The Wild Series: Reign of Ashes (Main Page/Pridelands)

Wildwing wrote:24 shades remained in the city, their forces thinly spread all throughout the collection of shelters for the followers of the rebellion. About the same number of small violet fires were spread apart, marking the areas the shades had wrought their destruction. The flames rolled over even the crystallized rubble, eating away at the vegetation that grew between the hundreds of crevices and blackening homes.

The shades either wreaked havoc on their own or in pairs of two, dividing and conquering in multiple areas of the city-some even within eye shot of each other. The one group of three had just escaped from Tyrin. They started heading for the main area all the shades were gradually going towards-the remains of a sky scraper on it's side that served as the shelter for hundreds of animals-but then they circled around and charged the Phoenix King himself.

Tyrin narrowed his eyes at the approaching Shades, tearing his focus away from searching for Rinka. With a hiss of annoyance, he brandished his twin swords in challenge and dove towards his foes.

At the same time on the ground, Zarrock had been biding his time during the chaos. As soon as Rinka turned to face him he sprung into action. The hawk exploded into violet fire as he rushed her, using his weight to barrel over her and shoulder his way past and into the sky. The flames were only short lived, and his form receded a short distance from the Queen. The Harris Hawk broke away towards the crowd of escaping animals in an attempt to blend in.

At the same moment the shades came close to Tyrin, a sudden flash of bright orange like a meteorite slammed into the further back shade, screeching as its flaming claws slashed down over the dark, intimidating bird's neck and right wing. The Phoenix kept hold of the shade during the raging descent until a final screech then thud was heard with the intermingling black and orange colors separating, the black shooting towards the ground and slamming into the dirt. 
  The Phoenix shot back up towards the other shade furthest from Tyrin with seeming venegeance and a lack of hesitation.

The shades had started breaking from each other to surround the king. The shades, like any other like them, were the same size as normal birds. And like other shades, each individual was so strong, it would take a group of normal animals who would brave the flames to bring just one of them down. But as strong as they were individually, it would take a group of shades to defeat a Phoenix. The Phoenix were much larger and stronger.

These three shades knew that, and so they were going to use numbers to their advantage. Hit hard, one after the other, move quickly, give Tyrin no chance to follow one shade while they all darted around him. That was their game. But that second Phoenix came out of nowhere, decimating the furthest one back. The other two glanced back in shock and tried to maneuver around Tyrin to recenter themselves, but the second Phoenix was charging the next. That shade shrieked in fury and tried to dart upward and away, its talons poised to scratch at the Phoenix's eyes.

The final shade dodged around to avoid getting hit by the Phoenix's larger body as it passed by. It hissed, its gaze following the Phoenix upward, and followed behind.

Wildwing wrote:The shades had started breaking from each other to surround the king. The shades, like any other like them, were the same size as normal birds. And like other shades, each individual was so strong, it would take a group of normal animals who would brave the flames to bring just one of them down. But as strong as they were individually, it would take a group of shades to defeat a Phoenix. The Phoenix were much larger and stronger.

These three shades knew that, and so they were going to use numbers to their advantage. Hit hard, one after the other, move quickly, give Tyrin no chance to follow one shade while they all darted around him. That was their game. But that second Phoenix came out of nowhere, decimating the furthest one back. The other two glanced back in shock and tried to maneuver around Tyrin to recenter themselves, but the second Phoenix was charging the next. That shade shrieked in fury and tried to dart upward and away, its talons poised to scratch at the Phoenix's eyes.

The final shade dodged around to avoid getting hit by the Phoenix's larger body as it passed by. It hissed, its gaze following the Phoenix upward, and followed behind.

Tyrin never stopped charging the group. Through the many smaller battles his Phoenix Guard had been a part of, he had grown accustomed to them surprising him with aid from all directions. Though they had no mental connection to speak of per-say, the team still worked in perfect tandem. With the third Shade in shock of what had happened to the others, Tyrin closed in with both swords crossed, throwing his wings open and separating the swords through the shade's neck and decapitating him instantly.

Rinka recovered one second too slowly. She lifted her face off the ground in time to see the flames disperse.

He's getting away.


One second too late, the hate and desperation blasted the chaos apart like a bolt of lightning. Rinka cursed loudly, her flames exploding in tongues of red, and she shot into the sky. But she lost sight of Zarrock. He had inserted himself in the midst of all the panic as a normal Harris Hawk. Where he would effectively be overlooked by everyone he'd blended himself with.

