The Runefang Chronicles (For Archangel99)

[Archangel99]

[Ah. Then no, not really.]

 

[Ecnalab]

Without being able to fast travel, the trek through the woods took several days. On more than one occasion Lazarus was forced to fend off some of the wildlife, be it imps or one of the few remaining jaguars. On the third day, they reached the rocky edge of the woods, and the trees abruptly stopped. The transition from forest to mountains was abrupt to say the least; verdant forests gave way to rocky scree and valleys almost instantly. Lazarus found himself looking down a barren trail that wound between two small peaks before disappearing into the rocks.

 

[Archangel99]

"And here we are. The mountains." Lazarus murmurs, looking up at the peaks as a shiver of anticipation runs through his body. Without further ado, he starts walking the rocky path leading to the peaks.

 

[Ecnalab]

Lazarus picked his way up the paths to the higher elevations. once her reached the top of a small peak, the true enormity of the area hit him. The mountains stretched out as far as he could see, and the highest ones pierced the clouds.

 

[Archangel99]

"Whoooaaaa. This place is amazing..." He murmurs, turning a circle to take in the scenery around him. "Say, did anybody ever mention which mountain they spotted the dragon at?" He asks, looking down at Eleanor.

 

[Ecnalab]

"Not really, people just say that they saw it flying around, and before they could heads or tales of it, it was gone," Eleanor relied.

 

[Archangel99]

"Uh.... There aren't hallucinatory drugs around here, by any chance?" Lazarus asks, starting to wonder if they just made this trip for nothing.

 

[Ecnalab]

Before Eleanor could respond, the light seemed to dim. Looking up, something had passed in front of the sun... Something that seemed to be getting bigger very fast.

 

[Archangel99]

"Ah shit. I take that back. Find cover!" Lazarus yells, diving behind a rock to watch the shadow, a small part of his mind praying that it wasn't a passing bird, and he didn't just embarrass himself. But... There weren't any birds in this place. Were there...?

 

[Ecnalab]

A sudden blast of air rushed over Lazarus as whatever had been diving at them passed by. Looking over the rock, Lazarus could see that the thing did indeed look like a dragon as it sped away. The creature was at least as big as heavy war horse, and covered from beaked snout to the end of its long sinewy tail in brilliant red scales. It's wingspan was at least sixty feet, and a pair of beep black horns curled from the top of it's head like those of a ram. Matching black spikes ran in a line down the length of its back, terminating in a wide black spade. The dragon had no forelegs, only wings, but its hind legs were thickly muscled and ended in cruel black talons. Talons that were wrapped around Elizabeth's arms as the creature carried her away; heading toward one of the taller mountains.

 

[Archangel99]

For a moment, Lazarus just blinks. Then, the realisation of what just happened slaps him in the face. "Fuck!" He yells as he immediately breaks into a run for the mountain, trying to get there before the dragon decides to eat Elizabeth.

 

[Ecnalab]

The sprint took Lazarus to the edge of the cliff he was on before the ground fell out from under him, and her could do nothing but watch as the beast disappeared with his prize into the tallest mountain in the range. "Well, she's boned. Want to get lunch?" said Eleanor, as she turned and began walking away.

 

[Archangel99]

Lazarus blinks, then turns around to flare coldly at Eleanor. "Sure. Go ahead and get your lunch. And once you're done with it, don't bother coming back." He growls, starting to climb the mountain.

 

[Ecnalab]

"Oh, come on!" Eleanor shot back. "You can't really be planning to go after her. I can't carry you up their, and without wings of your own, you'll fall to your death before you even make it halfway up that peak."

 

[Archangel99]

"Then what!? Just leave her to die up there!?" He snarls back, abandoning his efforts and turning to glare at her again.

 

[Ecnalab]

"Maybe. Or, maybe, if you stop to think for a moment, you'll cook up a plan that doesn't involve plummeting to your death," Eleanor said, in a lecturing tone.

 

[Archangel99]

Lazarus opens his mouth to shoot back a retort, then pauses. Yes, she did have a point. He was being rather rash about this... Then, he looks up at the peak of the mountain. Hmm... Now how could he get up there without falling to his death...?

[Discern Realities: 5. No modifier for this, right?]

Unable to see anything in the immediate vicinity that can be of any help, he looks at Eleanor with a groan. "Then what do you suggest, oh wise and knowledgeable demon?" He says sourly.

 

[Ecnalab]

Lazarus options were pretty limited. He would likely need to either find a way to grow some wings of his own, as Eleanor was suggested, or find someone to carry him.

 

[Archangel99]

Hmm.... He didn't know anyone with wings big enough to carry him, but...
"Where can I get some wings, and really fast, at that?" He suddenly blurts out.

[I'm off to sleep.]

 

[Ecnalab]

"Well, you could go hunting for a harpy nest," offered Eleanor.

 

[Archangel99]

"It would take too much time..." He growls before looking around the mountains. "But... I suppose we don't have a choice..." He groans, now starting to look for a harpy nest.

 

[Ecnalab]

"If you're looking for harpies, I know where to find some," said a raspy female voice, that seemed to come from nowhere.

 

[Archangel99]

Startled, Lazarus quickly looks around, his eyes darting from spot to spot to see where the voice came from.

 

[Ecnalab]

"Over here," the voice called, from a nearby boulder.

 

[Archangel99]

Lazarus glances at the boulder, raises an eyebrow, and then slowly edges closer before peeking around it.

 

[Ecnalab]

A pair of big yellow eyes suddenly opened, and looked back at him. As he stumbled back, a humanoid section of the rock seemed to pull away from the rest of it. Standing before him, the figure changed color before his eyes, going from the same slate grey of the boulder it had been clinging to, to a riot of bright greens, reds, and blue. Standing before him was some fusion of woman and lizard. Brilliantly colored scales covered her rail-thin form, and a long coiled tail trailed behind her. A trio of curved horns capped her head, and two overlarge eyes stared back at Lazarus.

"Well, well, you don't see many chameleons outside of the swamp," Eleanor commented.

 

[Archangel99]

"A chamaeleon?" Lazarus looks the woman up and down. "That's... Actually a pretty interesting camouflage. Useful for sneaking up on people. Is that what you were doing?" Lazarus says, unable to resist staring at her large eyes.

 

[Ecnalab]

"Actually, I was hiding from old Scorch," she said, motioning to the sky. "Last thing I want is to become that guy's newest plaything."

 

[Archangel99]

"Newest plaything? I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to the old ones..." He mutters. "But that aside, I need to get up there. How do I do it?" He asks, frowning.

[Tbh, I was expecting Kiha. XD]

 

[Ecnalab]

"Well, no one's ever heard of anybody coming back after being grabbed by him," the chameleon explained. "But, if you need wings, I can show you where some harpies nest," she offered.