That which lurks in the shadows glows the brightest?

(Sorry for not posting for a while my Grandfather just went back to the hospital again. Why does life seem to hate me?)

Finally John had made it to the edge of the clearing. He watched as the stream of ice shot form a cloaked figure to the naga. Well there’s one person who’s going to die. Looking over to the naga he could see Rhoswen in front of the naga. “Why? Why couldn’t she just keep herself out of trouble just once,” he muttered to himself. He had the feeling since he had met her that his life span had cut short by several decades. Although that could just be Felarya in general he reminded himself.

“Think John think,” there had to be something he could do to help his friend. His magic would do little to the naga as most of his magic simply involved making plants grow. His magic was much better suited against more human sized creatures; the best he could likely manage would be to make part naga go numb for a little while.

“Oh well it’s all I got,” he said to himself. He took off running toward the naga’s massive hand. He looked to his own right hand, “Well these aren’t long enough now are they,” he thought. He let some magic pour into the gauntlet and the thorns grew several inches longer. Now if he managed to land a punch he knew that it would leave a cut.
________
(Rhoswen: waiting for Jasconius to post for the naga before I reply.)

(its okay, we understand. I hope your grandfather is doing okay.)

The sudden blast of cold tearing into her back nearly caused a scream to escape her lips. The burning frost dug into her wound, sending forth fresh waves of pain to ripple through her body. She turned in an instant, her steely gaze focusing on the small morsel that had enacted the spell. The figure instantly rushed for cover, hoping, in vain, not to be seen. Despite the pain, though it had now greatly lessened, she still managed to grin, if only slightly. Perhaps she'd make a meal of it next. It was at this moment, however, that she failed to notice a stone hurtling through the air towards her.

An audible crack rang out as the stone smashed into her wrist, shattering into a thousand little pieces. The great naga cringed, reflexively pulling back her bruised hand and, unintentionally, releasing her hold on the now shrunken target of her aggression. Not noticing the development, she swung out with her other hand and sent the cloaked figure - the one who had thrown the rock - flying into the trees. The sight of this brought on a look of satisfaction to her face.

Once again, however, she failed to notice something rushing towards her. Like the stone, the figure running onward had the advantage of surprise.

(Not to seem lazy but I am going to leave the rest of this confrontation to you guys. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment, although not as much as you buddha. Hope your grandfather gets better soon. Just keep going. I'll post when Im ready.)

(Well the doctors let my grandpa out of the hospital. Not really sure that he was ready to go home yet though. )

As soon as the naga’s grip loosened Rhoswen pulled Mort’s shrunken body from the naga. Holding his small body carefully in her hand she flew backward trying to increase the distance between herself and the naga. As she flew backward an idea stuck her. Maybe if the target of the nagas aggression was dead at least in her eyes she would calm down enough to talk some sense into.

Rhoswen created a duplicate of herself at approximately 3 inches in height in her hand. The duplicate quickly placed an illusion on itself to making it appear to be Mort. Rhoswen was now about 5 meters away from the naga. She tilted her head back and lifted up the fake Mort over her mouth and let go. The body fell into her mouth and she swallowed a visible buldge traveled down her throat. The bulge disappeared after making its way to the torso.

“Well now that that’s taken care of,” she her hand containing Mort into her satchel trying to not make the movement seem suspicious, “how about we just have a nice talk and calm down.”
-----------

John watched Rhoswen as she flew away from the naga. He could see that she had swallowed something but wasn’t quite sure what. He could now see that she was trying to talk to the naga. He watched the naga trying to determine whether or not she planned on listening or continuing in her anger driven rage.

Her grin vanished in an instant.

She opened both her hands, searching for the human she had been crushing moments ago. A memory, a realization, flashed before her eyes. The human had shrank just before she'd been hit in the square of her back, before the spell of ice - the remnants of which still made her skin glisten with an icy sheen - had penetrated her open wound. Then there'd been a rock that slammed into her wrist, after which she'd opened her hand to slap away the...

She froze. She'd opened her hand, the one she'd been carrying the human in. A sudden flutter of wings snapped the young naga out of her daze.

Hovering just beyond her reach, a fairy now floated before her, one that looked eerily similar to the human that'd been in the clearing just moments before. In her hand was the human.

Swiping forward, the naga just missed catching the little thief by mere inches. There would be no second chance. Right before her eyes, the fairy nonchalantly gulped down the human.

Her eyes widened.

