Well this isn't good at all now is it. M I K A E L (), get off of the wheel, we're going to need you in this fight. Kairi, you're going to have to steer, if the wheel moves right, you turn it the same amount to the left and vice versa. Just make sure we stay straight. Lins, get some long range attacks off while you can, and then take Kairi's katana for the time being. I know you want to fight Kairi, but we're going to have to kill this damn thing before it keeps following us around.

Shinu slid down the retractable armor to full battle mode and drew his blood-stained blade. He dipped it in the water quietly and wiped it off with his glove, making sure it was fresh for a new type of blood. He readied himself as he waited for the iminent attack after Lins' long range assult.

"got it shinu" she said and grabbed the wheel even though she was very confused on what to do and when the wheel started to move she felt nervous as she turned the wheel the other way against it

"ahhh were is the river going!" she said looking ahead to see not to far ahead it was disappearing

As the bird-like creature drew nearer and nearer, flying through the barrage of arrows that Lins was shooting at it, Shinu readied himself. His focus was cut short when he heard Kairi ask where the river was going. He quickly flipped his shield back and jumped up on a beam to look out ahead. Sure enough, they were headed straight towards a waterfall. He knew quickly that they would be at an extreme disadvantage in a free fall against a monster that could fly.

That isn't good, everyone, hold onto something!

Shinu ran over to the wheel and moved Kairi quickly out of the way.

Grab on to the latches of my chest plate, now!

With that, he grabbed the wheel and spun it as fast as he could to the left. Around and around the wheel spun and then a loud crash rang throughout the forest as the boat crashed onto the bank and flipped sideways. Shinu spilled out and turned his body over so that he did not land on Kairi, but instead broke her fall. He quickly rose to his feet, throwing himself up even with Kairi still hanging on to him.

Get up and run!

"ah ah ah ah ah" she said in panic

"run where run where!" she yelled looking around frantically

"ah ah ah that way!" she yelled and started running down the bank only to run nearly intot he bird were she screamed and turned running back

"WRONG WAY WRONG WAY!" she yelled panting as she started to slow down

"good gravy" she said and looked around

"WHERE THE HELL AM I SAPPOUS TO GO!" she hissed and pulled out her katana

"screw it" she said and stood next to shinu

Damn, not that way! Lins, get the old man out of here, just run North and DO NOT stop! Come on Mikael, we have to slow this thing down! I'll defend Kairi, I need you to kill this damn thing!

Shinu ran after Kairi, the bird nearing her now, getting ready to swoop her up. As it opened the claws on it's horendous black feet to grab her, Nuraki pierced straight through the bottom, a perfect upper vertical slash. As it howled out in pain, it dove down beak first at them. Shinu struggled to get the blade back out. He grabbed Kair by the waist and swung her around, causing her katana to slam through the right side of the bird's face. Again it howled out, and finally Shinu ripped out the blade, spewing blood out as the toes of the bird fell off of it's right foot. Shinu tried to grab on to the wing to keep it grounded, knowing it couldn't balance on one leg.

A strong flap knocked Shinu backwards, barely able to pierce the wing, ripping it down the middle, preventing it from flying up high. Still, he was sent flying back, slamming into a tree before sliding down and hit the ground rolling, already preparing to get back up and try again. His armor braced the majority of the hit, and now he was angry.

Kairi! Run towards me, hurry!

"....ahh" she said and ran towards him

she leaped forward as the beak just barely missed her and she grabbed onto him nearly falling over

"ahh ok ok im freakin out!" she said and felt herself shaking slightly

the bird came back to hit them and she screamed and when it came down it hit a blue force feild she had some how pulled over them

she was shaking and panting

"what the hell just happened why arent we dead?" she asked to afraid to turn around

The beast screamed its rage to the indigo sky, the orange heat of its wings throwing wavering, straight shadows into the still forest before it. Taking a swipe at the girl quavering before it, the creature took to wing back into the air over the river, leaving a curtain of dust in its wake. Hovering for a moment in the air, its stark outline against the first twinkle of the stars threw a shadow over the trees.

Opening its beak wide for another shriek, the fell illumination its eyes and wings gave off dimmed almost imperceptibly, an ominous glow tracing the opening of its maw. The bird's beak shut again, but the flame spouting from its nostrils could not be contained. It reared its fearsome visage towards the warrior on the ground, the light of its eyes shining with its malicious anger...

Without sound, a small, almost invisible shaft slipped through the dark, striking the beast's eye. At the last possible moment, its head jerked to the right, the gout of flame already half released pouring from its beak into the wood several yards from Shinu and Kairi. The fire caught almost instantly, and the heat could be felt even from where they stood crouched.

The creature screamed again in frustration, and circled around, ostensibly for another assault.

Mikael prepared himself for yet another battle, but as he clipped his chest armour back into place, the boat crashed and he was set flying to the ground, dropping one of his daggers in the process. When Mikael got back up, he frantically searched for his dagger, just managing to grab it before it fell into the river.

By the time he was aware of what was happening, Kairi and Shinu were fighting the gigantic bird. Mikael ran towards the bird’s leg, jumping onto it and using his daggers as climbing tools. When Mikael got on top of the bird he positioned himself so he could hold on, while hacking away at the bird. This proved to be much more of a problem for him, since the bird was very aware of what he was doing.

“Stay still!”

Mikael aimed for an old scar on the bird’s neck, trying to strike it open again, but the bird had other plans. The bird tossed it’s head and swooped, causing Mikael to fall off and land heavily on the ground. As Mikael got back up, he felt very disorientated and found it hard to focus on the bird, but this did not stop him from grabbing hold of the undamaged wing. As the bird struggled to free itself, Mikael yelled out to Shinu.

“it’s neck! It’s the easiest way to kill it!”

God darn it just how did this thing get out of those tombs!

Lins had enough of this foe already, and he ran at the the bird and stuck one of his arrows into the wing and dragged it across, making a slice where the wind would just pass through the wing. Mikeal was struggling to keep the bird on the ground so Lins ran over to help him

Shinu Nows your chance to finish him off! do it now!

Lins grabbed hold of Mikeal and the wing to help keep it down. Even with the two of them this proved to be a task most difficult. Lins thought to himself just why are there creatures such as this going around killing innocents and the army stood back and done nothing to get rid of them

Letting out a mighty cry, the beast turned its wounded eye upon the tiny creatures grasping its wing. Unearthly fire blazed from the wounds about its throat, burning with such intensity that the two warriors had no choice but to scramble back from its terrifying presence or be incinerated. The fell bird's following roar caused the trees to bend backward from force of the heat rushing forth from its outspread wings.

The frightful aura of heat and brimstone that the creature conjured around itself turned Lins and Shinu's knees to jelly as it turned its shining eyes upon them, momentarily disregarding Mikael. It took another step towards them, opening its beak, prepared to release another stream of fire.

Before the hellflame gathering in its gut could be released upon the prone, shaken advenurers, the bird's strong, stout neck snapped back as if struck by the hand of an invisible giant. From the blazing trees surrounding them strode a figure sheathed in blue flame, with slender arms raised before it, pointing at the hellish assailant. With almost audible tinkling, the air suddenly grew still. The adventurers felt an almost solid mass of cold flow through the air above them, shattering against the creature's flaming breast.

The bird's scream of anger sent everyone to their knees, as it took off once again into the air. This time, it vanished away into the dark skies, underbelly glowing in the light of the flame. Its mangled, sticken wings struggled to catch air beneath it, but it managed still to slip over the horizon. The flame sheathing the slender, graceful figure faded, and the arms lowered to its sides.