I lost him!!



She let out a horrible shriek.

I was so close! I almost had him, I WAS SO CLOSE!!


Wisps of light steamed from Rinka's eyes as she turned to face the destruction that continued below her. The new Phoenix were helping a great deal, but there was still a number of things to do. An enraged hiss escaping her beak, she shot through the sky for the fallen skyscraper.

The accompanying Phoenix turned tail towards the last shade with a glance of disdain, tucking his wings in and diving onto the shade with his talons digging into the dark bird's chest, bringing his talons up to his throat in a sudden flash of orange, leaving small wisps of bright red burning at it's chest as he let the body flop and fall off of his talons towards the ground along with the other shade he had crashed into earlier. As soon as he let go, he turned back towards Tyrin with a slight nod, pristinely communicating his acknowledgement that Tyrin had needed help, waiting for the next order at any moment.

Jaycrow wrote:The accompanying Phoenix turned tail towards the last shade with a glance of disdain, tucking his wings in and diving onto the shade with his talons digging into the dark bird's chest, bringing his talons up to his throat in a sudden flash of orange, leaving small wisps of bright red burning at it's chest as he let the body flop and fall off of his talons towards the ground along with the other shade he had crashed into earlier. As soon as he let go, he turned back towards Tyrin with a slight nod, pristinely communicating his acknowledgement that Tyrin had needed help, waiting for the next order at any moment.

Tyrin returned the nod in silent thanks, hovering for a moments as he observed the chaos around them.

"Gather the stragglers! They're starting fires at the edges of the city to try and cut off the survivors!" He called, pointing his right sword towards the strip of open land full of rubble and only part of the border had forest or something like that but essentially there was some open space, lots of moss here and there and not glorious and that's what Tyrin was talking about.

As the Phoenix King curtly called his orders, he turned to watch another pair of shades cascade through the windows remaining in the building directly below him. Knowing he had to get back into the action, Tyrin began to dive back downwards.

Drathema obediently adhered to Tyrin's command with immediacy, diving towards the wall of flames starting to roar over the underbrush of the nearby forest touching the rubble the rebels were using to escape through and between. As soon as he came close, he threw his wings over the flames in a powerful rush of air to extinguish a large patch of flames in front of him to allow escape of the rebels under him as shades on either side kept trying to start more fires, without hesitation turning towards one and catching him in his talons and throwing it into a nearby column of rubble in a powerful sweep of his talons. His intimidating size and merciless fighting against but the shades would hopefully force them away from the escapees and provide a window of escape.

(Okay, so the main building is like a cave system where there are crevices that are entrances to pathways everywhere, including up. The building is laying on a slant, with the top end sticking up into the air. The bottom end kind of merges with the ground. In fact, there is a cave system under the ground too that expands around the building instead of directly beneath it. It is all actually pretty stable. Rinka tested the building herself. If it had collapsed, she wouldn't have let anyone live there.
The underground level is used mainly for storage.
Also, since Jay wanted windows, on the higher end of the building that sticks out, there are open holes where windows once were!
That is the basic description!)


Two bird shades were diving in the main building through the top as Rinka arrived. She immediately slashed at them and managed to force one of them to abandon it's course, but the other made it into the building. With an infuriated hiss, Rinka charged the shade that was still outside, forcing it to move in bursts of speeds in order to avoid her attacks. She pulled a little ways from the building, but the moment the shade's reflexes slowed, she struck with her beak and crushed it down the middle.
The Queen circled back around and spared a glance at the base.

As wounded animals were rushed inside, organised units were meeting the first two shades to arrive at the building. A handful of dead animals were strewn a distance behind the enemies, but their sacrifice would not be in vain. With their help, the units had managed to separate the shades through hit-and-run tactics.
Looking out from the building, the left unit was about to win the battle. A panther dashed closely past the wolf shade while it was distracted by a pair of birds, swiping her claws through it's fur as she went. The moment the shade spun to bite her, the special attack struck. A wolf, who had been purposely keeping his distance, smacked a paddle against the shade's flank. Upon contact with the silver center, a horrible cry ripped from the shade's throat and it's violet flames went out, leaving a normal wolf with violet eyes hunching forward in extreme pain.

