Man VS. Monster (Eryss)

[Aello]

Aello only grunted as her body was pushed back. Although, it wasn't very far. Knowing not to let herself be forced too far from Eryss, for that would weaken their defenses, the girl stuck her foot out behind her, and braced her form, causing all movement to stop, as she swept her arm up, swiping at the yukman who had tried to down her. The creature, seeing the flash of the metallic blade, instantly backed away, only to try and lunge for her again. But, the sudden burst of wind brought about by Eryss' magic drove him away, allowing Aello enough time to draw her hand back, and then fling the dagger towards the yukman's heart. She could see it swirling through the air. The sun shining off the silver as it whistled, only to imbed itself a few second's later in the yukman's flesh. Spilling his blood all over the forest floor. Aello thought she could hear his heart pounding just before he fell, her blade slipping from his skin, and clattering against the ground. She eyed it warily as she stepped around Eryss, and deftly, plucked an arrow from her quiver. Mechanically, the aurist weaved the arrow onto her bow. "Try not to move too much," Aello whispered, as her index finger came to rest beside the top of the nock, and her middle finger below. "You wouldn't want to be hit by one of these," she added, as she lifted her bow, and began to pull back even farther on the string. She took a half a step forward, providing herself with just enough room to maneuver as the string began to creak, and she closed her left eye. She eased her bow over another of the yukman's heads, and was just pulling her fingers from the string when another monster rammed into her, knocking her back as her final finger fell away, releasing the arrow. It sprang forth, flying wayward through the air, towards the trees, where it skidded off the shoulder of another monster. Barely stripping away a small section of his flesh. Petch, Aello thought as she turned to face the monster, whose fist was being driven towards her head. Eyes growing wide, Aello swiftly ducked, and then, ran towards the creature, forcing her head into him, forcing the thing a few steps back, as she raised herself up, the creature's arms came for her. Circling her, to crush her at their center. Oh in the name of Dira, Aello thought, as she ducked again, and came back up only when the monster's arms had passed over her, swinging wildly past. As they did, she lifted her right leg as swiftly as she could, and bent it at the knee. This, she rammed into the yukman's soft middle, before placing it back down on the ground and darting forward as she reached for her spare dagger. A dagger her fingers found all too easily, furled around as she pulled it free, and turned her body to the side. The metal flashing as she drew the blade across the monster's middle. Slashing away, back and forth, spilling blood before she stepped back to survey her art. Panting in an attempt to catch her breath, her heart hammering, Aello could only stare at the masses, at the one she was trying to finish, as blood dripped down its cracked flesh. After but a moment, Aello darted forward, gliding between his arms as he tried to punch her, only to swing her arm towards his chest again, making a deeper incision, which caused him to crumple into her as she pulled the blade back, and he fell. Without stopping to look around, the girl stepped back, and eyed her companion, wondering if he was fairing any better. Wondering if he would last. If she would too, through the entirety of this fight, or if it would be her end.

[Eryss Waldu]