Seeing the target of her aggression, the human that had so grievously wounded her, the one whom she planned to unleash all her rage out upon in revenge, vanish with a single gulp down the fairies throat was just too much for the giant naga. Her anger spent, she merely slumped in defeat, her green hair falling over her eyes. She had no idea of what to do next.

----------------------

Arofin removed himself from behind the rock he'd used for cover, unsure if the naga had seen him. Whatever fears he had at being found vanished, however, as soon as he saw the beast confronting the fairy. "This should be entertaining," he though, a sly smile forming over his lips as he lowered his staff. No need for him to intervene.

The fairy had beaten it once, she would do so again.

---------------------

Rising from the underbrush beneath the now-shattered trunk where he had landed, Goran started to make his way back to the clearing, back to where Arofin waited for him. Knocking aside every saplings, stone, and foliage that got in his way, the return journey was a quick one. The snag came about when he nearly stumbled over a man who was intently watching both the fairy and naga. One misstep and he likely would have flattened the man.

Goran merely stood where he'd halted, unsure if the man, who's fists he now noticed were covered in fierce-looking gauntlets, was friend or foe.

Rhoswen let out a sigh of relief. She had barely managed to avoid naga’s attempt at her and now at least the naga wasn’t angry. Rhoswen wasn’t trying to depress the naga just get her to listen. Rhoswen carefully flew closer to the naga. “Hello my name’s Rhoswen. What’s yours?” She said her arm extended out toward the naga.
-----
John’s eyes only left the scene before him for a moment before returning to watching his friend and the naga. “What do you want?” he said to the large cloaked figure. He didn’t seem particularly concerned whether or not the figure answered or not just so long as they didn’t get in his way.

Mort slowly opened his eyes and groaned softly. He stretched and then winced as pain shot through him. He felt like he had been quite literally run over by a truck. Looking around him, he saw that he was surrounded on all sides by cloth. He could he hear Rhoswen talking. She was very close. Was he... inside her satchel? No way, he thought. But how? Did she get bigger or did he get smaller? Stretching out an arm, he stifled yet another groan and then gave up. He didn't have the energy to move, so he just relaxed and tried not to think about the pain.

But then, he feltt a surge of energy pass through him. The pain went away and he felt himself losing control of his senses. He almost surrendered to it until he suddenly realised what it was. It was Urael! He shook his head and denied him control. Consequently, the pain came back full force. For some reason, it seemed to hurt even more then it did before. That was a close one. All it would have taken was for Mort to surrender to that warm, painkiilling... calming... relaxing... energy...

"NO! Stop it"

"Goran!"

At the sound of his name being shouted from behind the man, Goran perked up immediately. Staring beyond the figure before him, Goran saw Arofin rushing up towards him, a look of anger on his normally discreet face.

"What is holding you?! Get back in there and kill tha- Who are you?" Arofin said, slightly surprised that yet another figure had shown himself in this conflict. His confusion would have lasted, however, had not a distant hiss from behind snapped him out of his momentary stupor. Intrigue - and pleasantries - could wait. More important issues were at hand.

"I don't know who you, but it appears we will be needing your assistance if we are to take down this foul creature," Arofin stated in a rather abrupt tone, motioning to the naga that lay in the clearing behind him. "What do you say?"

Hearing the man approach John turned his head to get a look at the man as he drew closer. John’s mind filtered through the words the man spoke only half listening to the man. Upon hearing the man’s mention of killing John let out a long breath, ‘Why were people so quick to resort to violence’.

Paying slightly more attention to the man he heard the man ask for his assistance. “I’ll help you for the sole sake of helping my friend, but I have no intention of laying a single unnecessary wound upon that naga either. I expect the same from you as well.”

Arofin knew not what to say. What could he say to a man who refused to kill such a filthy man-eater, one that had likely eaten hundreds. Sure they had likely been lowly riffraff, but they were still human lives, more than anything one of these beastly nagas could claim. Why someone would refuse to kill one was beyond his understanding.

Nonetheless, this man had agreed to aid him and Goran in combat, something that, at least for the time being, would do. Turning back to the fight at hand, he rushed off towards the beast, though not before making one last comment directed at John.

"I will do what is necessary, yet I will show no mercy to this beast. It deserves none and would show us none in return. I hope you regain your senses, and realize this as well. Now Goran, to me."

Hearing Arofin's command, Goran charged forth with a determined purpose. He knew his task, now he needed only to complete it. Arofin wanted the naga dead. It would be dead.

