North-Western Palamir

kairi leaned on the edge of the boat fiddling with the dagger with a frown on her face

' i promised i would never go back... so much for that' she sighed and hung her head

'after all these years... i cant believe im going home' she thought and stood up straight and looked around at the water then leaned back looking up at the sky

she smiled softly and looked ahead to see that the river was going inbetween two large mountains and she blinked looking up as they did and she smiled and pulled her hands to her face and whistle making a sound like a bird

she smiled slightly when she heard a response and even chuckled then slid and sat down on the floor of the ship

As Lins rose from his mind, he eyes opened up to the group all sitting around in a boat. A faint smell of smoke hung in the air and some of the people looked singed, as if they where in a fire. Lins armour was crushing him from when the giant monster had crash landed and forced him into a partial coma. He slipped off his right gauntlet and reached for his bow. He got his bow and used the metal spikes at the end to weaken his armour more so he could take it off him, or take it apart. The armour was to damaged to be repaired and Lins had no use for it any more.

Hey, somebody help me outta this armour its killing me

Lins's mind was still fuzzy and he couldn't see straight. Everything was all blurred and he couldn't tell who was who. he only could make out were people where.

"ok let me help" she said and walked over and kneeled down and started pulling it off him struggling a litle at some parts

"eh this is really on tight" she said pullin on the last peice his chest plate

she pulled and pulled then it popped off and she smiled and looked at him

"i will help you ok" she said and put her hurt hand up to her chest and her good hand to his head and the blue glow traveled to him from her hand and she winced clentching her bad fist as it hurt

his wounds healed instantly and she pulled her hand away and grabbed her hand and felt a tear fall from her face and she tried to cover it up by telling her hair fall infront of her face as she fell back and sat down trying to stop crying.

it felt like someone was pealing her flesh back

As the craft sailed down the river, the foliage on the banks began to grow more dense. When they had left the hamlet where they obtained the boat, the vegetation had been barely more than a handful of scraggly brush and a few bushes of nettles occasionally. Gradually, trees and shrubbery replaced the sparse undergrowth, until it was evident that they had entered a forest.

The trees grew towering overhead, anywhere from twenty to thirty feet from the ground, according to their estimation. The forest was composed of a mix of oak, elm, and an small number of lonely willows. Their canopies reached towards the heavens, branching over the river and enclosing the party in a tunnel of shimmering green light. The sun had slowly been descending along its western arc as the day went on, and soon it would vanish behind the veil of the horizon. The forest about them seemed unnaturally still...

Until the silence was broken by a grating shriek, a nightmarish rasp from the wine-colored sky. The leaves above the party shone briefly with an unnatural, orange light, before they immediately curled and blackened, consumed by flame. A black, winged shape was outlined above them against the last of the dying light.

The screech seemed very familiar to Mikael, he had heard it not too long ago. He kept an eye on the river and his surroundings to make sure it wasn’t a surprise attack. There was another screech and it was clear this time that it came from above them.

“So, come back for more have you?” Mikael whispered.

Mikael drew his daggers and faced everyone.

“Prepare yourselves, it could catch our scent.”

The ground shook as a tree in the distance fell from the power of the beast’s tail. Mikael grabbed hold of the steering wheel of the boat, making sure the boat didn’t steer in to any rocks in the river.

“This time you will die” Mikael whispered as another tree closer fell down.

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.

As Shinu ran towards Kairi at full speed, desperately trying to get to her, he watched her fall, his whole body falling under a temporary paralysis. Strangely she had a soft glow, and then the bird was going to finish them off, both watching helplesssly as it swooped in closer. He just stood there, looking not at the bird, but at Kairi. At the last moment, her blue aura surrounded them, a small force field summoned, the likes of which he only heard about from his mothers' stories. Fear was flowing through Kairi, and nothing but wonder through Shinu. He knew that some people had this power, but only if...

Kairi... you saved us. When I... I couldn't save you. But you summoned the ancient power of the naphisi, and you can only do it if...

His voice trailed off, and he swallowed his words, not wanting to put the mission in jeapordy. Not while his comrades were still fighting. They were getting tossed and brutalized, waiting for Shinu, and still he could not move. He just closed his eyes and focused on his internal system, searching for the feeling he knew he must have. When he opened his eyes... the bird was gone... and the complexion of Shinu's world had just changed.