[As Aello positioned herself behind the Mage so that she could use him for cover as he’d directed Eryss would remain mindful of what she whispered to him; he didn’t want to get caught in the path of one of her arrows as he felt that just maybe it might have had the strength to penetrate the Shields he’d erected around himself. Maybe better the arrow than the claws of a Yukman though. Eryss, watching the Yukmen that were moving towards the both of them, was waiting for Aello to fire when another one of the monsters rammed into her while she was concentration causing the Mage to be left alone as he watched the Yukman that Aello had meant to kill with her bow rush him.] [How the Mage wanted to throw a bolt of fire, a lightning bolt, a gale force wind or anything at all to dispatch the Yukman but no such luck. The last spell Eryss had cast hadn’t particularly drained his djed but it did arose his headache once again causing the Mage difficulty when he attempted to concentrate, this only made him angry in turn, try as he might and momentarily he was left to the dagger he was holding. Letting his left leg slide back behind the right Eryss would turn himself into a right side leading stance as he braced for the charge of the wild Yukman.] [Unlike Aello he wasn’t an extremely skilled or physical combatant. Luckily Eryss still had his Shields. Dodging, his body leaning to the left while his feet shuffled him that way as well, he’d attempt to manuever around the blows of the Yukman who was reaching for him, clawing at him if you will, though it was his shields that saved him and no fancy footwork of his own. Flashing to life the shield deflected several blows the Yukman made as he swiped his reedy and disproportioned fingers at Eryss who tried to get out of the way of them. Backpedalling to put a bit of distance between himself and the Yukman it looked like Eryss had almost had enough of all this.] [Now Eryss strike now! the voice that intruded his thoughts told the Mage as he backed away from the Yukman who followed. Shifting his weight onto his back foot Eryss would raise his arms as the Yukman swiped again, this time just barely missing in earnest, before driving the dagger he was holding in his right hand downward. Stabbing with the dagger Eryss plunged it into the shoulder of the Yukman and watched as thick ichor spilled from the wound before the creature recoil and the Mage withdrew the blade. Plunging the dagger down again though Eryss didn’t let up as he stabbed with the dagger in what was an awkward display that got the job done. The Yukman made some guttural sound but all Eryss heard beyond the ringing of the headache was the voice telling him Again! Again! as he drove the dagger home until the Yukman was dead. He didn’t know how many times he’d stabbed it but it was plenty to be sure.] [Around now Eryss was looking to see how Aello was fairing as well just in time to notice that she’d slain the beast which struck her before she could loose the arrow. Eryss was almost relieved to see that she was still alive too. Almost. Their thoughts mirrored one another though as Eryss too wondered if Aello would last this battle as well as whether he would or not. He marvelled at the sheer masses of the Yukmen which must still number around a dozen if not more or maybe he was overestimating their numbers in the heat of battle. Nonetheless his fingers curled tighter around the hilt of the Dagger.] [Minor though his distraction may have been when he had looked back to see how Aello was doing Eryss would be greeted by the sight of a trio of Yukmen charging him as his head came around to face front again. Eyes widening he’d forgotten about his shields completely which activated as the Yukmen barrelled into them though the protection was less then Eryss expected. The Yukmen stumbled back in the opposite direction after impacting with him and Eryss, in turn, was sent backwards, falling over his own feet, until he fell onto the ground and rolled onto his front where he lay. Motionless. Looking at him Aello, or anyone else observing, might think Eryss was unconscious. He was not.] [Laying there face down on the ground presented Eryss with a unique opportunity as he blocked out the sounds of battle around him and focused only inwardly on a strange calm that he could take himself to in times of need where he’d have the concentration he needed. Anyone else might think this was an odd time to meditate and they wouldn’t be wrong but it still worked. On the ground the only indication that Eryss was still awake would have been the subtle tightening of his hands as they dug themselves into the ground though otherwise there was nothing. The Yukmen having learned by now that Eryss was surprisingly difficult to hit may well have turned the bulk of their attention towards Aello too which would give the Mage all the time he needed.]

[Aello]

"Look out!" Aello shouted, just as the yukman came barreling into Eryss, and were surprisingly, pushed back, much as he was. Although, he did fall on the ground. Watching the monsters stumble, and shake their heads as though in shock, as they righted themselves, Aello's brow furrowed as she pulled her right hand back, and thrust her dagger at the closest monster. She watched it twirl through the air, the metal reflecting in the light, as it lodged itself in the creature's neck. She watched blood spurt from the wound she had inflicted as she absently kicked Eryss in the side. She could see the blood frothing in the yukman's mouth as it fell. "This is no time for a nap!" Aello shouted, as she pulled two arrows from her quiver, and deftly laced them onto the serving of her bow. She wrapped her fist between them, holding the nocks against the string, as she closed her left eye, and pulled the points over the next closest yukman. One of the three that had barreled into Eryss. One of the two left standing. Slowly, she eased the string back, ignoring the creak. She practically held her breath as she forced it past her ear, and then, let go. She could feel the string vibrating, brushing cool air across her arm, as she watched the arrows soar for a few seconds. Cutting through the cold, until they lodged themselves in the monster's chest. One piercing the yukman's heart, the other landing right below it. Blood seeped from the wound as the yukman shrieked, and then tumbled over the body of his fellow. As the final monster came towards her, Aello leapt over Eryss' back. "Get the petch up already. You can sleep when they're dead!" Aello hissed, as she rounded the mage's body, and then dipped, pulling her dagger from the yukman's corpse as she circled the final one which had downed her single ally. The creature, eyeing her idly, turned to meet her head on, and that was all Aello needed. Instantly, she rose from her previous position, a wilted flower regaining its strength, and former beauty. Instantly, her arm swept out, as she tossed the bloody dagger at the final yukman. Again, the metal swirled through the air, raining red across the beaten earth, as it came to rest in the monster's heart. A shriek shot through the air, chilling Aello to the bone. A shiver shot up her spine as the yukman fell. "Anybody else?" Aello whispered, as she pulled another arrow from her quiver, and silently wondered, just how much longer she could continue to keep this up. OOCHockay, so, apparently my dagger skill includes throwing daggers... so... yeah. P.S. Eryss, your last post made it seem as though your pc would be downed for a bit. So... I worked it into my post, and made some assumptions, if this is wrong, feel free to nudge me and I can edit this post.

