World Tree MUSH

    Rynn has been advised by a young "occult expert" to seek out a demonic dragon that supposedly lurks in the mountains of Khanduras. From Kehjistan where she had been inquiring, it is quite far--a direct route west would take her across the Twin Seas and past the Aranoch desert. Or if she didn't prefer to cross vast watery distances, she could head north and across at the Sharval Wilds Strait then head south into Khanduras. But either way, with her trusty dragon Arokh and plenty of towns along the way, it shouldn't be difficult of a journey.

    Once she arrives in the mountains, the question of where this dragon's lair is doesn't go unanswered long. Among the mostly lush and foliage-covered mountains is a distinctly blackened and dead-looking area, as if it had been burned recently. Like a dark mark on an otherwise pristine wilderness...

     The travel was long, but flight always helped get over the rougher of terrain. The hardest part for Rynn was keeping Arokh mostly from the sight of the people, as it seemed dragons were trouble; At least if she remembered what the youth told her. As they arrived at the mountain, the female warrior continued to stay on Arokh's back. The dragon scaled over the rocky terrain and used his wings to glide over any possible gaps should it need to be done.

Once they spotted the burnt area, Arokh's golden eyes narrowed as the red dragon rumbled lowly. "I think we found our dragon." Rynn peered around Arokh a little to get a look herself. She raised a brow. "It looks recent, Arokh. Let me get--"

"No." Arokh rumbled back to her. "... Stay on my back. If this dragon is hostile as the Blackwings or like the dragons tainted by the Dark Union.. You will not be able to escape quick enough on foot."

Rynn was about to argue, but she huffed a bit of her red hair out of her face. "Very well, but let's at least get a little closer."

"Very well, Rynn." Arokh responded as he started to move toward where the charred landscape was at.

    Indeed, it does look recent, or at least if this thing had been here a while perhaps it had recently gone on some kind of rampage. The area is completely charred, filled with blackened trees and foliage that continued to burn. 

    But there is something about this fire, it wasn't like natural flames. It seemed to burn with an unquenchable fury, continuing to rage even long after its fuel had been consumed.

    As a dragon himself though, Arokh likely won't have any trouble sniffing out the cave where the creature must lurk. Its dark maw yawns out of a jagged cliffside, daring any soul brave or foolish enough to set foot inside.

     Arokh observed the burning fire and it made his eyes narrow more. A low growl escaped from him, but it was restrained. This was not natural fire, something even Rynn was becoming aware of. The two pressed on, moving to the maw of the mountain, while they headed there Rynn was looking over Arokh toward the ground. She was attempting to see if she could see any footprints or any traits that might give away the size of this 'devil' draconic that they might run into.

    Indeed, there are footprints in the ashen remains of foliage and goodness knows what else. They are quite huge, at least 3 times the size of Arokh's footprints. So Margrave had been serious about her needing those well wishes.

    Upon approaching the cave, they'd notice what looks like a scrawny middle-aged man in tattered clothing sitting at the entrance.

     Arokh comes to a stop as he spots the middle-aged man, this is when Rynn decides to get off, even with Arokh's minor vocal protest with a low rumble. The woman carefully walks up toward the man, her hand coming to rest on the hilt of her blade, as her eyes look to the cave, then to the man. "Sir?" She calls over with care. "... are you alright?"

Arokh meanwhile watches, his tail gently moving and his wings fidget a little. The red dragon has a bad feeling about this and his body language is saying it all. "Rynn.." He hisses out in a near whisper, but only to see her placing her free hand up toward him to shush him.

    Arohkh does have a good reason to be anxious, as he can probably smell the scent of burnt flesh along with a putrid stench like acid burning.

    The man doesn't appear to armed or dangerous in any way, though. Just a hobo, right? Though, this was hardly a place for any human to just be hanging around. He looks up at her and her dragon, and perhaps surprisingly doesn't appear to be afraid of Arokh or even at all fazed by her companion's presence. He stands up slowly. "Welcome, traveler. Have you come to slay the black dragon?" he asks.

     "No." Rynn says to the man. "I come to speak with the dragon." She motions to Arokh. "My companion and I have heard tales of this black dragon, that it is seen as demonic." She explains further. "While many claim that this dragon is evil, I wish to be the judge of this myself."

