The Tinkertons
IS OFFLINE
26/53
Renown
Dragon's Cradle
We're gonna get Zarius back.
1,876 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Sept 18, 2023 21:42:26 GMT -5
Taken by Leandros’ challenge, Arzenax’s reptilian eyes focus on the knight who seems perfectly helpless on the ground without his mount. The dragon’s mouth seethes with heat and hungry energy as he growls out his next words. “If a lion is the king of beasts then why does it look so snack-sized?”
Opening his wings, Arzenax raises his head like the proud bastard he is. They block the sunlight in the mesa in a grand display of size, even despite the hole torn through one of them. “You are nothing but a gnat that will be squashed!” With his declaration, the dragon starts beating his wings, whipping up a whirlwind of dirt and sand.
Astrid, who was flying toward Arzenax with her hammer poised, gets completely whipped around by the heavy wind and thrown off balance. Despite the strength her tiny body possesses, she can’t stay aloft. Fine! Rather than get thrown to the ground, lightning crackles around her body until she becomes a manifestation of the very element that protects her. Then, from the spot she struggled to stay afloat, zips a bright streak of blue light directly at the dragon! Being a force of elemental power, instead of striking the dragon, she instead passes through his side.
Arzenax feels the crackle of lightning strike his side, a tingling pain along his scales, but even moreso, he feels something within. His ribs become visible through the soft tissue in his belly as a dull explosion of blue forces his stomach outward, nearly bursting at the fresh seam Leandros ripped along him. He roars in pain, stumbling back down to all fours, blood and vomit spewing from his maw.
"Huh," Clark scoffs with an even tone.
Astrid’s in there somewhere.
Bat Wings [post 2/3] Full Elemental manifestation [post 1/3, pass through solid objects] Astrid’s Valkyrie Strike (3 charges gained)
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Sept 18, 2023 22:49:32 GMT -5
Leandros' first instinct is to call out for Astrid, but that dull pulse of blue light lets him know she is fine. Likely ankle deep in stomach acid, but the half-dwarf has proven herself resilient before. Without having to hold on to that worry, it means Leandros does not need to hold back with concern.
"You wish to learn the strength of a dragon, you wyrm? IT IS THE STRENGTH OF KINGS." As the knight roars in response, his ethereal armor leaves him and coalesces into two spirit lions. Their luminescent jaws clamp down on the dragon dragging its head down into its own bile.[1] "IT IS THE WILL OF THE PRIDE." It feels like there is a pulse that eminates from Leandros as he speaks, the weight of his words hitting Arzenax with a thud as the knight charges.[2]
"IT IS YOUR END." Leandros gives the halberd a flourish upwards as he crashes into the jaw with all of his might. The audible snap of the bone is heard and echoes in the canyon.[3]
"Did he just break a dragon's jaw?" The other dragons share a mildly impressed look. Dragons were hard to wound, their bones were usually the kinds of things people made weapons out of.
"If we can't agree, I pick him as my champion."
"Fine, the even smaller one can probably beat him anyways. Did you see how fast she is? Like a little lightning bolt."
Clark and Shaelethag seem content to argue if speed or power is better, showing little worry for either of them. For his part, Clark is glad they have it handled, he really wasn't feeling up to a fight today.
1. Ancestral Fervor 2. Rage before the Storm 3. Sundering Strike
|
|
The Tinkertons
IS OFFLINE
26/53
Renown
Dragon's Cradle
We're gonna get Zarius back.
1,876 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Sept 26, 2023 18:22:21 GMT -5
Before he’s had a chance to recover from the explosion within his stomach, Arzenax is assaulted by Leandros. With a might crack, his jaw is snapped free from its hinges and blood splatters across the canyon floor. Having no way to close his mouth, Arzenax heaves deep breaths, blood pooling on the ground beneath him. Each step is labored like his breathing. His poise shattered, he struggles to collect himself. The dragon’s red eyes glare at Leandros full of fury, but there is nothing he can do. Try as he might to insult the lion, he can only pathetically look to him.