[Eryss Waldu]

[Of course when Aello had shouted for Eryss to look out it had all fallen on deaf ears. The Yukmen had still charged Eryss, the Shield had still activated and both parties were tossed in different directions and the Mage had still fall to the ground apparently incapacitated. Eryss wasn’t unconscious though nor was any worse for wear as he lay there on the ground attempting to focus his mind. Meditation was tricky thing especially with battle occurring all around him and Aello attempting to prompt him back to his feet but Eryss did his best to ignore the girl confident that she would hold out until he was ready to act. It would take some time though.] [As she absently kicked Eryss in the side his shield would activate, her body wasn’t quite strong enough to penetrate the barrier yet which seemed abundantly capable of turning aside anything that struck it as showcased when the Yukmen had charged, flashing briefly before Aello went to work killing the monsters. It wasn’t long before Aello was prompting Eryss to get up already which he’d be more than happy to do soon but not yet; Aello was just going to have to make do as it were while the Mage played possum and focused on channelling his djed so that he could create res. Digging his hands into the ground Eryss would rake his fingers back across the earth while his companion shed the blood of the Yukmen that had been closest to the both of them.] [When that shriek shot through the air as Aello struck another Yukman dead Eryss too felt a certain chill in his blood though the sound seemed to break his concentration briefly before he bit down on his bottom lip and started to regain his inner composure. Of course that dead Yukman was not the last of them and as Aello pulled another arrow from her quiver to string in her bow there were more shrieks, different kinds too, these ones heralding an attack as more of the Yukmen came charging towards the pair. Now was the time to act, Eryss almost sensed it unnervingly, and lifting his head the Mage climbed onto his knees with a strained expression crossing his features as the headache forced him to bite down on his bottom lip until it bled freely.] [With hands palm down on the earth where he’d been laying as he rose back up onto his knees Eryss reached into himself and commanded the res he’d created to rise up out of the earth at his bequest. It was then that the res would transmute, having flowed through the earth and away from Eryss as he lay on the ground, before breaking the crust of the ground itself and rising up as a magma that bubbled from beneath the surface of the land. Eryss was forcing the res up through the ground, creating the magma, and causing it to erupt and bubble like small geysers in the earth in a circling around both Aello and himself. The Magma was hot, hotter than flesh could stand as one of the charging Yukmen had discovered when he was caught over the molten earth which burned hot enough to start melting the bottoms of his feet before he shrieked and fell over. Any Yukmen that weren’t caught when the magma came out of the earth were a little more leery to move forward now the shrieks of pain from any of their cohorts who had been to near a discernable warning to the danger.] [All told the magma had risen from the earth and encircled both Aello and Eryss at a distance of a fifteen feet. A sort of line between them and the Yukmen if you will. The line of magma itself was about four feet wide which made it difficult to step over. You could jump across it but you defiantly wanted to make sure you didn’t fall back onto the magma or you’d be lucky if you came out at all. What’s more is magma produced heat and created fire in close proximity to itself meaning the grass near it was slowly starting to catch flame as well. The Mage was entirely sure if what he’d done was helpful or not but at least the Yukmen couldn’t just rush the two of them anymore.] [Eryss was exhausted too and staying on his knees, his right hand moving to curl around the hilt of his dagger again, he breathed heavily. Not because he’d over exerted, anything he’d done was actually rather measured, but because of the damned headache he suffered and how it seemed to drain him when he was forced to concentrate. Glancing to Aello he smiled thinly, clearly not at his best, before saying...”You should shoot a few of them while they’re afraid.”...they likely wouldn’t be forever and eventually the Yukmen would start testing their luck and leaping across if they went unmolested as it was. Tasting the copper of his blood in his mouth now too Eryss didn’t seem extremely thrilled at the idea of getting back to his feet but slowly he started to push up again.] OOCI hope this post isn't confusing. I had an idea and tried to describe it well but it may not have been expressed as desired.