"Whew that was close..." Moaned Mort as he resisted yet another takeover by Urael. He looked around him and tried to figure out what to do next. If he was in Rhoswens satchel, maybe she had saved him? If she did, what had happened to the naga? There was no way Rhoswen could have killed her and even if she could she wouldn't. So she must be reasoning with her. Thats the only answer. Good, it looks like this may be resolved peacefully after all. He climbed slowly and painfully to the top of the satchel, where he peered out. He was VERY high up. Jumping would be very stupid.

But just then, he saw the two cloaked men from earlier charge towards the naga. Clearly, they intended to fight her. But why? Why spoil this peaceful solution? It makes no sense. The naga was looking directly at Rhoswen. The men would take her completely off gaurd. Mort couldn't help but feel sorry for her. This just was not her day...


There had to be something he could do. But when he moved, a searing pain shot through his body and he fell all the way down to the bottom of the satchel. He wasn't going to be much help to anybody in his broken state. It would be best to just stay here a little bit longer.

Predator sense

Spoiler:

John stood there stunned for a moment, this man seemed not to care that the naga at least for the moment didn’t seem to present any danger. At least not from what he could see. John rushed to catch up to the two. He came up behind Arofin, “Why don’t you wait up a minute. Words are a lot less messy than a fight.”
----------
Rhoswen perked up she looked around trying to see what was coming, but the wall of trees easily blocked her sight. Oh well whatever it was it was going to be here soon. Her eyes picked up the motion at the edge of her field of vision looking down to ground level she saw the three as they approached. Her hand shot up and waved at the group.
She shouted to the group, “Hi guys”

Hearing John's statement, Arofin spun about, holding up his hand to halt Goran as well. "That thing has killed, and you still wish to spare it? How can you even think of something like that?! We must-"

Arofin froze. In the back of his mind he felt it, felt a presence. Something was coming. His magical senses, while nowhere near as skilled as those who devoted their lives to the magical arts, still gave him a brief feeling, a sensation, that something of a magical nature was making its way toward the clearing. It was faint, for his skill with this sense was not great, but he could still feel it. It was a new variable in the current equation - the situation at hand with the naga - that he had not planned for nor had prepared any defensive measures for. He realized now that he had been arrogant of his own abilities when he had believed that he would have already been in the cave by this time and with the artifact in sight. Now he was about to pay, perhaps dearly, for this arrogance.

"Goran, the naga can wait, for something comes this way. Prepare yourself, for I sense its magical presence!" he commanded his towering companion who nodded in understanding. He then turned to John, the man who he'd seen as foolish for wishing to spare the naga. "You'd best prepare yourself as well. I know not what comes this way, only that it does so with purpose for I feel its presence growing stronger."

Turning away from the druid, Arofin readied his staff, though not before making one last comment. "I pray that your misguided sense of mercy does not interfere in this upcoming conflict. I truly do pray indeed."

(Go ahead and skip me again. I don't really have much more to say about the interior of Rhoswen's satchel XD)

(Mort at least the satchel isn’t a. crushing you or b. trying to digest you so don’t complain. Oh and if it makes you feel any better there is a glass jar in there if you want to try to do anything with it. )

A purple-black portal opened about thirty feet from the ground spitting out a winged female humanoid figure. A look of panic filled her face her head shot back into the forest straining to see the figure that was chasing her long untidy forest-green hair flipped over her shoulder. Before returning her gaze at to what was in front of her. The portal that she had came through closed but not before a small bolt of lightning shot from it. The bolt of lightning traveled to its target striking the fairy several inches below her wings. Her body jerked as the electricity traveled though her tan body. She dropped several feet toward the ground before regaining control of her body and continuing her escape to the other end of the clearing. A red mark began to form where lightning had struck her back. Noticing the three in the clearing she recognized one of them altering her course slightly she dropped closer to the ground as she shot past the group the hurried words, “Hungry dridder runin’ good,” came from her mouth.

As she flew past her features were now clearer. Her eyes were a deep brown color like that of tree bark and mixed in with her untidy hair were short twigs the leaves still green and a single red patch was at the center of it all. Her uncovered body was gasping for air. It was clear that she had been chased for some time. Her green wings had long spirals of brown and black that allowed her to blend it with the trees very well. Her tan skin was covered with a many long thin tattoos that matched the pattern on her wings.