Digging his claws into the dirt, Arzenax chokes out a roar and readies himself to charge forward when the blue glow within him starts traveling up his neck to his throat. The roar turns to pain as Astrid bursts forth, viscera and bile slaking off of and through her semi-incorporeal electrical form. She gives Leandros a little wave and readies her hammer in the air before charging into the air and then diving straight down to bring the hammer down on the top of the dragon’s head, lightning bursting out and electrocuting his body. His weakened stance crumples under the force, and he collapses to the ground.
Astrid glides over to land beside Leandros, setting her hammer on the ground and observing their victory. “WHOA! YA TOOK HIS JAW OFF!!” she exclaims when she realizes exactly what happened. “This cocky jerk didn’t stand a chance against us!”
Bat Wings [post 3/3] Full Elemental manifestation [post 2/3, pass through solid objects] Grounding Strike Static Synapse: 3 charges used
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Sept 27, 2023 22:23:24 GMT -5
Leandros brings up his shield to cover himself from the viscera. It was impossible to avoid all of it, but at the very least he wouldn't be returning to his wife covered in blood and gore. He gives his halbed a flourish to flick the blood clean from the blade before sheathing the weapon.
A small smile crosses his face as he sees Astrid, "I must admit, it has been awhile since I've been astounded by my own strength, not to sound too boastful. And you, I was right not to be worried when you somehow found your way into the belly of the beast."
As they talk, the two earth dragons seem to converse amongst themselves. The snippets of conversation seem to arrive at the conclusion neither of them really wanted to test these adventurers. Maybe if they had a few decades to warm up and get ready, but by then the adventurers would be old and it wouldn't be as fun. They sigh disappointedly as they toddle over to the pair.
"Ahem well....you've done adequately. We have decided to make this butte into our vacation spot, I get it on odd numbered centuries."
"And I will take it on even numbered centuries."
|
|
The Tinkertons
IS OFFLINE
26/53
Renown
Dragon's Cradle
We're gonna get Zarius back.
1,876 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Oct 1, 2023 22:05:45 GMT -5
There’s no way for Astrid to avoid the splatter of blood and viscera with the explosive last blow. She steps out of what could be equated to a large pile of electric, warm strawberry jam and looks herself over. “Well, that was a bit messy.” In times like these, she really wishes Blue Raspberry were here to clean up… everything. Better not to think about the gruesomeness of it.
With a regal swish, Leandros cleans his halberd. Astrid makes some attempt to mimic the motion but with a pair of hammers it just doesn’t work as well. She grins awkwardly. “I think I’ll dunk meself in a river before goin’ home,” she says. “Don’t wanna worry me da.” Holding her larger hammer off to the side, she boofs it out of existence. The blood on its surface splatters to the ground.
“One day the two of us gotta have an arm wrestlin’ match!” Astrid continues, flexing her arm then stepping over to lightly punch Leandros’ bicep. “Fer now, I’ll take downin’ a jerk of a dragon together! It’ll be hard ta top this!”
It’s about then that the old dragons wander over, having decided what to do with the territory. Astrid grins up at them, completely willing to test their patience. “It’s alright, we’re easy ta underestimate,” she says. “Glad ya came up with a solution!”
Clark grumbles and looks past the two-leggers at the remains of the younger dragon just across the way. “Yes, well… Feel free to clean that up since you soft skins like to use our magnificent hides in your crafting. Saves us the yard work.”
A wider, more devious grin spreads across Astrid’s face. “Ah, we’ll make good use of ‘im!” she says. “Time ta take our prizes, Lee!” Then she tromps over to the corpse and sets about carving the beast like a holiday turkey.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Oct 1, 2023 23:56:18 GMT -5
"This is always the strangest part of the work....seems so odd to fight something so fiercely then divide it up." Lee's tone is less remorseful, it is not as if he regrets this. Just a little small talk as they carve it away.
"I wonder if dragons keep things from us as tokens." He shrugs, not really wanting to ask the two dragons watching them. It was already strange enough to have them just....watching.
The knight doesn't take much for himself, just a couple of teeth and claws. He could have these made into something he was sure. Would Apogee like dragonbone jewelry? It would take some effort to make this workable.....perhaps he could save it and make it a gift to his future children....either way he had options.
Once it was all said and done he would thank the two dragons for their "help" and being so polite about the whole thing. No job he ever takes is what he expects it to be but draconic land disputes has to be the most unexpected.
|
|