[Aello]

Aello nodded as she uneasily eyed the ring of magma. The mote which she could only hope was impenetrable. Deftly, Aello laced another arrow onto the serving of her bow. Her fingers soon found it. The index resting above the nock, the middle below. Slowly, she eased the string back as she closed her left eye, and slid her right foot forward. Widening the space that stretched between each of her feet; firmly planted in the ground. Swiftly, the girl raised her bow, inching the string back as she did. She listened to it creak as she pulled it past her right ear. As the string grew taut, Aello could see that it was etching bright red lines across the length of her fingers. Lines which stung; dully, lazily. As the aurist drew in another ragged breath; a breath of cool air, which caused her insides to ache, Aello drew the point of her arrow over another one of the monsters, who had stopped short around the ring of conjured magma. "Got you," Aello whispered, as she let go of the string, sending the arrow skyward. It seemed to hiss through the air towards the yukman, as the string itself was sent into a series of rapid vibrations. She could feel it brushing air against her cool skin, feel it plummeting against her cool flesh, from time to time, as she lowered it, and watched. Mere seconds flew by before the arrow had lodged itself in the monster's skull, just between its eyes. It stumbled back, screeching, clawing at its eyes. Scraping its skin away. Shedding more blood. Actions which caused it to shriek all the more. As the creature backed away, Aello pulled another arrow from her quiver, and laced it onto her bowstring. She raised it, as she inched the string back, just as the yukman she had previously shot fell away. Her hand ached as she pulled the string back even further, and then, released the second arrow onto the same target, hitting him in the center of his chest; silencing his pitiful wails. Without thinking about what she was doing, Aello pulled another arrow, and reloaded her quiver. "You know, we're going to be in need of a brighter idea than this. I can't keep shooting them forever," Aello commented, as she raised her bow, and forced it over a charging yukman, one who had the bright idea of trying to leap over the magma. Within a heartbeat, another arrow was loosed. An arrow which easily found its target. Lodging on the right pectoral muscle. Driving the monster back, until its feet landed in the magma, as well as the tips of its fingers. Flesh melted away into nothingness. Darkening the magma, as Aello shot another arrow into the back of its head. Silencing it. She was getting tired, she wanted this to end.

[Eryss Waldu]

[The Magma wasn’t a brilliant idea but it was a quick fix seeing as how the Yukmen would have a harder time rushing Aello and Eryss. The molten rock was hot enough to melt flesh, bone and even steel but it would cool eventually which meant that it wouldn’t be effective forever. Eryss silently wondered if maybe the Yukmen wouldn’t just get bored and wander away before the magma had cooled completely seeing as how it was effectively protecting himself and Aello at the moment. Looking at the girl as she loosed an arrow into the pectoral of an attacker and caused it to fall back into the magma were it was burnt away and melting the Mage seemed to relate to how Aello was also tiring. She wasn’t the only one wanting this to end.] [Pushing with his left hand Eryss would have climbed back to his feet then and said...”You watch ahead of us and I’ll keep an eye on our backs.”...the Yukmen could still surround them after all and it would only take one successfully leaping over the moat to give others the opportunity to do likewise. Eryss, who was back on his feet now, circled around behind Aello so that he could watch the opposite direction where several Yukmen had arrayed and almost looked as though they might be debating over which one of them would attempt to jump across the magma first. Lets face it you didn’t want to jump short or else you wouldn’t get another chance at this.] [Despite his headache, which was quite painful at this point, Eryss remained as focused as was possible and even growled out...”Well what are you waiting for!?”...to spur the Yukmen into action and it worked. A little prompting was all that one of them needed to back up a few paces before rushing forward and leaping across the moat. Eryss had been waiting for just that response though and as the Yukman leapt over the moat the Mage rushed forward to meet him with arms outstretched so that he could push him backwards. Of course the Shield still active worked as a sort of counter measure as well. Colliding with the Yukman the Shield covering Eryss flashed into existence and forced the monster off balance and backwards where it fell into the magma and shared a fate similar to the last one that had been burnt and melted to death. The shriek of the Yukman carrying briefly before dying away into nothing. Another monster dead.] [Eryss was backing up again after the Yukman had fallen into the magma. Looking back only once so that he wouldn’t run into Aello and potentially activate his shield again which might propel her forward or force her away if that occurred. The Shield was not fading from view again as well. Inhaling once Eryss only managed to mutter loud enough for Aello to hear him...”I’d love to tell you that I could cast something capable of reducing them all to ash at the moment but I’m not sure that’s possible.”...the headache was definitely affecting him and even though the djed he used to this point wasn’t monumental that didn’t seem to do him any favours either. Watching the Yukmen from his side, the dagger still held in a reverse grip in his right hand, he’d have continued by asking...”How many are left? A dozen? More?”...he could only count the creatures that he was looking at and there were about five of them now. Maybe more he couldn’t even see.] [Glancing at the magma it’d started melting the snow at their feet too. Were it the summer and dry it’d have already started large grass fires likely but not in the winter. Not so much anyways. The Magma wasn’t natural, it didn’t have a source feeding it, so it’d probably start to dry a lot faster than normal as well but they still had at least a few chimes before that happened. Long enough for them to come together with a plan. Eryss should have another spell in him by then too as the headache abated to ever present but manageable levels again.] [One of the Yukmen looked like it was going to jump across but Eryss tensed, ready to rush forward and shove it back the same as he’d done to its brethren, and the creature seemed to rethink the idea as it started ahead and let out an angry shrieking. Wincing, the sound bothered his ears and didn’t help his throbbing head, Eryss would have said...”We could climb into a tree.”...was he being serious of joking? It was hard to tell.]