She looked back over her shoulder and could see the trees beginning to rustle. She waved her hand in front of her and a portal began to form only to fizzle itself shut before she could pass through.
----
Out from the tree line emerged a female dridder. Her black hair hung down stopping at shoulder blade level, and she seemed well prepared for a fight wearing metal plate armor over her human half while her spider half was protected solely by her exoskeleton. Two small (for her) scabbards hung from her side and strapped across her back was a long menacing spear.

A look of disgust covered her face as her eyes befell the naga before her. Seeing the wound across the nagas back she almost felt sorry for it. She seemed to forget about the food she had been chasing only seconds ago as she decided how to kill the oversized snake before her.
Finally deciding the dridder lifted the spear from over her shoulder keeping the tip pointed at the naga she began to make her advance her eyes looking over the naga watching for any signs of the naga attempting to fight back.

Despite the fact that a fairy having just zoomed by his head and that a dridder now fast approaching, Arofin seemed rather unfazed. In fact, a small grin had crept upon his face as he contemplated the events before him. He chuckled to himself for a moment, then looked over his shoulder to John and said, "Looks like we wont have the fight the naga anymore. While these two are preoccupied with one another, I believe that we can escape unseen. Don't you agree, druid?"

Meanwhile Goran, stoic as ever, stood silently by his master's side, only turning about in order to get a better glimpse at the fairy that had just passed them.

--------------------------------------------

Still upset from the loss of the human, she barely noticed the fairy as it flew past her. Still pouting, though only a bit, the fairy have continued on past her unnoticed had she not herd it mention something about a dridder. That statement, combined with the sounds of trees crashing and animals fleeing in the presence of the fairies pursuer, snapped the naga out of her minor distress, if only temporary. Slowly turning around, she saw the source of the commotion, a giant black-haired dridder that was fully armed and armored. She didn't miss the rather nasty looking spear it held menacingly in its hands.

Seda grimaced for a second, fully aware of what was about to occur and the reason for it - an ensuing battle stemming from an age old hatred based on one little fact: nagas and dridders just didn't mix.

Turning her body around to completely face it, she grimaced once more, though this time not from the knowledge of oncoming battle but from the wave of pain the rippled forth from her wound. Seda remained steadfast, though, keeping her gaze entirely on the dridder throughout the painful ordeal. She did not want to give it the pleasure of killing her while she was caught off-guard by her crippling wound.

The pain soon past, only to be replaced by a wave of confidence. She could survive this encounter, she knew, and she'd make the dridder regret any attack it would attempt. Pounding one fist into the open palm of the other, Seda was ready for battle.

Rhoswen had had several run-ins with them in the past and several of them almost ended with her on the menu. Having no intention of finding out where the dridder believed she stood on the food chain she flew off into the forest following the other fairy.
------
John stood there for a moment before simply nodding his head. The situation was lost fighting an injured giant would have been possible but an armored warrior simple would result in death. Looking up to where Rhoswen had been he saw that she had already left. John began to hurry his way to the forest.
-------
The dridder couldn’t help sending an approving grin at the naga as she saw her fight off the pain from her wound. The confidence that she had in herself was apparent. Maybe the naga would even put up a half decent fight but she somewhat doubted this. She watched as the naga pounded her fist into her open hand, she took her right hand off her spear and pulled one of the blades from its sheath at her side. “Try not to die to fast okay; I want a chance to enjoy myself.” After she said this she threw the (proportionally) dagger sized weapon into the ground in front of the naga.

Mort continued to watch out of Rhoswen's satchel as the fairy and the dridder emerged from the forest. He had been here long enough to know that a showdown was about to occur between the two massive predators. Suddenly, Rhoswen darted off in pursuit of the fairy.

"Rhoswen! Could you let me outta this thing now?" Asked Mort as she flew after the other fairy. "And if you could return me to my original size, it would be nice."

He groaned as the pain from his ribs began to get overwhelming. He had had broken bones before, but he never got used to the pain. Damn that Naga. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She deserved some vengeance. Mort just wished that he didn't have to hurt her so much. And then, he got an idea. It was a long shot but it could make everything all better. He could heal the naga's wound using a ritual, one that he himself had used many times to heal his own grevious wounds, but it required a fresh heart taken from somebody who had caused harm to the Naga. His own heart would qualify, but size matters. His heart was simply too small to heal the immense damage, even if he was willing to give it up.

Where on Felarya would he find a heart that qualifies AND is big enough? He pondered for a few seconds, and then, he realised. Of course! The dridder! If she hurts the naga during their fight, then her heart would fit all the requirements needed to make the ritual possible.

