Roleplay

// I'm all up for this idea!
@blitzryu
Riaxus's gaze softened, warmth flooding through his veins.
"Well." He began in a rumbling voice, letting a smile tilt across his maw. "It would be dangerous to stay out here for too long."

He flicked an emerald, jewelry-clad tail. The polish has long ago been scratched, the gems embedded in his accessory now too dirty and cracked to reflect light. He didn't mind anymore.

"Are you headed somewhere? I was looking for shelter. Figured I'd find somewhere to spend the night, and figure out where I'm going from there."

---

Pleased to be accepted on such a mission, Lemon nodded with gratitude.

"Thank you," She seemed to purr with satisfication, watching as Gallia stood up to deliver a piece of parchment to a nearby solider.

"Excuses," Gwyn muttered.

"Come again, sir?" asked the shining bright Imperial sitting next to him.

"I said NO MORE EXCUSES!" The Spiral slammed his clenched fist against the tree they'd stopped at. "Two days ago, with the Imperial family, you said they were 'too fast for you'. HOW could they be faster than you? They're travelling with FLEDGLINGS!"

"But I--"

"And just this morning. The lone female. You almost had her. You really did. But then your big mouth simply HAD to mention my name. She was gone like greased lightning! I've told you over and over what not to do, and what do you do? Exactly what we just said NOT TO!"

"I'm sorry, sir," the Imperial bowed her head, but her expression never changed. Her eyes, like gems, were empty of all life.

"'Sorry' doesn't put those obnoxious lizards in my claws. You have one more chance, Galatea, before I scrap you for parts. Enchanted gold does not come cheap."

"But I'll do better next time. Really!"

"I severely doubt that."

"Really! I can try on those two Imperials way over there!"

Gwyn snapped his head around at that. Sure enough, two Imperial-shaped figures were visible in the distance.

"Interesting. Alright, then. You stay here and don't. Move."

"But I can help!"

"Oh, I severely doubt that," Gwyn muttered under his breath, before rising into the air. "Omnem Lapidem. You only have two standing orders, Galatea. You stay here until I return, or, if they run, you pursue them. Omnem Lapidem."

"As you command, sir," Galatea monotoned, sitting perfectly still beside the tree.

But Gwyn was already gone, his six wings fluttering hard towards the two Imperials, his fangs bared in anticipation of the hunt.

Riaxus smiled gently at Cocoa's response, his lips tilting upwards with the movement. "Of course not. Us imperials? We have to stick together." Riaxus, in truth, could not believe his luck. Companionship was like a gift for an exile, a life which usually denoted solitude and lonesomeness.

"It would be bad to stay in one place for too long." Raixus undulated a long neck to the side, indicating his desire to move on. He always felt anxious staying out in the open, as if he was laying himself bare as a target to the eyes of the faithful.

Perhaps they'd find a good cave? If they traveled in a direction where the mountains grew thick and rigged, providing shelter.

It was then that Riaxus heard something. The leathery snap of many wings in the distance. The jade imperial lifted his head to spot a spiral flying towards them fast, teeth bared.

This dragon... obviously did not have good intentions.

The complacency and relaxation he had felt moments ago was replaced with alertness, adrenaline flooding through his veins. He'd be damned if he were to let any dragon, faithful or otherwise, ruin any hope he had left.

"Cocoa, look out!" Riaxus peeled back his lips in a bellow.

Vitriol couldn't feel things in the strictest sense with nerve endings, but he could judge that it was heavy in that it seemed to make his robotic arm sink a little with the weight. Still, he managed to hold it.
"Will do. Just give me a minute."
The robotic Pearlcatcher walked off, carrying the bag to the blacksmiths.

Riaxus nodded, his wings already stretching in preparation for flight. "I suggest we flee the fastest way possible." Of course, being in air meant to risk being seen by their enemies, but they couldn't run away. Running was far too slow of an option for them. They needed to loose their attacker now.

Glistening wings stretched, muscles and ligaments flexed and popped. Riaxus's wing muscles propelled him into the air, feeling the wing gallop over his scales as he took into flight. He ascended, glancing back to see if Cocoa was following, and made way for the distance.

A chase! How futilely these prey animals fled. Gwyn kept low, aiming to worry the two Imperials into flight, where their larger size would hinder their agility.

Gwyn gathered his Breath and generated a corrosive Plague bolt in one talon. As soon as he had a clear shot, he'd toss it at one of them, literally corroding their scales and flight feathers. He only needed one shot; if the other was as predictable as the rest were, they'd dive down to 'aid' their fallen comrade; if they weren't, well, it was still one captured for the Lightweaver.

He needed complete focus now...as soon as that greenish one hit the downstroke...

An alabaster figure whooshed past him and in his distraction, the spell fizzled to nothing.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Gwyn screamed at his errant creation.

"You said if they ran, I should pursue, sir," Galatea called back.

"If they ran in...in your direction!" He'd utterly forgotten to add that one important detail. "Gah! Why can't you mechanicals ever pick up contextual clues? Omnem Lapidem!"

Except that in his rage, 'Omnem Lapidem' sounded an awful lot like "On them, rapidly!"

Galatea obeyed, sweeping past him, looking to all the world like a third Imperial fleeing a Faithful pursuer.

@ethiera @blitzryu

Riaxus knew he couldn't strain himself. The imperial make his wing strokes longer, more powerful to push himself forward. The sickening sound of rot being conjured by their chaser sent panic and lividness fresh through his energetic body.

He desperately wanted to throw something back at his attacker. Wrathful retaliation against a furioisly persistant and foolish faithful. But Riaxus was never very in touch with his nature elementals to begin with, and though there was vegetation as far as the eye could see, he was too high up to control it. The trees were there, but they were out of his finesse. Oh, how he wished he had actually taken the time to practice his inherited magic. It would be lots helpful, but the magic that some others could tap into flawlessly, Riaxus could never quite do the same.

How long could they fly for without being caught?

The emerald imperial was startled by the sound of a fourth set of wing beats, tailing them. Riaxus was only able to catch a glimpse of another imperial. Where had they come from?- he didn't have time to dwell too long on that. His brain was still dizzied, so to say, with the knowledge that their life was on the line if they didn't lose this faithful and fast.

Riaxus eyed the distance, looking for some way to lose their pursuers. If they could get closer to the ground, it could increase their chances of making a quick escape into the undergrowth. Or give Riaxus the ability to summon up something from vegetation if things went awry. His eyes locked desperately onto the mountain ahead.

While his speed never slowed, he banked southward slightly, so that the trees came clearer into view and he beckoned the powers of the gladekeeper's gift, feeling the tide of nature call to him. He focused on that spark of energy, held on and nurtured it, tapping into the untrained power of his core as the energy slowly built. Not yet. It was far too early into their escape to releash it. When the time was right.

Caligula once told him that the more one concentrated on and nurtured their mana, the more powerful the attack when released.

He was not going down without a fight.