[Aello]

Aello nodded as she pulled another arrow from her quiver. One with a different sort of fletching than she normally used. Eagle ones, she had been told, they were. Barbed arrows; a hook, the shape of the crescent moon, lined the head. She smiled wickedly, more than a little excited to try them out again, to get a little more vicious. Deftly, the woman laced the arrow onto the serving. Her heart racing when she heard the familiar click, denoting that it had taken to the string. Her smile widened as she raised her bow. Her three middle fingers hugging the nock as she closed her left eye. She pulled back on the string, marveling in its resistance, the nearly inaudible creak. So close to being lost over the occasional shriek released by one of the monsters, and the bubbling of the magma mote. She barely felt the heat of it now, its intensity, or the warmth of Eryss' form behind her as she concentrated, drawing the gentle curve of her arrow's end over another of the monster's. Here we go, Aello thought, as she tugged the string behind her ear. She moved the bow ever so slightly to the left, as the yukman she was tracking neared the ring of magma. The boiling blister in the earth. Gurgling relentlessly as the sun tore into its flesh. Spreading the heat; churning the fire. Just a little closer, her mind insisted, as she poised the weapon over the cracked skin of the monster. Fissures within the elements. She could see its muscles rippling as it propelled itself closer. Its rough feet pounding against the ground. Tossing flurries of snow behind it, as its toes slipped against the beaten path of its fellows. A little more, Aello's brain hissed, as she swallowed another painful breath of cold air. Air that seemed to nibble on her throat as it glided past into her lungs. She could feel herself gasping as her fingers slipped, coming away from the string one by one. Tumbling away; like children down a small hill. As though sensing the reluctance within Aello's tensed fingers as they came away, the arrow seemed unwilling to fly at first, as the string snapped forward. Whipping it away. Tossing it through the air, past the ring of glowing orange and red, towards the mage's opponents. The girl smiled wickedly as the feathers fluttered in the wind produced by its flight, as it sliced through the air. She could feel herself mechanically lowering her weapon as she reached for another arrow; of the same breed and caliber as the one she had just loosed. She could feel her fingers brushing up against its feathers. Their ends teasing her as they ran across her flesh; tickling her playfully, as though beckoning her closer. She could feel her fingers sliding downwards, along the length of the wooden shaft. Pinching, as they pulled the arrow free, with a strange, long and drawn out, clattering sound. A sound that reminded her of the metallic ring; the battle cry of a sword or dagger, when being drawn. The girl could sense herself scarcely drawing another breath, her chest tightening, as she brought the arrow forward. As the one she had sent forth lodged itself in one of the monster's eye sockets. The one on the right. She could see the hook sinking past its broken skin. Into the dip in its slender face. She could see blood spilling from the crevice, the space which seemed all the more cadaverous as time passed. All the more hollow, and empty. Such as the space where the monster's heart should have been. Perhaps, where Aello's own should have been. She could barely hear the monster screeching past the drumming of her own heart. Pounding in her ears. Reverberating. She could scarcely sense Eryss working behind her, or the heat of the sun on her flesh. The cool touch of the beads of sweat that lined her brow; or the ethereal embrace of the wind as it swept over her. All Aello could hear was the beating of her own, private drummer, as she watched the monster's hands flail. Swinging wildly as its lips curled into a snarl, exposing its long, jagged teeth. So much like Nex's own, although, these didn't glisten with saliva. These were tainted too. Lined with brown and yellow splotches towards the bases. All she could hear was the Thump. THUMP. Thump, as she laced the arrow onto the serving, and watched without truly watching the battle scene. As though she were peering from a place far above them all, and wasn't involved. She could just make out the monster's nails slashing across his chin in rage. Tearing away small patches of his dark skin, before his hands drew up, reaching for the arrow. Aello thought she could hear him twisting it. The hard edges crackling against his bone, dragging against it, as he wiggled it loose, and then, with one mighty tug, tore it free. Before the monster had managed to toss it aside, the girl caught sight of his eye, dangling from the edge of the hook. A white circle, from which dangled twisted red veins. Still pulsing it seemed, with the blood that dripped off their ends, towards the ground surrounding the monster's feet. She could see more blood pooling beside. Gliding along the shaft of her arrow too. She could hear the monster releasing another bellow in pain now, that the arrow had clattered to the ground. That he had fisted his hands, and held them out to his sides, pushing out his chest. She could see the chunks of skin her arrow had torn away. The holes in his flesh in which blood pooled, before trickling down his cheeks, into the cracks. Just one more, Aello thought, as she raised her bow, and drew her arrow's end over the same monster. She could hear the subtle creak of the string as it gave way. Feel the pounding in her chest. The tightness of it, as she tried to draw in another full breath, and failed. She felt as though time were standing still as she took aim, and then loosed her second arrow. Watched it fly as she lowered her bow. Watched it cut through the air towards its target, seeking to serve only her. It seemed to take forever before it made it. Before it imbedded itself in the creature's intact eye socket. The monster screamed again, as blood spilled from the wound. As it tore the second arrow away, taking a good chunk of its flesh, and its eye with it. Again, the monster roared, as it clutched at its bleeding face, and proceeded to run in a small circle. Aello watched as it flailed its arms, swinging them at nearby monsters, as another, far larger one crept out of the trees. Its eyes dark as coals, its skin a shimmering blue. Crackling all over with its bristling rage and bulging muscles. Darkened strands of autumn wheat, tied into a long ponytail dripping down its back. It seemed to snarl, baring its teeth at Aello as it crept forward. An air of authority surrounding it. Aello's head spun as she studied it for a moment, taking her eyes off the monster she had just blinded. Its legs seemed to the as thick as she was, its arms too. Its teeth even longer than Nex's. Like one of the dire wolves back in Avanthal. Oh we are in trouble, Aello thought, as her eyes grew a little wider, and she finally bothered to release the breath she had been holding in. Uncomfortably, Aello took a half step back. "It's difficult to say how many more are left," Aello whispered. "My sight can't take in all of them, and we never know how many will creep out of the shadows... there is no way to keep tabs on all of them, it's simply too tiring, and we simply can not so much as guess as to whether or not they will give up when the number of casualties continues to incline." Aello sighed as she watched the larger yukman approach the one she had blinded, glaring at him angrily as he placed his massive hand on the younger's head. His claws digging into his scalp, as his free hand shot forward. Bracing the monster's shoulder, holding him at arm's length as he swung at him, trying to force his brethren away. The larger yukman snarled, and then, without a second thought, tugged on the monster's head. Tearing it free from the creature's neck. Aello could see its body trembling as it fell. As the larger one held its prize. Blood and sinew dripping from the head. The blinded eyes as he shrieked, and tossed the head at Aello. Its aim immaculate, Aello had to side step to avoid being hit, as blood spiraled towards her. Splattering her skin. Her legs. Gross, Aello thought with a grimace, as she reached for another arrow, knowing she'd need a couple. "At least a dozen it seems... and Eryss... if you have any sense, don't turn around..."