"Rhoswen please drop me off here. I need to get back to the clearing. There is something I need to do..."

"If you think I'll go down easy," Seda said, tearing the dagger out of the ground as she did. "Then you've got another thing coming. I won't die to the likes of you, spiderbutt!"

That last insult held little weight, Seda knew, for she'd never wielded a weapon before in her life. And to make matters worse, the dagger she now held - defensively before her breast - seemed especially frail and diminutive against the fearsome-looking spear her opponent held. And that armor! She doubted if her puny blade would have been able to even put a scratch in it. She attempted to hide her grimace at that thought, but by the look on the dridder's face Seda knew that she had failed miserably.

She was in dire straits.

The only gleam of hope for Seda came from the fact that she had fought several battles with other giant preds in the past - usually over territory, lunch, or if she was just plain hungry - and had won every one of them. Holding the dagger more confidently before her, she couldn't help but give a sly grin as she pondered about what dridder would taste like. This thought, combined with the fact that the pain in her back had gone away (at least temporarily), removed all self-doubt, all fear, from the giant naga and transformed her grin into an all out smile. She could win. She would win.

-------------------------------------------------------

Arofin and his companion, Goran, caught up to Rhoswen just as a tiny voice escaped from the satchel she wore.

"What have we in the Satchel, dear Rhoswen? It wouldn't happen to be that person that that naga back there was using like a stress ball, would it?"

The dridder held the spear menacingly toward Seda. “Bold words from such a filthy creature as yourself.” The dridder took a step closer to the Seda but still remained out of striking range. “So how does a injured little snake like you plan on backing them up,” another step forward. She was now just out of striking range. The smile that had evolved on the naga’s face told her that she had a delusion of surviving perhaps even besting her. ‘Fine then the higher she sets her hopes the farther she has to fall,’ she thought to herself.
-------
Rhoswen choosing to ignore Mort for the moment proceeded to answer Arofin, “Why yes it is,” she said with a small smile on her face.
-------
John reached the others shortly after Rhoswen had finished speaking.
-------
The fairy was sitting on one of the branches of a tree over top the group. Her brown eyes glared down at the group trying to figure out how to approach them. She had used much of her magic already running from the dridder. Moving farther to the edge of the branch she hung her head down lower to get a better look of the group, but this action was cut short as the small patch of red that had been in her hair let out a yelp it started to fall from its perch. Reflexes kicking in the tiny neko grabbed on to a lock of the fairies hair. The fairy resisted the urge to let out a yell as the hair was being pulled from scalp hoping that the group below hadn’t heard what was going on preferring to deal with them on her terms rather than theirs. The fairy provided the neko a platform to land on with her hand and with a slight reluctance the neko fell onto the fairies hand. The fairy moved the hand containing the neko closer to her face and in a hushed tone more telling than asking, “Why don’t we put you somewhere where you won’t hurt yourself?”
“Fine,” the neko responded before whispering under her breath, “but you’re the one who almost dropped me.”
The fairy unlatched a pouch at her side before dropping the neko into it. The neko hit the bottom with a soft thud looking up she saw that the fairy was closing the pouch once again. The neko’s catlike eyes adjusted to the now nearly pitch black environment. Looking to the bottom of the pouch just in front of her she saw her cloths lying there. Reaching forward she pulled them to herself and took no time in putting them back on. Lying down she decided that a little nap wouldn’t hurt anything. Maybe when she woke up she would find herself in her bed and not in this dam fairies pouch.

"Ay! Damn it let me out of here Rhoswen! My body isn't going to go back to normal by itself. And whats more I really do need to get back to the clearing. Free me, re size me and then you can talk to your friends all bloody day long!"

"Seems our little friend wants out," said Arofin, a grin forming on his face. "Does he realize we just left that wretched pit behind? I have no plans for any of us going back, not with those two beasts tearing each other apart back there, and not with the fact that we are far behind in our schedule. The treasure is at risk, and for all we know, my dear Rhoswhen, others could already be in the caves. We must not tarry anymore."

Having stated the direness of their situation, Arofin began to head off in the directions of the cave (at the least the direction they all thought it was) before John entered the clearing before him. Remembering the extreme pacifist from before, he stopped and looked over his shoulder to Rhoswhen and asked, "Do you know this one?

-------------------------------------

Seeing the deadly tip of the spear directed towards her, Seda raised her new dagger defensively in the hopes of knocking aside any throw the dridder attempted. She was not about to give her opponent the satisfaction of killing her from afar.