Rynn shifts her weight once more, giving the hobo a quick once over. "Though now, if I may ask, why would you care what I come to do or not do? As this seems like a rather dangerous place for someone like yourself."

    The man's brows go up when Rynn says she wishes to speak to the dragon instead of fight it. That certainly wasn't what he was expecting to hear. There is an awkward pause of sorts, then he shrugs and pulls something out of his cloak. It is wrapped in paper but seems to be faintly glowing from within. "If you are wise, you will not venture into the creature's lair. Draw it out with this, but do not gaze into it yourself." he tells her.

    "As for me, you are right, I ought to make myself scarce, should you choose to engage the creature either way." At this, he turns and starts to head off, away from the cave entrance.

     Arokh watches the man leave, before he looks to Rynn. "We are /not/ fighting it?" The dragon asks, seeming a little caught off guard himself. Rynn looks back to Arokh, "We need answers, don't we? If this thing is as evil as people say it is, then we will deal with it. Till then, I figure we can get at least an audience. Solve who is behind all this and see if this creature really is connected to this... Great evil."

Arokh shakes his body a little, though it was a bit in mild protest to all this. While he did admit her having some caution was out of her character, he also understood that they have come this far with more questions than answers. "I will trust you on this Rynn, but I have a feeling this will not go our way."

Rynn smiles over at him, before she looks over what the man gave her. "It may not, butt that is why I have you, Arokh." She then looks around. "Now-- where do you think a good place would be to lure him out... also what do you think he meant by not gazing into it yourself." She goes to expose the item and Arokh growls at her. "Alright! Alright... I won't open it or /gaze/ at it-- or whatever."

Arokh sighs softly. "... But yes, let us find a good place to summon this dragon and make it where we have more advantage should things go poorly." Rynn nods in agreement and goes to hop up on the back of Arokh. The red decides to go up higher on the mountain, a location where less things can be burnt and his wings can come into use should he need to take flight.

    Once Rynn opens the package, inside is a blue luminescent crystal of sort. On its many faces are strange, twisted visions of thousands of potential futures. Or perhaps it's the past, or even the present? It's all very disorienting, enough to drive one mad if one continued to stare into it. Luckily she had been forewarned against that.

    That, and she has bigger things to worry about. It won't be long before the dragon emerges from its lair, and the thing is indeed monstrous. Its blackened body almost resembles a living, charred corpse that continues to burn with an unquenchable flame from the inside out, the fires flowing out from every joint and bone. Its body is covered with even more spines and wicked protrusions than one might expect of a dragon.

    The demonic creature takes to the air, rising high above them, then turns and with a great roar begins to divebomb straight at them, spewing hellfire from its open jaws!

     Rynn watches the dragon rise up. "That... is one big dragon..." Arokh also watches and quickly rushes over to her. He knows a dive bomb when he sees one, and he is quck to run to her side. Without a word spoken, Rynn gets on, while continuing to hold the crystal. "Let's fly, Arokh!"

The red dragon leaps off the cliff, almost not in time to escape the larger demonic dragon. Rynn looks back, then forward. "I guess he isn't the talking sort."

"You don't say?!" Arokh growls back, as he attempts to get some height quickly. His own glows with a strange aerial field, before he huffs out a sonic burst at the other dragon testing its own durability.

    The black dragon rakes its claws across the plateau where Rynn and Arokh had been mere seconds ago, the fire washing over the surface. Then it lifts back up again, trying to roll in the air to avoid the sonic burst though it gets clipped in the wing a bit.

    However, now that they both have a chance at a closer look at the thing, they'd notice that there are some patches of deep green colored scales on its blackened body, as if it had been...different before.

    In any case, the two of them may have spoken too soon on the not talking part. The creature rears back after partially dodging the sonic burst, and laughs derisively at them. "Do you come here to taunt me, mortal? If so, then you are a fool with a death wish!" With that, it launches another gout of flame at them.

     The dragon speaks and then the flames come. Arokh flies directly toward the flame, before hard banking away, It nearly clipping his tail. Rynn holding on, but she is use to the red dragon's movements.