[Eryss Waldu]

[Despite the fact he did have a good sense about himself Eryss couldn’t resist the urge to look back over his shoulder after Aello had bade him not to. What he saw was the largest of the Yukmen just after it had thrown the dismembered head of its brethren at Aello, who sidestepped the projectile, which flew past her before landing on the ground and eventually rolling to a halt. Eryss couldn’t disguise the grimace crossing his features though it’d be hard to see beneath the robes that he wore and regardless of his headache he was starting to feel a renewed sense of urgency. Neither he or Aello could keep this up much longer.] [Looking away from the group of Yukmen that he was facing proved to be a mistake though as they rushed ahead, not just one of them either, together to try and overtake the Mage. When Eryss let his eyes settle ahead once again he had just enough time to see the Yukmen leaping across the moat of magma that was beginning to steadily cool so that they could rush towards him. Eryss had to think quickly or it would have been to late but he only had limited resources to content with. Outstretching his arms the Mage, dropping his dagger in the process, opened his hands until his palms faced out and shouted out threateningly while calling his energies into himself, focusing them primarily through his hands.] [Djed flowed, moving all throughout him, and as the Yukmen charged after jumping across the moat they met an eruption of stone that chewed through them in a sudden and horrendous blast that was completely unexpected. There was no flashy pyrotechnic or light that accompanied this spell just the shrieks of the Yukmen as their cracked flesh was torn into and blood seeped from their wounds while they were driven backwards. Transmuting the res that had channelled out of his palms Eryss had fired countless small, sharp, stalactite projectiles at the Yukmen encroaching towards him. The Stones flew outward from Eryss in a flurry at all directions facing front of him making avoiding the attack almost impossible and the short distance between the Mage and the Yukmen meant the flying debris didn’t have much time to disperse in its pattern.] [The first Yukman bent over after his skin was torn into. Shrieking painfully Eryss knew it’d be some time before he could right himself. The second Yukmen took had its face shredded by sharp stones blowing outwards into it some of which remained lodged in its skull. Maybe it was a shock to its system or one of the stone penetrated deeply but it fell over dead and unmoving. The third Yukman took the least amount of damage most of the projectiles just bit into or across its frame lightly but a few had lodged themselves into one of its legs around the knee and the creature fell with a bit of life left in it but momentarily stunned.] [Only three? Eryss thought seeing as how there had been more but these were gone now. Perhaps the other two Yukmen had decided on retreat or were circling around for a more advantageous position but regardless Eryss wouldn’t spare them to much of his concern. Glancing down he’d look for his dagger, feeling around for it, before finding it with his right hand and lifting it in a reverse grip the same as he’d been holding it when he’d dropped it moment ago. Without looking back to check on Aello, who the Mage was aware could take care of herself, Eryss would have muttered...”We need to end this. You’re a capable girl. Kill that large one already.”...there was no small amount of indignance in the voice of the Mage who would have done it himself if he weren’t so pressed with other matters at the moment. No matter back to the present.] [Dagger in hand Eryss leapt towards the wounded Yukmen choosing to attack the one who had been stunned due to its leg injury first. The Mage wasn’t expecting the creature to have as much in it as it did though. Swiping with a hand, its fingers lined with sharp claws, Eryss knew he couldn’t retreat from the attack and stood ready to receive the hit but at long last something completely unforeseen occurred. The Shield Eryss used to protect himself with shattered. The claws of the Yukman struck the Mage across his side and ripped through his robes drawing blood. The sting of pain was evident but Eryss hadn’t recoiled. Driving the dagger down he plunged it into the top of the Yukmans skull causing it to shriek violently and thrash momentarily before growing still, dead, as a bit of blood squirted out of the top of its head when Eryss twisted the dagger and wrenched it free.] [The Mage should have finished the other Yukman then but he was momentarily aware of his own mortality then and screaming out...”He cut me! The wretched thing cut me!”