A key portion of the lycans have begun to act oddly, and her concern for her very own wolf has increased every time she has encountered yet another bloodthirsty member of the Lupo pack. The math had been simple, that of equating those who had been filled with bloodlust with those who had been given Zahrya's forsaken blood fruit. Unfortunately, that did mean that Lain is likely to be affected, as she had counted him amidst the number when the blood fruits had been offered. Her fears are manifested when she runs into her wolf, her rotted ones just beyond reach dealing with a wave of bothersome drows. As she sees the lycan that she had begun to like begin shifting, the Autumn Chancellor feels unbearably tired, knowing this encounter would only end one way.
Running would be a mistake, with her magic half-drained and her desire to keep it for extreme dangers only, so she doesn't, falling instead upon the training she had gone through at Rainer's hand and attempting to evade the running lycan's attack.
She is not entirely lucky, a long swipe cutting through the flesh of her arm, but it is enough for her to get out of the way and reach for her blades. Falling into position, she allows her eyes to flicker to the side and she relaxes as she sees her changeling approaching. They are far enough that she is still in danger, but she is sure she can manage for another few minutes.
"Lain, listen to me," she asks, voice calm and level as she looks into eyes she can no longer recognize. "Listen, please. Don't make me do something I cannot take back."
for: @thegoodfellow
Where: Ruins of Rome
Time: Day 9, before she gets back in the fey megazord
Notes: the drug addicted dog came back but he bites now :(
Thanks to the power of the bloodfruit, for the first time since Lain had been bitten, he felt like a proper lycan and not just some sorry excuse for one. He had never tasted raw power until now, his wolf form doubling in size and tenacity. But like every other good thing in Lain’s life, it did not last. How could he have known that the magic imbued fruit that he had consumed a week ago could be so easily manipulated by the Drow? The corruption coursed through his veins, constricting his mind and bending it to their dark will. Fate was cruel. Of all the eladrin that would cross his path at this time, of course the person standing before him had to be Robin. One of a select few that it would absolutely destroy him to hurt.
“Robin,” He breathed out, his skeleton already snapping and shifting. “I can’t make it stop,” his voice was a deep, distorted growl. Another violent shudder passing through his body, bluish-grey fur sprouting on exposed skin. The changeling heart he had come to rely on so heavily was malfunctioning, the unstable lycan no longer had that crutch to lean on. There was no stopping this, the transformation was inevitable. “Run!” When his new body fell into place, he charged. He leapt at the fall chancellor, blood stained claws slashing at flesh. When the two of them had been entwined, Lain had always hid this side of himself. But now against his will, his true nature was on full display. There was no coming back from this, he feared.
"Get a grip, we are at war. I know sex is all new and novel for you, but it will still be there after we defeat the drows," Robin calls out, rolling her eyes at Zahrya's incredible sense of timing. There is a time and a place for everything, and the middle of the battlefield is surely not the time for sex, unless he had the audacity to think they were losing. But if that were the case, she would be more pissed about his lack of faith on their abilities than his desire for one last desperate fuck before he died. "Frankly, I couldn't give less of a fuck of your hot date, considering that we have yet to defeat any drow of importance. "
Between the Chancellors being inside of each other and the sensation of crushing the earth beneath their combined power, Zahrya fell out of the Titan leaking nectar like it was the height of spring in spite of his exhaustion. Luckily he didn't fall too far before being scooped into an enormous, scaly bosom which he happily found comfort in. "Chancellor, His Majesty is giving us a wonderful soundtrack for what the mortals call a hot date," Zahrya responds from atop Alastor, barely turning his head to acknowledge Robin. Zahrya's magic reached explosive magnitude when he and Alastor came together, so he was irritated that he had to remove demonic scales from his lips to speak. "I cannot believe you'd interrupt our couple's time for something so trivial. Clearly, I have more urgent matters to attend to than the locations of the others," Zahrya continues, never halting his stroking of Alastor's horn for a second. Yes, Mery's continued destruction of Rome had him feeling incredibly fertile. He never knew war could be so erotic.
"Now you are bragging," she huffs in amusement before nodding in acquiescence to the silent order. She is capable enough as it is, but it is far better if she allows herself some time to recuperate before they join back into the Titan form. "I will attempt to find Zahrya with the aid of my rotted ones, and I will bring him this way if I do."
Rolling her shoulders, she begins walking away from Aurora, turning her head to the side and waving over her shoulder.
"Me? Die? Please, I am far too stubborn to rest before the job is done. Autumn does not rest until the harvest has been set away for the Winter, and we are not there yet, are we Chancellor?" She asks with a laugh as she turns a corner and her changeling begin falling into step next to her. She leaves Aurora behind with hope on her heart, hope that she will soon see extinguished.
"Not at all," Aurora declared calmly. She would die in this city like her children did if she had to; it was that determination to win and keep their families alive which was the anthem likely singing in each eladrin and elven heart that day. If there's was a hopeless battle than they wouldn't know for sure until they all failed to try to use every bit of what they had to win. Pessimism haunted the elf but she wouldn't let it make her falter.