Arokh is the first to respond back to the dragon. "We do not come to taunt you, but the people claim you are demonic beast! Is that how you wish to be seen till your last breath is taken from you?"

Rynn meanwhile takes note of the green scales. "Arokh, do you see those scales? I was told that the dragon might actually be controlled or is being influenced." She admits with her brows knitting. "Though not /how/ to undo whatever has been done."

    The creature seems...surprised when Arokh does not retaliate immediately after the fire assault. And his words seem to give it pause, as it hovers there in front of them.

    "No?" it questions. "Then who told you to come here? Do you even know what it is you hold in your hand, human?"

     Rynn decides to speak up from the back of Arokh "We are trying to find some answers! To the sinking cities and the mages that created forcefields around one to keep the sands out. To understand /why/ they dare to do such things and maybe even seek a greater being who may be willing to speak to us, should we get his attention."

Arokh then speaks up, "In other words, we have come to help fix the blight of this world and restore order to it, should that even be possible."

Rynn then covers back over the stone, "And no. I do not know what I hold, for it was given to me by a beggar who /was/ on the mountain. So, what is it!" She holds it up. "Why do you want it so badly?"

    The dragon laughs at them once again. "A beggar on the mountain gave it to you, you say? Ha! What sort of beggar has possession of such rare jewels? What you hold in your hand is a crystal from the Library of Fate. Only angels have access to such places! And whichever one of those sanctimonious hypocrites gave it to you has sent you to do his dirty work! You mortals are so gullible, it's laughable!"

 The blackened dragon comes closer to them, its flaming eyes almost right in Arokh's face. "If you seek to gain an audience with an angel then go back back to this 'beggar' you speak of and demand he reveal himself to you! Of course, he's unlikely to have any care or concern for you or any of your little problems!"

    "And if he refuses, give me the crystal--that will most certainly force his hand."

     Arokh continues to hover in the air, the red dragon's eyes lock onto the other draconic being. Though Rynn looks at the crystal only for a moment, it is Arokh who asks the question that is both on their minds, "I have a question for you." Arokh says calmly. "Why do you desire this crystal? What is its purpose to you that riles your hatred toward any who holds it so? Explain to us mortals. Enlighten us!"

Rynn goes to cover the crystal back over, seeming very comfortable on Arokh's back, but she is ever watchful incase she needs to hold on once more to her companion.

    "Heh." The draconic demon scoffs slightly at their lack of understanding, a bit of smoke coming out of its nostrils as it does so. 

    "As I told you, what you hold in your hand is a crystal from the Library of Fate, a powerful relic no mortal could ever hope to understand. Tell me, have you attempted to gaze into it? It would have only brought you madness if you had. But to the one who is able to decipher its visions, it may reveal past, present, and future. Of course, the High Heavens have ever hoarded this knowledge, keeping it for themselves and themselves alone."

     Arokh's eyes narrow slightly. "You did not answer the question." He says with a low rumble. "Only what you already stated." He then tilts his head faintly. "Just as I wonder why you have green scales under that dark hide of yours."

Rynn finishes wrapping up the crystal, before she taps one of Arokh's scales gently. "I don't think our 'friend' here is going to give us any answers, Arokh. He isn't like the elder breed back home... nor is he like any who went to the Dark Union." The warrior woman looks back at the demonic dragon. "... I think personally he is just toying with us at this point."

    Indeed, it seems the creature is likely toying with them or trying to manipulate them in some way. It now has a somewhat amused look on its face. "What more do you need to know? Who would not wish to know the future? Now did you want an audience with an angel or not? If so, you ought to find the old beggar again--he is not what he appears to be."

     Arokh growls a bit at the lack of answers from the oher draconic. "If it wasn't for.." The red dragon doesn't finish whatever is on his mind, including with Rynn pats his neck and says, "Lets go Arokh, it is very clear we are going to get all we are going to get from this dragon."

With a hard flap of his wings, Arokh dives away with the fact they are now in need to find this beggar, which might bring them back to a loop in the dragon's mind. Find the beggar, the beggar will have them go after the dragon, fight the dragon, go back, get no help.

Rynn was about in the same process as well, including as she looks at the covered stone in her hand. "Keep your eyes open, Arokh. He couldn't have gone far."