...Eryss would have actually flown into quite the rage before throwing himself at the more severely wounded Yukman. Likely he shouldn’t have just thrown himself at the monster but anger, deep and full, clouded the mind of Eryss and the Mage was on the Yukman before the creature had recovered much. Using his own body weight to pin the wounded thing down Eryss would scramble, raising the dagger high, and begin to stab down wards with it while the Yukman flailed and tried to defend itself. Thrusting the dagger into its breast several times over Eryss would eventually see the creature go limp in a grotesque manner that saw its body stiffen after a deafening shriek while the Mage continued stabbing at it quite madly. Again and again there was no stopping Eryss who must have stabbed the Yukman dozens of times before finally looking up.] [Pressing off the Yukman and shift his attention to the creatures Aello was facing Eryss would have said...”Petch.”...it was one of the few times he ever used the word preferring to keep his words more civilized than that but it didn’t seem to bother him at the moment. His robes were covered in blood. Mostly the Yukmans that he had been stabbing but some of it was his now bellow the ribs on the side he’d been struck.]

[Aello]

Deftly, Aello laced the fresh arrow onto the serving of her bow. "As though I wasn't already planning to," she muttered under her breath, as the three middle fingers of her right hand hugged the nock, and gently eased the string back. She raised the bow swiftly, as she kept on tugging, inching the cord behind her right ear. She closed her left eye as she swept the arrow's point over the monstrous yukman. Her heart hammering as her fingers grew sweaty. Sliding along the coiled rope as her flesh reddened. Uneasily, the aurist bit her bottom lip as she silently prayed to Dira. Silently prayed that her aim held up, even with her exhaustion. Silently prayed that she could make it through another day, without finding her way into the arms of her goddess. As soon as her silent prayer had ended, Aello's fingers fell away, releasing the arrow. The feathers wavered as the projectile flew. The dark end sparkling in the sunlight as it neared its target. Aello practically held her breath as it came closer and closer to the monster's heart. As his body sank, allowing her weapon to instead, graze over his shoulder. Tearing a thin line of flesh. The girl's eyes grew wide, she so rarely missed, it seemed strange now. She could vaguely hear the creature shrieking. Parting its lips, baring its teeth as it scrunched its face. Deepening the lines that had long ago been etched there. She could see his flesh tightening over the gentle curve of his cheeks, and then growing slack as it rearranged into a feral battle stance. Oh shyke, Aello thought, as the monster straightened itself out, and she reached for another arrow. She laced it even more quickly onto her bowstring, than the one previous, and soon raised her father's old weapon so that she may take her aim. She scarcely bothered, as tense as she felt. As tired and rushed, and soon, shot an arrow that scarcely pierced the creature's flesh, right where its left shoulder met its arm. Petch. Petch, petch, petch, petch. PETCH. Petch! Aello thought, her mind racing with the single word, as she reached for yet another arrow, and the creature roared. Running towards her, his arms swinging as his feet pushed up against the ground. "Stop whining like a baby!" Aello hollered. "There's no time to wish for your mother's healing hand!" she added, as the creature pumped his arms and legs over the mote of magma, and soon stepped down on the other side with a thunderous wave, which shook the ground beneath everyone's feet. As he touched down, Aello's eyes grew even wider. Great... just what we needed right now, she thought, as she brought the arrow forward. The yukman was running for her. She could see it coming. Her body tensed, as she held the arrow up, and as he neared, she thrust it towards him. Into his chest. Even though his skin had already split, she didn't seem able to push it in very far. Hardly spilling blood as he smacked her aside. Sending her stumbling away to the right. "Eryss! Watch out!" Aello roared, as the yukman looked away from her, seeming to deem her less of a threat than him. At least, while she was temporarily stunned anyway.