The dridder, perhaps sensing this or having already planned her course of actions, instead moved in closer. Now within striking range, she held her spear even more menacingly and seemed to have the advantage in the fight, at least at a first glance. The dridder apparently hadn't taken into account the full extent of the naga's length nor reflexes. A common mistake, but often a fatal one.

Seda feinted forward, drawing out the spear, but reversed at the last moment. Her tail swung out, skidding across the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust in the process. This was not the full extent of the attack, though, for the full momentum of the tail was aimed at the fragile spider-like legs of her armored opponent.

(Jas am I right in assuming that you are headed in the direction that everyone else ran?)
Rhoswen looked down to Mort, “I think you have done enough. How about you just sit tight and try not to hurt yourself or anyone else?” After sending a quick smile to John, she responded to Arofin, “Yes I know him.”
***
John simply walked over to his friend’s side.
***
At the initial dust cloud that the naga kicked up, the dridder shut her eyes for a moment to protect them. As she cracked her eyes open a moment later she saw the silhouette of the tail barreling toward one of her legs. Quickly attempting to move the limb out of the way she pulled started to pull it from the ground. An audible crack could be heard as the tail made contact with one of her legs. The dridder started to let out a yell but cut herself short not wanting to give the naga the satisfaction of causing her an injury. After letting one hand free from the spear the dridder directed her hand in the direction of the tail and let out a sizable bold of lightning.
***
The fairy remained lying on the tree branch; her eyes intently watched the small group under her.

"Hmph" Grunted Mort as he fell back down into the depths of Rhoswen's bag. She was right. He had done enough. Going back to the clearing would just aggravate things. Besides, she is just a single naga. Why the hell does he care if she lives or dies? He grinned and relaxed.

"Yep, I have definately done enough." He said to himself. "Why should I care about her fate anyway? I did what I had to do to survive. Thats more than most can say."

Pain shot through him again as he tried to sit up. He just went limp and fell on his back again. How many ribs were broken? More than 2 he would say. 3 maybe? Perhaps more? I doesn't matter. He had suffered worse and lived through it. A few broken ribs won't end his journey that easily. He ignored the pain as best he could and drifted off to sleep. It was easy considering he was tired and Rhoswen's bag was suprisingly comfy.


"Mort" Sounded a deep booming voice in the darkness. He shivered and instantly regreted his decision to fall asleep.

"What the hell do you want Urael? I'm really not in the mood for you right now..."

"I want to help you realise something you ignorant fool." The voice snarled back. "Something I have been telling you from the start. Pity, doubt and guilt will cause you to make stupid decisions like the one you made earlier. You nearly died in the palm of her hand all because you felt you had to apologise."

The voice roared with frustration and vindication. "You did not have to apologise for ANYTHING! It was HER fault! She bit off more than she could chew and paid the price for it. It was HER fault. HER stupidity. HER FUCKING DECISION TO ATTACK YOU!! Keep thinking the way you do Mort, and you will be dead before the year is up. I guarantee it. AND I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DRAG ME DOWN WITH YOU!!"

There was silence for a moment as Mort took in what Urael had said. This sort of lecture was nothing new, but considering the events that had happened earlier today it really hit home. He fell to his knees and held his head in his hands. Darkness enveloped him as the voice spoke again, this time quite softly.

"Moments of weakness like the one you had earlier will be our undoing. It would be so much easier if I could be in control primarily. But you have a will stronger than I thought possible. You will always resist. And so, the responsibility lies with you...."

The sound of a snapping limb was heavenly, bringing a grin to Seda's face. Then came the spear... and the lightning.

Her grin instantly became a pained grimace as soon as she felt the waves of electricity travel up the lengths of her tail. The ensuing spasms wracked through her body, and she collapsed into a writhing mass. Tossing and turning on the ground, she tried to get back up, but her body refused to listen. Lightning! The b**** had magic! And now... now she was helpless, completely helpless...

NO! She refused to let herself be so humiliated, so degraded, and by a dridder of all things! She had one chance. Fighting through the pain and spasms, she reached out for something, anything that could help her. Her fingers grazed over a stone.

Perfect.

In a single motion, she managed to toss the stone that, ironically, had been used against her earlier that day. It went whizzing through the air, its target being the dridder's face.

- - -

"A rather odd couple... No matter, let us be gone of this place" Arofin said, motioning Goran to come to his side. "Hopefully nothing else will hinder our journey."