Arokh rumbles gently, "You do the same Rynn, but I have a feeling that we are just going to keep gathering more questions than answers."

    The man from earlier actually hadn't gone far, and from Arokh's vantage point as well as his enhanced senses, he won't have any trouble locating him. He's sitting inside of a small alcove along the bottom of one of the cliffs.

    Arokh will also likely be aware that the demon hadn't gone far either, but simply continued to circle in the air overhead, watching them carefully...

     Arokh glances only back toward the demon, but pulls short, his wings flapping in the air for a moment. Rynn raises a brow, "Arokh?"

"The dragon circles above." The red says with a low tone. "...One of us should keep an eye on him and besides, I see your beggar." Then Arokh moves around the mountain, before finding a place to land which was nowhere /near/ where the man was.

This catches Rynn a bit off guard, when she gets off, "Arokh what are you--?"

The dragon shakes his head, before he looks back up, "You should go on ahead Rynn. You know me, I won't be too far behind if you call." He then traces his claw along the rock carefully, giving her an idea of direction.

The red head raises her brow, before she ahs gently, "Right and besides, you might scare the old man." She says before turning away and then jogging some of the way, sliding down the rock face another, and bit by bit making her way to the beggar. Meanwhile, Arokh goes upward a bit more on the mountain to keep an eye on where the black beast may go.

    The demon doesn't go anywhere, continuing to circle the mountain overhead.

    When Rynn approaching the man, he looks up at her from where he is sitting on the ground under an outcropping. "Ah, you've returned. Did you find what you were looking for?" he asks.

     "No. We didn't." Rynn responds to the man, with her hand coming to her hip. "Beyond that beast up there likes to play word games, so maybe you can be more forward." She then shows him the wrapped crystal. "What is the Library of Fates and how did someone like you come by this, if you are simply a man?"

The woman that lowers the arm holding the covered crystal. "As if what he did say was any truth to it, then we need to speak to one of these angels. One who is willing to listen to us.. Mortals... as we are trying to solve a problem and help the people out here."

Rynn huffs a bang of her hair out of her face. "But we /are/ outsiders, so I would really love some straight answers."

    The man peers at her, his gaze going to the crystal momentarily before going back to her face. A brow arches slightly. "Oh, you managed to speak to the monster? What exactly did it have to say to you?" he seems surprised at this. "and what problem are you trying to solve? Who are you seeking to help?"

     Rynn pinches the bridge of her nose as the man now asks questions. "Yes he spoke to us, but don't tell me you are no better than that scaly hide beast up there." She motions upward to the sky. "If you want your stone back, then /please/ answer my questions first. Library of Fates and /are/ you really a man?"

    There is a pause, and the man studies her for a few seconds. She does seem to have a genuine concern for this world, despite the fact that it isn't her own. Even going up against dangers that could have spelled the end for her. That, he can respect. He finally nods. "Very well, traveler. You may wish to shield your eyes."

    Suddenly, there is a brilliant flash of light that fills the entire alcove, and where the rag-ridden hobo had once been, there is now a being so bright it nearly hurts to look at him at first. But to Rynn, it is somewhat familiar--yes, this has to be the entity Margrave showed her earlier, in that dusty old book. But seeing it in real life now, she can tell the image had only been an artist's -attempt- at re-creating on paper something he scarcely understood.

     Rynn tilts her head a little and then when the man says to shield her eyes, she doesn't do so right away, but she ends up doing so when it gets too bright. "Bloody...!" Though when the light fades and she can look, she sees the figure before her and is taken back a bit. "You... You are the one in the book but..."

Rynn furrows her brows a little. "Then-- this crystal must come from your... part of the world then?" The woman then asks, still gazing over the strange being, taking in what she can of him. "... And yes... I do have many questions because these... Mages, I can never remember their names, but they sunk a city under the desert, and..." She pauses, "...You are really different from anything I ever spoken to before."

    "Yes, it is a crystal taken from the Library of Fate in the realm of Itherael." The angel answers, regarding her with a dark, faceless visage. "What is your name, outsider?" he asks. "You come here, seeking the welfare of a realm not your own. This is an honorable endeavor, and for that you have my respect." he tells her.