[Eryss Waldu]

[Eryss didn’t have much time to comprehend everything that was happening when he looked back in Aello’s direction. When the Mage saw the largest of the Yukmen leap over the magma and charge Aello he started to fear the worst but the girl only received a backhand that swept her out of the way and sent her stumbling before she yelled for the Mage to watch out. Eryss had been looking at that enormous monster and in the back of his mind he already wished he had been at his utmost strength when this encounter occurred, he might have burnt half the forest and reduced the Yukmen to ash, but as it were he felt diminished aside from everything else that was hindering him.] [The Mage could be surprisingly quick on his feet when he had to though which is why when that large Yukman came at him he backed away and circled, careful not to move closer to the magma, with his dagger held defensively. The Yukman advanced of course and Eryss swept the dagger out at the creatures arm when it reached for him but couldn’t even tell if the blade had made a small crack in its skin when it struck. No it hadn’t done a thing. Cursing under his breath Eryss moved backwards, planting his left foot behind himself to carry his weight, just as the Yukman swung one of its twisted hands at him barely avoiding it.] [It must have been good for Aello that the Yukman focused on Eryss seeing as how it let her recover to some extent but the Mage couldn’t keep it up forever seeing as how he wasn’t nearly as skilled as the girl when it came to physical conflict. Making another strike with his dagger as he swept his right arm out at the forearm of the Yukman Eryss swore he almost heard the thing start laughing at him and his pathetic attempt to hurt him. Clearly the Yukman was toying with Eryss. At first he may have been weary of the Mage due to his magic but when Eryss had failed to cast a spell and resorted to his dagger the Yukman must have sensed something was off. Play time was over.] [When it happened there was little indication. The Yukman growled and swung its arms out at Eryss signifying that it no longer wished to partake in this dance. Eryss had little choice but to act fast unless he wanted to be crushed by those twisted, clawed, hands. Dropping low Eryss used his small size to his advantage as he ducked underneath the swinging arms of the Yukman and gripping his dagger in both hands he’d drive it down as he all but went to his stomach to avoid the monsters attack. The Dagger was driven down too right towards the left foot of the Yukman and with his weight behind it as he fell beneath the attack of the creature Eryss finally managed to do some damage as he plunged the blade into the creature.] [Allowing himself to feel a momentary surge of triumph as the Dagger pierced the cracked foot of the Yukman and plunged into it through the top causing the monster to howl angrily and blood to seep from the wound Eryss would twist the blade to lodge it deeper. It lasted only a short while though. Eryss barely knew what happened when all the air came exhaling out of him and he was lift off the ground and thrown backwards, over the moat of magma and onto the ground outside of it where he lay on his back. The Mage as though he had been hit by a ram, his chest burned, and he was coughing as he lay there groaning. The Yukman had used its other leg to deliver a horrendous kick that threw Eryss away from it and out of the circle.] [Rolling onto his stomach Eryss would pick himself up onto all fours and look at the Yukman as it reached to rip the dagger out of its foot where it was still lodged. Aello in the circle with it. Breathing once Eryss would have shouted...”Now! Now!”...at the girl in hopes she would strike while the Yukman was distracted. As for Eryss once he had shouted he looked around himself. He’d been kicked out of the circle on the far side and the other Yukmen hadn’t advanced on him yet. They were all still watching their leader. It didn’t take long for one of them to focus back on the Mage though. Eryss still held out that if the leader was killed the others might flee considering the numbers they’d already lost though.]