I'VE BEEN SCARED OF SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON ♡ RESCUE RAID

[Byriath]

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SOMEONE TO HEAR YOUR PRAYERS

Byriath made no noise as he felt the sword slice at his legs, already was his body changing. Fur condensed into deep red scales, tail lengthened, wings sprouted from his back. It happened so fast.

A scorpion tail lashed out at Deldrach, trying to send her sprawling in some other direction. His dragon head moved along the ground, a long forked tongue moving, feeling, touching. He turned around, nudged Saturn gently. "Youre not dying on my watch."

talons tried to hold gently onto Saturn's body, touch delicate and light. From there he'd try to lift Saturn up. Great wings beat, gaining air. Golden eyes searched the battle front. They had to get out. "ANGELEMBRACE, WHERE ARE YOU." He shrieked. He felt his throat bubble, grow hot with fire.

BYRIATH-COALITION-FALLEN GOD OF VIOLENCE, CRUELTY, AND MALICE

[sup]© tikki[/sup]

[roan ;]

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Shit was going sideways, and fast. For the most part, Roan had merely been watching, his blue gaze scanning over the battlefield before it landed on Sojourn, and the prisoner she held in her grip. The soothsayer's heart sank as he saw what was going on, and he managed only a short, cut off cry as Michael was murdered, his guts dragged over the dirt. Still, he couldn't afford to fall apart. Not here. Not now. Especially not when Diya was on the ground, looking like she was barely hanging onto life. With a heavy sigh from the depths of his gut, the medic raised a paw, his elementals surging forth and striking any Coalition NPCs that lingered near her body. He cared little for their screams or cries of pain, just wanting to make sure that none of them got over to her before he did. As he pulled his paw back, Roan slowly began to shift, his body growing and becoming longer. Once he was done shifting, he was in his large Eastern dragon form, towering over many of the smaller creatures below.

He wasted no time in flying downwards, landing nearby to Diya's shrinking form as it slowly went from polar bear to plain domestic feline. As a few of the surviving NPCs approached him, he turned his head and snarled, voice filled with venom, "Stay back, or risk the consequences." Surprisingly, most of them seemed to listen. With that, he reached out and lifted [member=1149]Diya F.M.[/member] into his claws, carefully pulling her up to rest against his chest. He then turned, using his wind elementals to take to the sky once more and head off, back in the direction of The Typhoon. He would've liked to stay and make sure he could assist with any other injuries, but what Diya was dealing with was major. Honestly, it was a miracle that she hadn't died from the vicious blood-bending already. So, he spared only a brief glance back in the direction of his mama, as if silently telling her that he would make sure Diya was alright. And with that, it wasn't long before the dragon had disappeared over the horizon, eager to get back home and make sure his step-mother would be alright.

( out! + permission given by percy / rexaraneo for roan to take diya )

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[ROXANNE R.]

[APHRA CIPHER .]

[glow=grey,1,400]ONCE A WHORE, YOU'RE NOTHING MORE ! — ｡+ﾟ.[/glow]

TRIGGER WARNING: this post has gore and death in it.

There was a snap in Aphra's body as Diya pressed down on her ribs, pain wracking through her body in waves as her own breaths seemed to tear her apart. She couldn't react as the polar bear grabbed her and flung her in Roxanne's direction and no matter how hard she tried, Aphra couldn't escape the bengal body she possessed. Might have to do with how much pain she was in, how disoriented she felt, most likely. There were screams of terror, grief, pain below Aphra as she was grabbed by Roxanne, and Sojourn's screeching filled the air as well - but Aphra couldn't understand the Kingpin's words, nor was she aware of Michael's death at this moment. Aphra could practically hear her heartbeat in her ears, which flattened as she tried to struggle out of Roxanne's grasp.

Roxanne mocked her, speaking in such a prideful way before grabbing Aphra's limbs in her talons. It was really hard to struggle free from a god damn dragon and being held like this certainly didn't help. Aphra dangled in the dragoness's grasp, trying to wriggle free as much as possible before Roxanne ripped her in half. Of course, Aphra's consciousness was immediately knocked out from the small body; she would return soon in her own main body no doubt, but for now.

Aphra Cipher was dead.[glow=COLOR,1,400] ━ ✧*:･ﾟ[/glow]

[angelembrace]

The sounds were dizzying, truly, and the longer he went without seeing any of the other children was longer he felt a confusing split of relief that they may have been safe, and concern that something had already happened to them. Of course, all the while he was taking count of who was injured, how badly, and how many deaths were stacking up by the minute. They were getting mauled, which was terrifying and disappointing, already a ruin of a former empire being further crushed by the ones that were just too good at leading raids and revolts. The cub couldn’t fight, sure, but he would not stand and cry like a whelp, dragging those able to be salvaged and treated later behind buildings, pushing over debris for more effective “out of sight out of mind” hiding, hissing at the blood and gore. Hissing at the barbaric behavior of it all. Realizing he hated it. Realizing that he wasn’t meant for this. There had to be another path.