     "My name is Rynn, we come from a world known as Drakan. My comrade is Arokh. He is a red dragon flying about keeping an eye on dark, black, and self-loathing up there." The female warrior explains, handing him at last back the crystal. "As I said, there was a city that sunk into the desert, a magical field kept the sand from entering inside and the man, an older brother to a young boy, was found there. It is this what sent us on this journey."

Rynn then further explains to this being, "That older brother's name was Terrick, he was stripped of all memory. I was then told that these mages may be the cause of that, but they respond to-- I suppose if I recall correctly, the head of the government here. So, my question falls into-- why? Why would they sink a city and erase a man's memory? More importantly, how many other places have they done this too?" The woman shifts her weight. "There is even more questions I have and as the leader of the Order Of The Flame, it is my job to help people in trouble-- and this all seems troubling."

Rynn then raises a brow, "Also forgive my own partial rudeness, but what may I call you?"

    "I am Tyrael, Archangel of Justice." So, it was exactly as Margrave had said earlier, of the being in that book.

    He listens carefully to what Rynn is describing, considering what his response to her should be. "Mages, you say. Do you speak of the Horadrim?" he questions.

     "I do believe that is what they are called, yes." Rynn says in response to him. "Like I said, their name escapes me at the moment, but if it isn't, I'm sure I'll remember here soon enough." She glances up a bit to see where Arokh is in relationship to the other dragon. "... Though we may want to speak further elsewhere. As I am not sure how long that beast will decide he is bored and come to strike."

    "Hm." Tyrael answers. It was as he had suspected. This was concerning news, but he does not reveal the fact just yet. "Yes, the dragon...I hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction, Rynn. But will you now answer mine? What exactly did the creature say to you?" he asks. "The demon's purposes must be to sway you to its side--and to turn you against me. Its unfortunate vessel has been mutilated nearly beyond recognition."

     "He told me that the crystal could show the past, future, and present. That it was too powerful for any mortal mind. That the crystal came from a place called the Library of Fates." Rynn tells Tyrael. "He also said that you, as the beggar, could not simply obtain such a thing from a place, which is why I questioned you if you were really a man."

Rynn shifted her stance a little. "Beyond that it was all circle talk really." She rolls her hand around a bit. "Arokh pretty much saw through it and I in turn did as well. So, I took most anything I deemed as not important and just rubbish off to the side."

Then there was a pause, "Oh, and that beings such as you would never help mere mortals, like us, but the old tome that had your name in it already spoke of that." She shrugs.

    "Yes, unfortunately it is true." Tyrael answers, nodding slowly. "Most are occupied with the Eternal Conflict."

    He looks up toward the sky where Arokh is watching the other dragon circling overhead, then turns back toward Rynn. "You must drive the demon out of this realm, and put the creature it commands out of its misery." he says finally.

    "Then I will see to this mystery of yours."

     Rynn looks upward along with Tyrael, before she looks back to him. "Tell me..." She steps up toward him. "Is there any way to /save/ the green dragon trapped under 'its' control? Can we /save/ that dragon and /not/ kill it?"

    Tyrael pauses. He knows the answer, but hesitates to reveal it. But finally, he nods. "Yes. The demon's essence may be bound to a shard of the Worldstone, the foundation of this reality. Such methods require magical prowess of the highest caliber. The Worldstone lies at the heart of Pandemonium, a realm of utter chaos."

     Rynn then stares at Tyrael, "I can perform magic." The woman says, snapping her finger, making a small bit of fire before it fades. "And I don't want to kill a being forced to do horrible things not of its free will. My younger brother was a slave to the leader of a dark, horrid group on my world that controlled his mind... I couldn't save my baby brother, but if I can save this dragon."

Her eyes narrow sharply. "Then help me /save/ this dragon. A life will be spared and a the evil will be put to rest all at the same time."

    Tyrael studies Rynn. She seems very determined to save even one creature, despite the great danger such a task would place her and her companion in. "You are a resolute warrior, Rynn of the Order of Flame. Very well, I will travel to Pandemonium, and bring you the shard. But you must subdue the creature, and imprison the demon within."

