[Irn League] The Zen Of War

[Philomel]

Gnarled. Vegetative. Ugly. Brutish.

These were the words that came into Philomel's mind as she surveyed the created beasts that launched at her with lumbering arms. A cruel mimicry forced them into a twisted form of their mistress, with four blazing eyes staring with dire intent. Standing to similar height and build they were unclothed, raw briarhearts that had little desire but to respond to their creator's will. Contorted vines made their limbs and linked with knotted foulness to the mass that was their torso. Altogether they were simple, sexless animals that had nothing but a base instinct to respond to Maddison's will.

Philomel sucked in her breath, letting free on her grasp of the plant she had been, for so long now, been keeping a connection with. Rapidly and savagely the grass by Mao ripped out of the ground and shoved its full energy into wrapping thin, weak but effective limbs around the first briar- briar- briarmess fitted well. What people presume to be a grass plant is the single stem, but in truth the plant itself is a living tangle of roots and joint intelligence that can spread several metres or so. Thus it was that the entire section of grasses leapt up, taking with them a squirm of roots and mud and afixed itself onto one of the briarmesses, holding it for just a single second - but that was long enough.

Throwing her crossbow to the side the faun of fauns screeched before launching herself forwards and off the rock. Swinging back her head she met the second briarmess with as much ferocity and speed, possibly even matching it as she swung her head back - and forwards. Huge energy was perserved already within her, every muscle having been ready to begin this from the start. What people often forgot is that Philomel, at her rawest, was an opportunist and a force even without weaponry, and accordingly she slammed her horns as a mighty headbutt at the second briarmess.

Like an incoming storm she grounded him, and had the moment to spare to drag out her sword. As the first briarmess ripped from the grass bonds a message sung clear and shimmering into her mind.

Philomel! it screamed, We are right -

You come now, Philomel commanded as she swung around with her long, slightly curved, white blade. It met the first briarmess' outstretched arms with a horrid 'clunk'.

But Delath remains until the last moment.

Veridian huffed, but vanished from her contact. As she struggled to stand and the second briarmess began to gnaw at her hoof, Veridian appeared right at her side in a shimmer of dust and smoke, but not as a small, metre-long canine. Instead he was massive, five metres from black nose to white tail, savagely hissing. His beautiful, elegant russet coat was alive with flames that rippled as though a soft wind was blowing through them, and steam rose from between his jaws.

Sharp teeth sank into the flesh above Philomel's foot and she shrieked in pain, before trying to hectically kick at it - at the same time as knocking aside yet another attempt at a blow from the first briarmess. In a flash of brillance Veridian lunched forwards with his jaws, sending out a literal tongue of flame.

The dragon's breath that Delath could not do.

Flames danced up and down his coat in a flurry of ducks and waves. Savagely his jaws snapped forwards to join his fire, and fix themselves around the arm of the first briarmess. As Philomel saw his attack she twisted around to tackle and finish off the second brute who had resumed his attempt to eat her. Skipping her hoof out of his hold she shifted to the side before slamming her blade into the back of his skull, now able to with the ability to concentrate on one enemy alone. What had become of Maddison herself was unknown, but it was better to finish these things off before she attacked once more.

As Veridian submitted the first briarmess to the horror of a fiery fate, Philomel spun around, fixing her eyes on Maddison. Hissing, she swept up her sword, and in doing so scraped the last remains of the dust and twigs that had been the second briarmess and twisted it into a tornado. All their conversations of friendship before - it did not matter now. Now this was war. The Matriarch of the Gilded Lily summoned herself to prepare for the justice she was honour bound to inflict on Maddison Freebird.

The soil clumped itself into a ball of rock and contempt, and charged at Madison. It was a small attempt, a futile attempt, but all Philomel could do as she ended the last, callous attack of briarmesses.