"shinu?" she asked and blinked her eyes wide and her panting exhausting her more then the race of her heart beat

"what... how did you do that?" she asked and nearly passed out in his arms

"ow i ...so tired" she mumbled and closed her eyes falling asleep. all her energy was gone and she could do nothing but lay helpless

"shinu...how did... you do that?" she mumbled still just barely awake

I don't think I did it... I don't think you did it... I think we did it. I will explain later, we have to get going. Just go to sleep and save your energy, I will take you to get healed. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're alright.

He raised her up over his shoulder, and removed the shoulder piece so her head could rest there comfortably.

Is everyone okay?

she smiled and nodded easy to slip off into a peaceful sleep holding onto him. he was warm and and safe with the feeling like a blanket around her keeping her warm.

the cloth around her left hand fell off and you could see that the black opening in her palm traveled up her wrist and almsot to her shoulder it was so bad.

Lins was barely able to keep himself falling flat on the ground, for the first time in his life he had be paralyzed by fear. His mind was trying to understand just what had sent the thing flying away and just how it happened. The last minute of his life has just frozen, just as everyone was frozen by the shriek the bird sent out. grasping his spear he was managing to keep himself on one knee. Lins was panting, taking in as much air as he could to calm down. He heard shinu mutter something but could not make anything of it out. To much had just happened and Lins wasn't able to keep up with it. He slowly let himself to the ground and roll over onto his back.

im.......k......thanks.....for...asking....

Lins was slowly regaining himself. calming down. He looked over to where Shinu and Kairi where and Kairi was sleeping in Shinu's arms. Lins couldn't mutter anything to himself so in his head he just said "Bless her."

Shinu held onto to Kairi tightly, making sure she wasn't going to bob up and down too much as he walked, and then marched towards the men still left standing. Lins looked shaken, and Shinu couldn't get a read on Mikael, either way, they needed to move.

Look, I'm not sure of what's going on, all I know is, things will get worse, this is just the beginning. Now if we don't hurry to the Land of the Elves on foot, we're not going to see past today. I don't know about the two of you, but I don't plan on being a 3 man show. Let's get the old man and head out.

The shriek from the bird deafened Mikael’s ears. The pain was so bad it caused Mikael fall to the ground. He watched the bird struggle to fly away and by the time it was gone, the pain had stopped.

Mikael stood up, still looking to the sky to see if there was any sign of the bird. He pulled his burnt hood over his head and turned towards Shinu. He didn’t need to be told that things were going to become worse, he had that feeling since they were attacked by the bird in the underground passage.

“Now if we don't hurry to the Land of the Elves on foot, we're not going to see past today.”

Mikael was thinking the same thing and knew that the city of the elves was the safest place to be. He signalled to the group to follow him, and without waiting for anyone to grab the old man, he walked off towards the elves’ home.

The figure that had emerged from the cover of the forest stood immobile in the midst of the chaos that had followed the bird's retreat. The slender arms raised up to the cowl covering its face, and pushed it back to reveal a startling sight.

The face was feminine, with delicate cheekbones and a high forehead. Small ears, slightly pointed, and a small, fragile nose protruded from the faint, pastel yellow of the girl's skin. The most alarming feature of her visage, however, was her eyes. Milk-white, they were the eyes of a blind woman, and yet she seemed to fix her invisible gaze upon Shinu and Kairi. She stood motionless there, not engaging them, yet not departing.

Mikael looked up, startled to see an elf right in front of him. He felt as if he knew the elf, if he had seen her before. Though, to him all the elves looked the same.

“Why are you here?” Asked Mikael

He walked straight up to her and ignored the fact that she was not looking at him. He still had questions to be answered.

“How far is it to your home? And will we get there before nightfall?”

Mikael waited for an answer. The elf had her eyes still fixed on Kairi and Shinu, her silence straining Mikael’s patience. He started to walk away, not caring if his questions were answered or not.

“With those wounds Mikael, you will not make it another day in the forest.”

Mikael stopped and turned towards the elf. He stood staring at the elf, the blood trickling down his cloak becoming more apparent. The elf continued to speak.

“Unless if you have my help, that deep wound on your shoulder and that other one, running down your leg will ultimately leave you in the state un to which my brother found you all those years ago.”

Mikael turned and continued to walk away, whilst talking to the elf.

“I am a stronger man now, small cuts like these will not kill me.” Mikael turned his head, looking back towards the elf, “Though, I am not the one to say who can help or not, that is up to the others.”