    There is another slight pause, before he continues. "The Horadrim sent those ruins into the sands of Kehjistan because I commanded them to. They answer to me. However, the ruins were to be destroyed, not preserved. I do not know why they have disobeyed me."

     "... Why would you--" Rynn places up her hands. "You know what, one thing at a time, because something tells me the guy losing his memory was also not part of the deal either." She then lowers her hands with a sigh. "So, this crystal, once we get this guy knocked unconscious-- How do I use it to imprison the demon?"

    The inflicted amnesia was part of it...but also it wasn't quite. It was a complicated matter, and Tyrael is grateful that Rynn has chosen to dismiss--at least for now.

    "I am not familiar with the magic of your realm, but you must complete a binding spell to imprison the demon's spirit within the stone, once the creature has been subdued."

     "Binding spell, hm?" Rynn says back, before looking toward where Arokh is in waiting. Her eyes then look back to Tyrael. "Alright then... Just get me the item needed for this-- binding spell and I'll see what I can do."

Rynn then goes to move away, "And /we/ will get this dragon knocked unconscious so he doesn't move about when I try to do this spell." Before Tyrael can even say another word to her, she goes racing for the cliff edge while yelling out, "Arokh!"

Just as she leaps off, the red dragon swoops down after her, and when Arokh pulls back up, she is riding along his backside, "Just keep your end of it, Tyrael! I am counting on it!" Before the two fly upward toward the demonic dragon above.

As they head up, Arokh peers over at her, "Rynn, do you think this is wise? While we have faced Hydras and other beasts before, we know nothing about this being."

"But we /do/ know dragons, Arokh and /you/ are a dragon, hm? Just do what you do best and I'll hold on!" Rynn says with a grin.

Arokh gives a rumble as he softly says, "... That is what worries me..." Before he continues to make his way upward toward the greater dragon.

    Tyrael nods. "Yes. I will keep my word." Then she starts heading for the creature immediately. Well then...there is no time to lose. Off he goes to the chaotic realm of Pandemonium.

    The much larger dragon sees Rynn and Arokh approaching, and smirks with a toothy grin. "Well, did you convince the sanctimonious prick to cease his charade? And did he give you the answers you seek?"

 
    Rynn peers at the dragon from Arokh's back, "We did and we decided that we are going to free the dragon you are corrupting, returning you back to once you came!" After Rynn's words, Arokh releases a challenging roar, before flapping his wings hard for a stop, before blasting out a burst of sonic sharp air for the larger dragon.

    "Hah!" The demonic creature scoffs and rears back, as if he found this entire ordeal rather amusing. "So be it then!"

    The sonic blast hits the massive black dragon in the chest, the flames around it rippling momentarily. But it doesn't seem to do much damage. "Is that all?" it taunts, turning and whipping a tail full of flames and sharpened bones at the two of them.

     Arokh swoops away as the tail sweeps by, though one of the spines of it coming close to Rynn's own ponytail, with the flames rushing around them both. The Red dragon then comes back around, giving a low growl in defiance. "Hardly!" Arokh snaps back, as he swoops downward.

As he does his mouth crackles with electricity, before he comes back around, moving through a cloud, before blasting out a bolt of lightning from his very maw. He then charges another before attempting to blast another bolt of electricity as he comes around.

    The electricity strikes the creature and courses through its body, causing it to stagger and swipe against a cliffside. Now that seemed to actually do something, if not quite enough to knock it out. 

    It roars furiously and opens its jaws as Arokh does the same for his second lightning blast, spewing a hot stream of flame at them.

     The lightning fires, but so comes the fire. The flames rush over Arokh who roars in pain, as he goes to pull away, Rynn gasps equally in pain, as she grits her own teeth and holds on tighter to Arokh. Though, while the two show they share one's pain, Arokh seems to be doing his best to protect the more fragile human on his back.

Arokh pulls away and swoops downward once more, gaining speed away. When he does come back up, he soars directly upward, using what speed he gained heading down, to go straight back up. "Come on, you ancient relic! Let's see how you handle the greatest warrior of the Order!" Arokh calls out as he keeps heading upward.

