back quickly, hoping that the minotaur did not attempt a quick strike. Such a strike would incapacitate Ciraxis, if not kill. He tried to spread his wings, but they were stuck together with dry mud. He flexed the wing muscles tightly, while still trying to spread them, as they suddenly erupt into large, semi-beautiful black dragon wings. That is, if you can call black dragons beautiful. He jumped up, and started hovering, quickly eying the source of the voice. He launches towards him at a fast pace, wings flapping hard, as he holds out his arms to pick up, who apparently was, Nathaniel.

THUD!

Ciraxis nearly fell, as he grappled onto Nathaniel. He became very wobbly for a moment, as his right wing lightly clipped a tree. It smarted! But in a quick moment, he got upright properly, and flew up. As he saw the wonderful view of the forest, he started speeding the direction he intended to go. He seemed to be going very fast for his size, and he didn't seem to be straining at all. He had a comfortable grip on Nathaniel. He was using both his arms to make sure that Nathaniel was comfortable on his back. Sure, the wings there took up a lot of space, but his 'lower' back (no, not his butt)was free of anything. So he rested Nathaniel there, as Ciraxis stay in a completely horizantal position. He held onto Nathaniel until he was ready to hold on for himself. This proved difficult for Ciraxis, because if his arms hit his wings, he'd crash fast. Not to mention the very high altitude. (OOC: It's not dirty. Get your mind outta the gutter, foo! I might have bad sentence structure, but it's cause I'm dumb! >_< )

Nevertheless, he made sure Nathaniel was 'safe' and comfortable, as he flew the direction. They were making good progress. Our next stop was Alulanta Falls. Did Ciraxis know that? No. It would merely be his resting point. He was already tired, and straining his wings had absolutely no benefit.

So off they flew. Wee.

Why was Ciraxis doing this?

OOC: Part 2 is going to be in Alulanta Falls.

Alberic slowly walked forward only to see that the other half dragon had bolted toward the human and away from the minotuar. Realizing that Ciraxis was taking off, alberic started to bend at the knees. His arms fell to his sides and he crouched on the ground with his wings spread out over his body as he began to shift back into a dragon.

First his spine, neck, and tailbone grew in a miraculous speed. His head lengthened and smoothed over with scales while a crested structure sprouted from the rear near his ears. Then his arms and legs began to twitch and buldge uncontrollably as the scales and muscles came into shape, contorted at first Alberic started to move into a four legged defensive stance.

Alberic sat almost like a dog as he prepared to lunge into the air and take pursuit of the other half dragon. 'I don't know him but he is like me in a way, i must find the reason for this form,' alberic thought to himself as he took off, with his wings tucked around himself until he was above the trees. Spiraling into the sky and then spreading them to slow the spiral and started to fliy straight after Ciraxis. Not close enough to be noticed but close enough to follow the path where ever it was headed.

((Sorry, I did not realize this was going to turn into a madhouse free for all. I have no intentions of continuing.))

Seraph was out cold, but his mind was still out of control. All it could think of was blood, blood, blood. Inside his head the thirst continued to rage on. Everything that was Seraph was gone. He was completely changed. He was not capable of any thought other than feeding. His curse’s lust for blood had taken over his body. His attempt to flee the presence of humans had failed, and perhaps it had even gotten him in deeper trouble.

Marius knew something was wrong with Seraph. He recognized that Seraph had not been acting in his norm, and now a battle was raging on in the forest. This was not a safe place for his master to be. The dragon decided to flee the fight and save his master. He ignored the other around him and leapt into the air knocking down a few high branches around him. With a few beats of his wing he soared above the forest and off to safety.