[Iron League] The Dancing Stones

[Philomel]

Rising like a feverish shriek, Veridian's whine went wild on the wind. As the huge warscythe slashed against him, the fox who was on fire felt the full blow of its power. As he had hit William - bit him with a maw of flame that burnt fierce and true - William hit back, lunging out with his weapon as if he could truly fly. If one imagined, they could have seen wings, rising upon the coal-skinned man's back, flapping strenuously against the howling wind. But no one was there to watch it, only Veridian, and for that moment he was all alone. All by himself as the cruel black blade struck down towards the flaming giant beast.

Nobody was watching for they looked elsewhere in horror. As Shinsou van Osiris lost his footing, wrapped in a shroud of green biting smoke and a uprising fog as there was a quiet, contained explosion. So contained that it was precisely where it should not have been for Shinsou's safety, and with two stacked attacks of no small danger the beloved man, who was her enemy here but dear friend elsewhere, toppled ... and tipped into the void.

Philomel's gasp fell away to empty air. As Shinsou's every shadow tentacle began to shimmer and slip away, a hard lump began to form in her throat. Now - now it was just her army against the dark man of lava and charcoal skin. Whom Veridian was desperately fighting against, as he took such a blow - such a disheartening, horrible blow - oh my Drys, Shinsou was - and she was part of it.

Philomel, we are in the Citadel! Veridian screamed, filling her head suddenly with the knowledge of his agony and movement. We are in battle. I - I cannot - ugh he was butted into the side by the blunted side it seemed, but thick red blood was still flowing. I cannot fight this beast alone.

Blinking, she swung around, over to where she saw his bright glowing body weaving over the pillars like a dancer, but growing weaker with every step. He was in full retreat now, clearly injured down one long flank as William, the man and their enemy here, kept approaching with furious pace. It would not be long before Veridian himself was decreased of all his energy and would soon too fall into the nothingness beyond.

Snap. And she was back in reality. Veridian was right - Shinsou was only gone, for now. Her moment of unknowing was born from her misunderstanding about her rest. All she had done was retreat for the moment so soothe her injuries - caused by Shinsou no less. Now they had stopped bleeding, she could rejoin the fight and make amends for what the other man, a relevant stranger, had done to Veridian. For her fox mattered more than a man.

Looking over to where she had last seen Delath, she saw him dancing, the short few seconds that had actually passed needing for him to move far and around because of the instability of their pillared arena. Cursing slightly under her breath, for her foolishness and her time wasting, Philomel stood and scooped up her weapons, calling for the dragon to about turn and head to her. Letting out a light roar he circled around, carefully to step only as lightly as he could - but tiptoe did not come naturally to a massive thirty foot beast. Tail swishing madly he battled against the breeze, great eyes focusing in on her and she smiled at him, nodding encouragingly. As he swept around, Philomel took a couple of steps back - and then leapt, heading straight for his back and clearing the few feet easily.

As soon as her last hoof left the starting platform it began to fall away, and the inevitablity of their fate came back to her. The unavoidable challenge of remaining on those pillars that had no purpose other than to plunge into the void beyond, taking all and every soul with it. Even those that flew, for the harsh wind, though it had now declined to something of a current null, would eventually sweep them into darkness.

Sucking in her breath, and gearing her heart up for war once more she twisted to look back to her darling fox, who was now running for his very existence, trying to keep William busy as she planned.

I am sorry, she murmured to him, coming in now like a storm.

The earth-spirit smiled to her, before he twisted around likely for the last time and threw one last, almighty bite at Arcus. Just to distract and confuse him, just to make him not notice - if it were possible - the mighty faun thundering towards him on the back of a colossal dragon.

Her mythril sword was drawn, her point, when it came, marked at Arcus' back.