As he heads up, he once more opens his maw, but this time the air starts to freeze just beyond his own razor teeth, before he turns himself around and hurls and ice spike directly for the larger draconic dragon.

    The demon dragon gets hit by another electrical barrage, and falters again. The fire sears like no fire either of them had felt before. There's just something hellishly unnatural about it!

    As Arokh climbs, the demon chases after him, only to get a large ice shard in the shoulder. It howls, black blood spurting from the wound as it grabs the frozen projectile and tears it out, letting it fall to the ground below. Suddenly, it speeds up, peeling away slightly and climbing even higher than Arokh. High enough that clouds begin to partially obscure its form. Has it given up already?

     Arokh watches as the other dragon goes into the clouds, given its larger wingspan, the red is very aware that it could easily out maneuver him, but it also means on some things, it would not be as agile. "Rynn---" Arokh says as he starts to slow his rise and his eyes watching, "-- I need you to hold on tight."

".. I can still feel it burning.." She hisses a little back still feeling the pain. ".. it's almost like poison..."

"Focus." Arokh says back, trying to not get distracted by her and their own shared link. He continues to fly lower, moving not in a straight line, nor any particular pattern. A little to the left, a little to the right, speeding up, slowing down. Trying to bait something from the other dragon. "... Now where are you, you overgrown black scale..."

    Arokh won't have to wait long. The massive flaming dragon finally erupts out of the clouds above, pressing its huge wings up against its body as it begins to divebomb the two of them, aiming to finish them off by smashing them into sharp rocks in the valley below.

 
    Arokh sees the other dragon break the clouds and electricity surges around his mouth once more. He shifts his body in such a way that he would take the full force of the impact and in the process start to go down with the larger dragon.

As he does he releases that electrical charge point blank and refuses to stop expelling the charge, until he is nearly out of breath and perhaps by the words of Rynn from his backside calling his name, "Arokh!!"

It is only then, with the daring maneuver, does he try to escape the rapid descent, by using his smaller form to snake around, but even then, could he get his own wings open in time? Could he honestly escape?

    The larger dragon slams its massive body into Arokh, and upon making contact with it, he'd learn its flesh is searing hot, every second of contact burns like the fires of hell. Literally. 

    At the same time, electricity surges out of his maw, coursing through the demon's body and causing it to shake violently and shriek in pain. Still, it refuses to let go, and the three of them descend rapidly out of the sky, quickly hitting terminal velocity.

    The rugged terrain of the valley below rushes up to meet them at an alarming pace...atmosphere roaring past them and pushing them up against the draconic demon's body at the same time. Finally, just as Arokh is about to run out of breath, the creature shoves them away from itself and crashes violently down onto a plateau, breaking it before finally landing in a heap at the bottom of a ravine.

     Arokh is tossed aside with a draconic cry of pain ever so. He tries to get his wings to unfurl in time, but there is really none, the best he can do is try to digs his claws into the rock face to slow his descent some. His claws scraping across the rock, but in that moment of sheer force; Rynn lets go. Either from pain or from the g-forces of the movements, she continues to fall.

"Arokh!" Her hand reaches out to him, and the red dragon is quick to stop his attempt to stop his fall to leap back out for her, grabbing her with both of his clawed hands, tucking his wings around them both, before slamming into the ground himself. From his sheer impact, she is released, and Rynn goes rolling across the now carved up battlefield from the larger beast's own crashing descence.

The red-head tries to lift herself up, whispering out, ".. we. have to..." Before she fall unconscious with her own dragon companion.

    Rynn won't be unconscious for long, as she'll find the light from Tyrael's luminous body coming through her closing eyelids. "Arise, Rynn. We haven't much time." he tells her, and drops a crystalline shard with a reddish hue near her head.

    Indeed, it seems the demonic dragon had already recovered itself, and is already rearing back in preparation to shoot more flames at them. But as the fires come, a glowing golden shield suddenly appears in front of them, blocking them completely.

    The demon laughs derisively, although its voice cracks a bit--it has been weakened. "Oh, Tyrael--Archangel of Justice, is it? -Now- you protect them, do you? Your timing is absolutely impeccable. Of course, you've always had to have your -dramatic- entrances!"
    "Silence, vile creature. Your arrogance will be your demise!" The angel rises into the air, the glowing white tendrils of his wings reaching out to grab the demon and attempt to restrain it.