"Recharge your magic, Chancellor, I will be right here fighting until its done." Though she doubted that one like Robin would stand still until that moment; Aurora only hoped that her old friend remained safe while she worked her blade through these hordes. "One favor: don't die before we make the drow queen pay for this. I'll kill you if you do." While it was meant as a light tease the words themselves were a dark truth. Every drow that was unlike Aegnor or Andruil would perish.
END
"Well that is concerning," she admits as her brows furrows when hearing about Nirvaan's current predicament. There is no doubt that Aurora will want to hear about that, the way she holds her warder dear. Biting her lip thoughtfully as she narrows her eyes, Robin nods to herself as she glances to Inan. "I shall find Laer, I might be running dry magic-wise but I have improved my physical combat skills. Please go to Aurora and tell her about Nirvaan," she says, then hesitates, before continuing, deciding that it is not the time to push. If Inan wants to hide behind his formalities, he shall have them fully. "Good Hunting, Warder Inan. Dar'eth Shiral."
"Well that is concerning," she admits as her brows furrows when hearing about Nirvaan's current predicament. There is no doubt that Aurora will want to hear about that, the way she holds her warder dear. Biting her lip thoughtfully as she narrows her eyes, Robin nods to herself as she glances to Inan. "I shall find Laer, I might be running dry magic-wise but I have improved my physical combat skills. Please go to Aurora and tell her about Nirvaan," she says, then hesitates, before continuing, deciding that it is not the time to push. If Inan wants to hide behind his formalities, he shall have them fully. "Good Hunting, Warder Inan. Dar'eth Shiral."
Familiarity had bloomed between himself and Fen'Harel once, Inan wasn't interested in venturing down that path again. Not yet, anways. "Nirvaan was in the forest fighting a drow when everyone fell apart, I saw a demon catch the Spring chancellor, Laer and Aurora I think are there-" Inan pointed, "and there." He thought it was pertinent that Aurora should know her warder was in danger but he kept this notion to himself, Inan was faithful and loyal, he'd do what the chancellor asked of him. He just wasn't' going to start using her first name now. "I'll find them both and then return to you, my lady."
"Robin, Inan, call me Robin," Robin says, a fond smile flitting through her lips as she sees his reluctance to drop the formalities. It is good for her, to have someone to depend on after the last few months. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to keep him by her side, their bond would make it more convenient if they separated to cover more ground at a quicker speed. "Your place it's by my side, yes, but we need to cover a lot of ground in a small amount of time. The less time we spend apart, the better for our chances. Did you see where the others fell?"
Tamlen's nature remained a great mystery, but Inan understood now why they said power was seductive. The warder had never been stronger, sharper, or faster than when he'd felt Tamlen's power come flooding through his warder bond with Robin. Joined in body and soul, Inan did wish that Robin wouldn't put it like that, but he kept it to himself, he knew how the summer fey were when it came to carnal pleasures but the warder had always been more reserved. By no means prudish, just far more private. "What would you have me do, chancellor? My place is at your side." Inan did not enjoy the thought of leaving Robin in this moment, but he would do as he was commanded regardless.
"We are going to have to talk about how formal you are," Robin muses with mild amusement as she bumps her shoulder against Inan's in a friendly manner. It is a small teasing comment, but she means it. She wants the same sort of wardship Laer and Aurora have, one built upon trust and understanding, and the formalities need to go if she wants that to happen. She doesn't want a blindly loyal guard, but a friend and advisor willing to tell her she is wrong and offer her another perspective. Robin knows she is prone to pettiness and cattiness, and she believes that Inan's diligence might prove the perfect counterbalance. "Correct. I need to find Laer first to confirm what the Master of Secrets vacation means for Tamlen, but if he is not gone, then we will likely join in body and soul once more."
The city had fallen into chaos, the King a frenzy of power that Inan had never seen. Hellfire and changelings, his dark blade at his side. A bow of ebony obsidian ringing through the air. The Titan. There was much that Inan was unfamiliar with here, but hunting drow, defending people, and battle were three things that felt as though they had never changed. "Understood," Inan said measuredly, Robin was about as far from Fen'Harel as a person could be and for that he felt that he was grateful. "do you intent to reunite with the others? We were all scattered."
"Aurora, my dearest friend. I would find you in the middle of a forest fire without aid," Robin drawls dramatically as she steps past another ice barrier, raising a hand to her chest to add to add to her dramatics. "Of course, the ice show did help, but truly, you are far too bright to be hidden regardless."
She nods at her logic, flawless as usual, and she is glad to be able to contribute to the conversation with something more than her own guesses.
"I ran into Laer on the way here, he is currently fetching Tamlen. I believe he went on the direction of the Senate's current base, but I do not know if he changed his path," she offers. It is unfortunate that she does not know where Zahrya is, but Aurora is likely right. Zahrya is likely to return to the Forest now that they have separated. That, or to find his demon lover to have him close as they fight. Either way, he will be relatively safe and easy to find. Eyes narrowed, Robin considers their options, only to pause when Aurora speaks once more. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Will that stop you from trying once more?"