The death of Michael was glorious, however. Sojourn had gone completely mad, like he always had the feeling she would, a sentiment he never did express, he didn’t have the heart. Not since the few genuine moments of her being almost sane, a mother at the least. He felt sympathy for the woman, in a way he couldn’t explain. She had torn out a man’s entrails, dragging them through the mud. Hurt. That’s what it was, right?

He shuddered, but it wasn’t from the violence. He felt cold, legitimately cold. Like the temperature had changed. From behind one of the buildings the cub looked, eyes wide with the fascination of Ruven having manipulated the very blood from Diya’s body, a tactic he had heard whisperings of from, a method the Kingpin had taught her sons, but didn’t have any expeditions to see it in battle just yet. Fascinated enough to not pick up in time the tragedy in the form of ice, the world nearly slowed significantly as the spears of frozen water impaled the body of Ruven, pushing through whatever flesh and bone they crossed. Something touched his cheek, not the paw of another of course but the rapidly cooling blood of the other boy, and he was afraid of touching it to wipe it away. Was saying he was frozen in place a pun? Probably. ”You....you bitch-” The trail itself wasn’t hard to find, and he didn’t recall ever seeing Lumia’s face, not until now of course, and it felt like it had been branded into his subconscious.

”ANGELEMBRACE, WHERE ARE YOU?”

No time. No time to think about his next moves, or any pathetic attempt at vengeance. The voice that split the air was his next priority, there was nothing he could do for Ruven now. Angel moved his ass, bolting as fast as his little legs could carry him, the giant beast not hard to find. Of course, it only got worse, didn’t it? He had missed the attack on Saturn, but the results were obvious and his heart stopped briefly in his chest. Deldrach was ignored, for now, as Angelembrace turned his head back to lock his gaze on the figure of ice and blood once again.

A more sickening sound caused his head to snap back around, feeling immense nausea immediately at the sight of Aphra being torn in two. Damn it all. ”They’ll kill us all.”

your little hands of paradise, give them here and hang on tight

— Reggan

[Keona.]

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keona sibéal ní faoláin.
the typhoon.
the blind dealer.
information.

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[div style="max-width: 360px; font-family: palatino; color: #2a4971; text-align: left; padding-top: 8px; padding-left: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; font-size: 13px;"]Idir brí is idir muir, Tá mé i dtiúin

It's chaos and blood and death and the dealer had to keep her cool.  Couldn't lose her focus.  The whole reason they were here.  She had to find them, breath stilling as she caught the sound of both a howling response and a more feline yowl.  Danny.  Vayne.

She knew Salem was right behind her.  Silent but watching her back.  Her ears perked as she shifted course.  Diving into the caverns without hesitation.  Chasing after the howl.  Nose inhaling sharply the iron in the air.  And Danny.  She knew he was here.  She knew she was close.

They were going to get him home.

Keona scrambled to a halt outside the other wolf's cell, sightless hues flashing.  Could taste blood in the air.  He was hurt.  They hurt him.  "Danny!" Perhaps not entirely thought through, rammed herself into the bars in an attempt to open them.  Muttering as her head rang.  Not her best plan, but she was... Seas she was just relieved to find him.

Releasing a breath.  "Stand back," she advised before slamming her paws against the closed cell with a harsh gust of wind, the entrance flying open.

"Let's get you home."

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© MADI

[harland m.]

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A testament of callous intent, violence and degradation, but a feast for scavengers. No purpose in wanton loss, in the culmination of minor offence spilling over, untimely conclusion brought about. Misunderstood, never cared to parse, best alone left.

A coward. Man of words, of medicinal means, soft beneath a veneer that bore fine cracks. Not his place here where the land was ravaged, stolen kingdom brought low, tarnished, tainted beneath a rule history deemed necessary to repeat. Mistake once more enacted, followed for ambition won over all else, proceeded a downfall of such vicious grandeur. No phoenix they, nor the children shackled, weighed beneath the seeded desire, that drive that may bring only ruin. A shambling corpse, death escaped though the good of it not tangible.

Mere thieves, murderers that bore blood, felt it lap at them, stained even as the eye might never perceive, association enough for damnation.