"RAIYA, NOW!" the panther roared over her shoulder.

When at last the great chasm in the sky from where the Phoenix Guard had rushed forth began to close, it gave an audible groan, as if upset at being held open for so long. Tumbling from the crevice not a moment before it snapped shut and out of existence, a final Phoenix burst into the skies above Rinka's City. Born from Phoenix-Fire in the throes of mortal death, Lieuna's Phoenix form rivaled that of the largest in the Guard. Her scarlet and bright orange fires whirling madly about as she dived at a near-suicidal angle towards two shade wolves, she blazed all the brighter in the moment the two turned to defend themselves, lashing out not with talons, but with wings tipped in blades of pure fire, flash of bright light dealing with what remained of the shades and propelling her flight course out of the dive and in a dead line towards the King and the flying shades that attempted to circle him.

Wildwing wrote:(Okay, so the main building is like a cave system where there are crevices that are entrances to pathways everywhere, including up. The building is laying on a slant, with the top end sticking up into the air. The bottom end kind of merges with the ground. In fact, there is a cave system under the ground too that expands around the building instead of directly beneath it. It is all actually pretty stable. Rinka tested the building herself. If it had collapsed, she wouldn't have let anyone live there.
The underground level is used mainly for storage.
Also, since Jay wanted windows, on the higher end of the building that sticks out, there are open holes where windows once were!
That is the basic description!)


Two bird shades were diving in the main building through the top as Rinka arrived. She immediately slashed at them and managed to force one of them to abandon it's course, but the other made it into the building. With an infuriated hiss, Rinka charged the shade that was still outside, forcing it to move in bursts of speeds in order to avoid her attacks. She pulled a little ways from the building, but the moment the shade's reflexes slowed, she struck with her beak and crushed it down the middle.
The Queen circled back around and spared a glance at the base.

As wounded animals were rushed inside, organised units were meeting the first two shades to arrive at the building. A handful of dead animals were strewn a distance behind the enemies, but their sacrifice would not be in vain. With their help, the units had managed to separate the shades through hit-and-run tactics.
Looking out from the building, the left unit was about to win the battle. A panther dashed closely past the wolf shade while it was distracted by a pair of birds, swiping her claws through it's fur as she went. The moment the shade spun to bite her, the special attack struck. A wolf, who had been purposely keeping his distance, smacked a paddle against the shade's flank. Upon contact with the silver center, a horrible cry ripped from the shade's throat and it's violet flames went out, leaving a normal wolf with violet eyes hunching forward in extreme pain.

"RAIYA, NOW!" the panther roared over her shoulder.

Raiya sprung forward with a leaping bound, kicking off a nearby large rock and spring-boarding off the panther's back as she dove over her and right into the shade wolf's throat. Her force collided with the wolf and her teeth bared down into bone before she shredded them back out with a feral cry. A mist of blood dripped from her muzzle as Raiya cast the new corpse aside and backed away from a trio of approaching shade tigers.

She shot an apologetic glance at her panther friend for using her back to jump, but quickly turned her attention back to the three tigers. Of the Shades on the ground, it seemed they were gathering here near the entrance of the refuge. At least a dozen and a half shades remained on the ground.

High above, and higher still than Rinka's fight, Tyrin and the rest of his guard came together for another push against the enemy. Khiarra, Lieuna, Tyrin, Ki, and Drathema were now all together in a circle the animals that were fleeing the city. Tyrin had let out a cry shortly before to group them back up to face the coming last advance. The king initially believed they last grouping of shades were being led by Zarrock, as the one in the center was larger. He counted 15 approaching shades but the one in the center kept drawing him in. There was something about it's form that brought Tyrin pause. The Guard braced for the might of the approaching shades, and Tyrin would have taken this time to search again for Rinka, but his eyes stayed locked on the leader of the coming group of shades in the sky.

(I'm thinking in my head that all the fighting has kind of converged around this fallen building with the last city fighters on the ground, Rinka and her guards attacking some straggling shade birds and the ground forces at the top of the building or around it, and Tyrin and the Phoenix Guard much higher up in the sky handling a group of reinforcements. Ya?)