This union of their Chancellor magic had been a lot more potent than what had happened at Halloween. But, unlike Halloween, Aurora hadn't need a moment to recuperate. The elf reinforced their borders and fought while her fellows recovered up until that moment, becoming the center of a storm unlike any other that the once winter eladrin had ever conjured. Unforgiving ice and blue fire. Rarely did a soul pass through and, when they did, they were met with blade and shield. But Aurora was one storm in a sea of warriors and still she doubted even a god themself would be able to stop the onslaught of the drow forces. Their enemy had collective strength beyond anything she had ever seen, or anything she had ever seen from the memories of her ancestors.
Huginn hadn't needed to inform Aurora of the Autumn Chancellor's approach - she felt the familiarity and made sure not even a flake of snow touched Robin as she approached. "Hope it wasn't too hard to find me," Aurora joked, though her tone and her expression were as serious as death. She conjured up another wall of ice immediately where one had just fallen to a monstrous beast just a few blocks away. "No. But something tells me Tamlen isn't dead, not by Laer's reaction." Tamlen had certainly changed, changed into something. Plus, Aurora would have expected an ocean by Laer to drown half the city or a sandstorm to blind them all in his rage. "I have a feeling he'd be looking for him now." Aurora felled the monster, the tentacled thing bursting into shatters of crystalline ice. "Zahrya would never go far from the Forest."
There was a moment of hesitation but Aurora couldn't keep the sense of impending doom to herself anymore. "We're not going to be able to hold this city, Robin."
"That is a relief," she sighs quietly, one hand raising to rub the bridge of her nose as a weight leaves her shoulder's at the admission of Tamlen's continued existence. With the weight gone, it is far easier to feel her exhaustion, the magic well that seemed endless running low. "I sent Inan to seek Aurora out, but I can go meet them and try to find Zahrya so that we are all in one place once you have fetched Tamlen." It's not ideal, to separate while weak and depleted, but it is necessary. And even with her reserves running low, she has been training under Rainer's tutelage for long enough that most of her previous flaws when fighting had been smoothed out. "Or do you have another plan?"
Laer stood, he hadn't felt this depleted in ages. Was this what mortality felt like? So sad, it made him feel even worse for these creatures. "I felt Tamlen's head get snapped off before he died." Laer rubbed at his jaw, "Fortunately he'll be fine." He placed his hands upon his hips as he gazed out across the city, in the far distance he saw the Pyramid and through his bond he sensed the celestial's presence there. "Already I can feel his magic returning to me and restoring my reserves." Laer looked around and some distance away he saw blue flames and explosions of cold and lightning. "Well," he pointed, "that'd be our Aurora. We'll have to reconvene once I fetch Tamlen, we'll reunited our bodies then." Zahrya had been surprisingly tight.
who? @wintersaurora @zahryaofspring @chancellorxlaer where? rome when? after the power rangers depowered notes: not a four way dw, it's just a general open for the three of you
"There you are," a sigh of relief leaves her lips as she reaches her fellow Chancellor. Inan had given her an overview of the situation, but their plan has been set and they require the Titan's strength to continue. Tamlen's death is a tragedy, and she worries they won't be able to continue without him, worries that Thanatos cancelling death will not apply to their kind and they have lost yet another one individual. But she cannot think like that, not when every minute is essential and she has to find the other Chancellors in order to determine if they can proceed as planned or adjust. "Do you know where the others fell?"
Magic has always been a second thought, the swell of it coming to her aid without hesitation or thought. Rarely has she used as extensively as she does in battle, and rarely has she been left with nothing but the dredges of it after a spell. But the Titan is no ordinary spell, and her magic is not limitless. The thought tastes bitter as she feels Tamlen's death and falls. There is no enough to gather the dredges to stop her descent before Inan catches her, and Robin does not even try, trusting her warder to accomplish his duty. As they descent unto the roof, Robin eyes their surroundings thoughtfully and notes the direction the other Chancellors fell. She will have to rejoin them sooner rather than later. "Exhausted, but that will not stop me," she admits with a thankful nod as she stands and stretches for the first time in days. "My thanks for the rescue, my dashing knight. But do drop the title, it's altogether too stuffy and I have never been one for pomp."
@thegoodfellow location: Rome notes: warder things
Everyone connected to Tamlen felt the sudden severance of his life. Sharp and swift. Time was all but an illusion to the fey, they'd been at it for days, but moments later the Titan began to glow, then broke apart as the chancellors were scattered. The well of magic he'd had access to gone, Inan still had his own, and even without it that would not have stopped him from coming to Robin's aid. She fell and the warder lept to catch her before he landed with the soft footfalls on the opposite rooftop, the chancellor in his arms. Around them the city was in flames, the streets were a butchery, and the sky was an obsidian night. Cloudless. Starless. There was just the drow above them. Inan set her down on her feet, "Are you alright my lady?"