Understood the gravity of their misdeeds, the culmination of all that was performed beneath singular banner, the tutelage continued, staged as supple minds were turned to a cause fit only for destruction. Still rebellion rose, twisted thoughts, drew a gentle hum against the seam of his mind, a ponderance he may not silence. Reformation beyond them, too far steeped in this existence, a life built on principles faulty to their very core, hope still wanely flickered.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Not his place the field upon which battle was waged, never his, a fragile thing, bone encased in skin, a spectre bound in poor fortune. Best witnessed the atrocities, understood that known by all else and vainly blocked out in a bid to afford unearned second chance. Too much still. Gait slow and uneven dwindled, churned earth catching, breath stuttering, soundless cry painted against parted lips. Too much, all of it.

Wide golden depths swept open expanse, snow and soil mixed, foul the stain, crimson a veil against it all. Still some, others weak, agonising, futile desire to stop the spill of blood, win for themself a chance, acted upon all the same. Dirt clogged his mouth, choking upon it, sputtering cough, copper a tang heavily laid against his tongue. Horror dawned, claws digging, muscle torn into, addition only further fanning panic. He knew not when the tears began to fall, how their heated spill mixed with that which adorned his chin, awash in his own blood, ruin the tongue that sat, thick and heavy, between trembling jaws.

Vision turned, sought respite here where the reaper extended a hand, awaited the inevitable end, the tally only growing. Among the muddy tones stark the ivory, unmoving, small, familiar and yet forgein. Dark princeling towered, assured his this victory, a short fuse snuffed out. Commotion began, renewed combat, aloft bore the weight of broken child. Indeed, apparent he was such, pitiful bid to be free of the support, sharpened points jutting forth, sullied and yet beautiful still. Throat closed, bile rising, transfixed. Wrong, understood his frantic study, the manic inspection of the field for a cause, anything but the execution sought as focal point.

Best he had not, simply stemmed the frantic beat, continued a desperate bid to take any air in. What there was slipped away, a low whistle, teeth held taunt, jaw aching with the pressure. Michael. Heard of his disappearance, never feared for, capable, stronger than most, a man of action if not thought. Should not be here, anywhere but here better. But then he would not be the man that had taken his heart, a fool adorned in stolen trinkets with a heart similarly hued, reckless with a life that he knew little about but wished to pick apart.

Mouth moved, paws extended, trying to shift himself, assist as his mind seized. There was nothing there, thought devoid, want flourished in the absence. Too late, too weak, never good enough. Always too slow.

Beneath did extremities tremble, steps too numerous yet no distance covered, mind overcompensating, miniscule each even as the gulf widened. No chance. Still beneath assault, marble given life once more reduced to stone, awoken only as flesh parted. Almost he heard it, how muscle broke, the contact of it, ragged fragment aside falling, flow following the beat of blackened husk of a heart. Lips moving with no sound, smooth the transition, low brought before position changed, the brief darkness of blink obscuring. Almost he wished to never open his eyes, pretend that all may be well if only he need not witness it.

A scream. His own or another, he knew not the origin, knew only his jaws hung open as the display commenced, audience welcome to witness, cordial invitation extended. So delicate the flesh beneath fine ebony strands, too short the time it held, parting in a mass of ribbons. The world spun, balance gone, earth rushing forth, chin struck. Blissful darkness, nothing left but that cool balm. Short it, never enough even as he grasped at it, wished reduced to a nightmare all that had transpired. Joyous celebration drew his mind back, the foul display central focus.

To look upon their queen was to know her mind was not present, that which held it together, which fastened it in place, had been striped away. Grotesque sight had she been reduced to, adorned in blood and aloft held the length of small intestine, hold almost ginger. Laughter bubbled, spilled forth from twisting lips, tears falling in a ceaseless stream. To think she capable of such, unruptured the mass that trailed behind, at least by she, a contradiction to the brutality enacted upon the man left in her wake.

Was this why they followed her, did those that fell about him find some fragment among the myriad of darkness that acted as a beacon, ever called for, lulled into a false security. Thoughts scattered, head turning. Burning that ejected from his empty stomach, bile all that he may produce, unknown the last time he had bothered to eat. Assured nothing was left began the arduous task of dragging his limp body forth, to her own devices left the mad queen, sole focus the body, her prize left behind as a crimson trail marked her progress across the battlefield.

[Casphian]

//not open to attacks a plot is in place

A laugh bubbled up and erupted from Solsken as he stared at the broken body of his fallen brother. The laugh turned rather maniac like, sounding much like the mother that had adopted him. His gaze was full of pain and anger, the hellhound broken at the loss of someone he cherished so much. His attention turned towards the enemy that seemed to be nearby, noticing the frozen fear that the other was in. Solsken stepped towards Harland, a grin spreading across his maw. “You, you did this,” he snapped. “You’re group took from me the one thing I cared for,” he snarled, stepping closer and closer to Harland with each word he spoke. His lips curled back to show his teeth, craving to be coated in the red liquid of his fallen prey. With that Solsken attempted to lunge at Harland. His claws aiming to grab onto the other, his teeth aiming to clamp down onto his back.