Lieuna, brandishing her fire blades along with her battle talons, remained in her position in the formation, glancing to the right where the King was at the head of the Guard, staring at the group of shades that approached. Hey great fiery wings held her in her place in the sky, and she allowed herself to better scout the battlefield in those moments. Most of the remaining Shades below seemed intent on attacking the great leaning building far below. Lieuna was fairly certain at one point that she saw the Phoenix Queen in the skies below, battling other flying shades, but she would not let too much of her mind wander to things besides the oncoming group of shades.

Ki let out a vicious battle cry, staring down the shades as they barreled towards the Phoenix Guard. She screamed something in the language of the falconette--knowing Ki it was probably something obscene.

The amber aura around Khiarra started to glow brighter around her, engulfing her comrades. "Just give the order, Your Majesty..." she churred at Tyrin, eyes narrowing at the approaching Shades.

-----

Rheija clutched a dying Shade hawk in her maw, shaking it ravenously trying to choke the life out of it while her sharp claws were pinning down a Shade wolf. She made a snarky glance at Raiya as if saying No it's okay I can fight all these Shades myself. .

Drathema tensed up at the coming group of shades in anticipation, sensing Tyrin's distracted stare towards the leader of the group. He was transfixed by the thought of who the shade was, it seemed. Suddenly, however, Drathema turned his attention back towards the closest, smaller shade and dove forward out of formation in grabbing at the smaller bird's wings without hesitation, digging his talons into its fragile chest before tossing it back towards another shade to slow down the obvious tide of such blackened, wretched birds.

Tyrin stared at the approaching golden eagle, the shade in the center. Ghosts of his past rolled across the whites of his eyes as the familiarity of the eagle shade's form came into his mind.

Is.... Is that... ?

Before he could think any further, Drathema had burst from formation and begun the attack early. Tyrin was pulled from his thoughts as the battle began. He gripped his swords tighter and hissed through his beak. "Kill them all!"

The Phoenix rushed forward to meet the eagle shade with his blades, but the eagle dived between them and slashed Tyrin across the back of his neck. A glancing blow, but enough to throw him off. Tyrin spun and shot after the eagle, slashing just behind him and catching the tip of the violet flame filled feathers on his tail.

Ya!)

The brown panther had seen the spring-board move coming in time to brace herself and even give Raiya a little boost to her jump. She only smirked at the She-Wolf in reply. Then, at the sight of the three approaching tiger shades, she hissed and rejoined Raiya with the rest of their surviving unit.

Having cleared the low skies of bird shades, Rinka flew back to one of the building's top openings. One of the eagles guarding it from just inside gave her a brief report upon her request. The shade that had managed to get inside had killed five animals and wounded eight, but it had been put down. The building was secure on the inside for now. Satisfied, Rinka shot down over the building.

As the tiger shades drew nearer, the Queen swooped in behind Raiya's unit and hovered in place with her talons barely grzing the ground. She stared down at those shades with an intimidating sterness to her face.

Oh look, it's Brutus)

Wildwing wrote:Ya!)

The brown panther had seen the spring-board move coming in time to brace herself and even give Raiya a little boost to her jump. She only smirked at the She-Wolf in reply. Then, at the sight of the three approaching tiger shades, she hissed and rejoined Raiya with the rest of their surviving unit.

Having cleared the low skies of bird shades, Rinka flew back to one of the building's top openings. One of the eagles guarding it from just inside gave her a brief report upon her request. The shade that had managed to get inside had killed five animals and wounded eight, but it had been put down. The building was secure on the inside for now. Satisfied, Rinka shot down over the building.

As the tiger shades drew nearer, the Queen swooped in behind Raiya's unit and hovered in place with her talons barely grzing the ground. She stared down at those shades with an intimidating sterness to her face.

The trio of tigers spoke in unison with their gravel-like voices. "Your hope dies this day, bird queen.... your sky fires can't undo the death we have already brought... "

Wildwing wrote:Oh look, it's Brutus)

*mimic's Wild's voice* uiabasgdterjyktrn it's brutus)

Hello friend!

Ki let out a vicious war cry as she barreled towards the group of shades. Being much larger than her comrades, it was easy for her to pluck one of the Shades out of the sky and rip the creature in two--its black blood raining down below.

Khiarra cried out, gripping her double-bladed staff in hand and twirled through the Shade flock, cleaving which ever ones that where unlucky enough to get in her way.

---

Rheija continued fighting off the Shades the best she could. Her chest heaving in exhaustion as with a quick swipe of her claws a Shade wolf lay with its throat slashed. As she fought she was grumbling about no one coming over to help her....