     Rynn sees the light behind her closed eyelids and slowly her eyes open, only to see Tyrael protect her from the flames that come. As she rises, so does Arokh slowly behind her. He huffs out a breath of defiance and stands, as Rynn also gets to her feet.

She picks up the crystal and looks at the demon. "In my world.... The dragons bond with those worthy. We use crystal shards that intwine our souls as one forever." Rynn holds the crystal closer to herself. "But you... You force yourself onto a noble creature and those in my world, they were much like you--- Arokh and I ended their lives."

Rynn then closes her eyes and gathers her mana as she goes to make a symbol in the air, then attempts to float the crystal in front of herself, as she then goes to make another rune now with her newly free hand.

Arokh remaining silent as he watches, though his draconic gold eyes look to the demonic dragon, along with Tyrael, before slowly back to Rynn.

    The draconic demon struggles with all the might it has left against Tyrael, the archangel's tentacle-like wings wrapping themselves around all of its limbs and its neck. But the fight with Arokh has weakened it considerably. Still, it's no easy task. "Do you what must...quickly..." he urges her, his voice strained with the effort of holding the creature down.

    The crystal rises into the air in front of her, her magic swirling around it. The demon's reptilian eyes widen. "What...are you doing...nooo!" it cries, as a black, ethereal thread begins to flow out of it and into the stone.

     Rynn notices what she is doing is working and she tries to gather more of her mana, her hand continuing the same motion. Arokh hobbles closer to her, his presence near her seems to help her even further focus on what she is doing.

Rynn then looks past the crystal, directly to the black demonic dragon. "Let the dragon go and go back to where you came from. For I am Rynn! Leader of the Order Of The Flame!

    The creature struggles desperately against Tyrael, but as the spell nears its completion, it only grows weaker. As the black essence flows out of the dragon, its flesh seems to return and the blackened scales flake away to reveal a green hide instead. Finally, with a dark spirit swirling inside of it, the crystal clatters to the ground and the deed is done. 

    The green dragon before Rynn rises and turns to her as Tyrael finally lets go. Although it remains quiet, there is gratitude in its eyes as it spreads its wings and returns to the sky.

     As the crystal is filled and drops to the ground, Rynn herself falls to her knees and her hands come to rest down on the soil. She was exhausted, tired, and hurting, but the deed was done. She slowly looked up to see the green dragon seem- thankful.

She watched it fly away, along with Arokh, who watched far longer, as Rynn turned her attention to Tyrael. "It is done then-- The dragon is freed and the evil is now trapped." She lowers her head, closing her eyes. "... And I-- I seriously need some rest."

    "Indeed. You have done well, Rynn of Drakan." Tyrael says with a nod. He picks up the crystal, examining it, before handing it to her. "Take this to Caldeum once you have had enough rest. The Horadrim will see that it is hidden away."

     Rynn inhales deeply and forces herself to stand up. She then goes to take the crystal, before looking at the glowing humanoid. "I still have more I want to ask you.... More that I want to understand about this place. I hope I will find you again to get those answers, Tyrael." She then fully takes the crystal, and places it on her belt loop for safe keeping.

She then walks over to Arokh, "So, tell me Tyrael... How can I call upon you again or will I need to seek another demon-- and an old man?" There is almost a smirk there on her tired lips.

    "I...apologize for the deception." Tyrael admits. "It does not please me, but it is often necessary."

    But he nods when she reminds him that she still has questions. "You will see me again, at the Cathedral of Light just outside of Caldeum. I will answer whatever you may ask according to my own knowledge."

     Rynn nods her head and then goes to hop up on Arokh's back. "Till then, Tyrael--- and thank you." She and Arokh both bow their heads in respect to the being, before Arokh takes a few careful steps back, flaps his wings a few times to make sure they are well enough for flight, before he at last takes off into the sky.

They would be--- feeling this for a few days for sure.

Painfully. Feeling this.

    As Rynn and Arokh take off into the sky, they'd both get the sense that a great evil lurks within the crystal they are carrying...perhaps even greater than had been previously apparent during the battle...