[LUMIA CIPHER.]

It was time to get the hell out. The Coalition's prisoner caverns were dank and suffocating, and Lumia had no desire to be down in the tunnels any longer than she had to. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't alone as she went running for Vayne's cell, another creature coming into view as she ran along. A wolf... a Coalition wolf. The young Cipher didn't think for a second that Ravenwood was down near the cells to get Vayne out. Instead, she figured he had rushed down there with the intention of moving the prisoners, so that they would be harder for The Typhoon to find. The middle of a raid wasn't exactly the ideal time to stop and ask questions, either. So, without a second thought, Lumia scooped up one of the nearby rocks into her paw, rushing up behind Ravenwood. She let out a brief snarl before she brought the rock down as hard as she could onto his head. It was enough to send him crashing into the ground, but not enough to kill or permanently wound him.

As Lumia looked at the canine she had managed to bring down, she found herself pausing. That face... this was the wolf that had been captured before, right? The one that Vayne had told her about? The one that had been kind? Shit. A litany of curses left the privateer in that moment, and she simply grumbled as she stepped over him. Well, she would have to deal with that in a moment, for now, her attention was solely on the cell in front of her. The one with Vayne. As she stepped closer, she spoke very softly to her niece, "Hey, Vayne... sorry it took a while to get you out. But we're here... now come on." She then rose her paws up, pressing them against the metal bars. The air once more grew cold as a giant chunk of ice grew between the bars of [member=16148]VAYNE C.F.M.V..[/member]'s cell, forcing them apart wide enough that the girl would be able to get out. As she stepped back, Mia muttered, "I want you to run, alright? Don't even think about staying out on that battlefield. Just bolt towards The Typhoon... please. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got even more hurt." She then leaned forward to touch her nose lightly to the top of Vayne's head, a heavy sigh leaving her once more.

With Vayne freed... that meant she had to deal with Ravenwood. She couldn't just leave him to rot near the cells, and she honestly didn't trust the Coalition to take care of him properly. If he was truly kind, as Vayne had said... then he'd be better suited for The Typhoon. At the very least, he could get better care there from Roan, and anyone else with medical skills. She couldn't very well get him back there in this form, though. She hadn't really done much with her shapeshifting abilities before but... there was a first time for everything. So, the feline closed her eyes, focusing until she felt her body begin to grow. Legs became longer, muscles became larger, and it wasn't long before a lioness was standing in the place where Lumia had been, same wheat colored fur and all. After a moment to get her bearings, Mia stepped forward over to where Ravenwood laid unconscious, leaning down to take his scruff in her mouth. She lifted the canine up without all that much fuss, a grunt leaving her as she turned and headed back, out of the caverns. She moved at a brisk pace, even with Raven essentially half-dangling and half-dragging from her jaws.

As soon as she was out of the caverns where the prisoners were held, Lumia turned and heaved Ravenwood up onto her back, making sure he was secure. Once he was, she took off in a full sprint away from the battlefield, and away from the Coalition's territory entirely. She didn't hesitate for even a moment, not wanting to give anyone a single chance to attack her or try and grab Ravenwood. It wasn't long before she had disappeared into the treeline, off in the direction of The Typhoon's territory.

( permission given to powerplay Lumia bonking and snatching [member=18019]RAVENWOOD[/member] !!! )

☆ — something's going on underneath your skin

[daniel]

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"THE GLADIATOR" — CHAMPION OF WAR

It was not too long until Keona had located the response she had been searching for, or so he assumed given the howl that preceded his own, but in a situation such as this, seconds felt like minutes and minutes, hours. The sound of paws within the caverns caused him to stir once again, the Dealer ramming directly into the bars before he had the chance to tell her that would most likely not work, she was both too quick and he was far too exhausted to speak on time. The ding of metal caused him to wince, pierced ear twitching in the dark.

”Standing back.” He responded, barely audible over the sounds raging overhead, the resulting wind that blew the door clean open pulling itself through his fur and throwing an ear back, which he had to fix once it finally registered that it was inside out. Power over the wind and the waves, Keona had abilities that he couldn’t fathom and yet here she was helping the likes of him rather than her crewmates. He felt like it was his fault, though logically it wasn’t, Keona assisted him in escaping on her own terms.

“Let's get you home.”

Home. Far from this place. Warmer, sands instead of thawed earth. There was a feeling of conflicting perception at the word, as if some part of him refused to leave, but it was quickly overturned by the majority of his heart and soul. His breaths were ragged, strained as if he’d been struck in the ribs, nodding at the woman with wide and frightened eyes. ”I want to go home...”

Although, he didn’t move as fast as his tone would have implied he would, still aching and disturbed from his time between a cell and a pit. An arena.

— if i find some way out then i will stay, with heart split two ways down