(( Rheija: *obnoxious throat-clear* ))

Thalak's got you Rheija!)

Drathema kept a keen eye on every aspect of the battle about him: which member of the Guard was fighting who, how many shades there were and where they were located. His task is to protect Tyrin and the Queen at all costs, including the many innocents, even if it meant risking his life to do so. He dug his talons into the next shade closest to him who tried to fly past to reach Tyrin while he dealt with the larger shade who was leading the pack, flinging the shade back with a sickening crunch coming from the force of his talons squeezing around the bird's left leg and twisting it. 
  The Phoenix's gaze fluttered between each shade in front of him  in intense thought, flapping his wings with a hard thrust forward and tackling into the same shade he had thrown back, digging both claws into its chest again with such force that the shade's wings stop flapping and went lax right as Drathema let the shade slide off his talons and fall towards the ground moments where the other shades were fighting with  a thud.

With the last shade in his area killed, Thalak and a handful of other animals charged East for the building, flanking the widespread ground shades to the north. The lead wolf suddenly swerved South, and the rest of the group automatically followed. Thalak had no time to yell at him before the lead wolf leapt paws first at a wolf shade. The wolf shade, which had been about to attack Rheija from behind, was knocked over. But in no time, it rolled and spun back to it's feet and struck forward, snapping it's jaws on the lead wolf's head, instantly killing him with crushing force. The unit howled and roared in anger as the shade, with it's back to Rheija, threw the corpse to the side.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Oh look, it's Brutus)

*mimic's Wild's voice* uiabasgdterjyktrn it's brutus)

Hello friend!

Hello! XD

The eagle shade blasted Tyrin with a wave of purple fire, but the Phoenix spun right through it. The eagle was faster, but Tyrin had numbers. He slashed forward again at the shade and shepherded him back towards the fighting with the others. The eagle spun at the last second and charged Tyrin's face again but this time he dodged under and headbutted the shade in the chest. Something kept gnawing at the back of his head. He knew this shade somehow, and yet he didn't. His face had elements he recognized, but ever so slightly changed. Not enough for him to fully cling to the memory. It seemed a close reconstruction to someone he knew, but altered enough that he couldn't be sure. As the pair spun to strike again, Tyrin flitted his eyes to see which of the other Phoenix were close enough to him.

Rheija had let out a surprised gasp at the sounds of the large bear approaching and making quick work of the Shade trying to flank her. "Th-thanks..." she stammered, ears dropping slightly. 

----

Khiarra gracefully battled her way across the sky, dispatching any Shade that dared to cross her. Her aura flashed every time she flew past a Phoenix that seemed a little wary. "This is not over! The battle continues! Keep fighting!" she called out to her comrades as she made her way towards Tyrin.

(( For all those who don't know, Khiarra's super special Phoenix power is "healing", calming, and for lack of a better term "damage boosting" ))

Ruki wrote:Rheija had let out a surprised gasp at the sounds of the large bear approaching and making quick work of the Shade trying to flank her. "Th-thanks..." she stammered, ears dropping slightly. 

----

Khiarra gracefully battled her way across the sky, dispatching any Shade that dared to cross her. Her aura flashed every time she flew past a Phoenix that seemed a little wary. "This is not over! The battle continues! Keep fighting!" she called out to her comrades.

(( For all those who don't know, Khiarra's super special Phoenix power is "healing", calming, and for lack of a better term "damage boosting" ))

Ruki... One of the wolves with Thalak shoved the shade over, and the shade got back up and killed the wolf. Thalak hasn't killed the shade yet ^.^'
It's still alive with Thalak and a few others in front of it and Rheija behind it. But with everyone working together, this battle will be quick!))

(Wild did you see my tiger post? I know there's a lot going on XD)

((Ack!! So much is going on and I'm trying to draw and *wheeze*))

Drathema noticed Tyrin's gaze towards him and the other members of the Guard in inquiry, guessing he needed help from his demeanor and how he was holding the eagle off for the time being. Which of them is close enough? The Phoenix took a glance around himself as he dodged a furious shade's dive towards him, tucking in his wings then diving towards Tyrin was before pulling his wings back out to slow himself in the midst of the chaos of fighting and screeching birds and land animals. He gave his leader an curious glance in confirmation of whether or not Tyrin needed help.