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"And clearly your memory is not as sharp as you'd like to think," Jade snarled right back at Wolf as she sheathed her blade. "Challenge me again, Wolf...just once...and I will not let it pass." The glint in her strange eyes and the tone of her voice made the other wise simple threat much more ominous. She had discovered long ago that order in a crew - or group - could not be maintained if the captain - or leader - was slighted without reprimand.

The halfling woman turned back in time to see some of the dragoons beginning to lift off from the ground, stirring up the dirt of the camp into dozens of little cyclones. They had what they had come for, and there was no reason for them to stay away from their loved ones any longer. But quite suddenly, the flight was interrupted by one of the younger warriors crashing to the ground. He had been sent off balance by a thick, sharpened stake that had been flung hard enough to wedge into the impregnable scale armor sprouting from his shoulder. And before the young warrior had even hit the ground, a bit of hell broke loose inside the camp and a volley too thick to see through went flying towards all inside.

Jade acted on instinct; she dropped down, rolled, sprang back up and crouched as the sudden attack occurred. She tried to glance around and see if her companions (and Wolf) were alright, but there was little time to assess the situation. Mar had helped the young dragoon that had been struck first, and the man seemed to be alright. Moreover, his brethren seemed to take Mar's advice, and were quickly airborne with the hatchling. But some of them stayed behind, snarling as they drew their scythes and sought out their attacker. Though Zai's father had left with his son in his arms, another young dragoon that looked to be some close relative - an uncle, perhaps - was one of those that stayed. And this man seemed to be the one whose orders were to be followed now that the Clan Leader had taken off.

"Around the sides, sweep wide and see if you can catch whoever 'tis!" Jade shouted in the dracon tongue to this man as she drew her blade. He didn't bother arguing, merely nodded and snapped something out to the others. There were soon four dragoons racing away on either side, moving to try and catch the assailant in a swift pincer move.

Jade, both swords now at the ready, sprinted forward in the direction the spears had come from. It may not have been the wisest move, attacking an attacker, but Zaeken's Chosen had never been one to pause and carefully plot while in the heat of battle. But just as she was nearing what she was certain had to be the origin of the spears, something odd happened. The grass beneath her feet began to twist and writhe as though discomforted by her hasty steps across it. She stumbled once as a particularly long blade seemed to wrap around her ankle, but she righted herself, determined to reach her goal. It became increasingly difficult to run, however, and soon she became aware of an unusual hissing sound. Quite suddenly she found herself stuck, her feet grasped by the very ground and her knees buckling as something grabbed hold of them and dragged her down. She shouted in alarm as she struggled to get free, staring down in shock at what had so recently been grass. Now, she was stuck kneeling and fighting in a field of very small, thin, and powerful snakes that seemed to be sprouting from the ground...like blades of grass.

Jade had never seen such a transformation, but she was certain that it had to be some sort of strange magic. But there was no time to marvel.

"You'll be alright, just hold - what the devil is that?!" Gwen had been kneeling next to the wounded dragoon that Mar had assisted, preparing to quickly heal his punctured shoulder. She looked up at saw her mentor began dragged to the ground by what appeared to be writhing grass, and was understandably startled. This, coupled with the sight of Julias increasing in size and darkness...the whole evening was turning out to be a rather strange one indeed.

"Lars!" Jade exclaimed as the Myrmidon appeared and began an attempt to free her. She, too, began hacking away at the tiny snakes that had sprung up from nowhere, growling her frustration as yet more appeared to take their brothers' places. Mar had flown up above head and was trying to call out the enemy, but whoever it was remained silent. "Ods blood indeed, this is bloody impossible!"

Finally, between Lars and Jade, the Chosen's leader was freed enough to rise back to her feet and kick off the snake bits that had returned to their grassy forms once removed from the ground. Feeling much more confident now, with Lars at her side, Mar swooping above them, and a small crew of dragoons approaching their enemy from either side, Jade began running once more for what she assumed to be the enemy's hiding spot.

"Renmith, can you help them while I take care of this one?" Gwen asked her furry companion, who had grown to his full size at the first sign of danger, as she remained bent over next to the wounded dragoon.

"Of course," Renmith replied rather curtly as he launched off after the Chosen who were trying to reach their hidden foe.

Jade looked up to Mar, intent on calling for him to follow through on his threat and roast whoever was performing the attacks, but before she could there came a sudden rustling from the dense bushes that were now so heavily surrounded. And in an explosion of dried leaves, two figures emerged with eyes that gleamed out from under their hoods like bright yellow spots of poison. Both were clad in dark red robes, and both hand their hands raised in claw-like positions, each finger tip blackened as though it were being drained of life with the very effort of continuing the heavy charms that were giving the Chosen so much trouble. One of them snapped his arm upwards and to the left, sending an unbalancing gust of wind in Mar's direction. The other flicked his wrist towards Lars and Jade, causing the earth to rise up and shoot towards the pair in a flurry of rock and root.

The mysterious robed figure whom Wolf approached snarled and flung one hand upwards in a defensive manner, and just as quickly as he moved a branch swept out from one of the nearest trees and shielded the being from beheading by Wolf's blade. But the mage was in no wise interested in giving Wolf a chance to right his weapon and try again, and as such he lifted both cupped hands and created for himself a pillar of stone from the earth already beneath his feet, tall enough that he was out of immediate danger from the warriors' swords below. But Mar was still a problem.

As the enchanted flame shot towards the pair, the one on the ground twisted to the side in an attempt to avoid it, but the one on the pillar had little room to maneuver. He roared out in agony as his robe caught fire, making quick work of his left arm and shoulder. He patted himself down, hissing in pain while attempting to keep his attention on the Siblings' warriors.

"Lars!" Jade shouted once more as she, who had been taken by surprise that bracing herself for the oncoming attack had been unnecessary with the Myrmidon's protection, watched Myra's servant fall. Her heart launched itself into her throat, and her anger flared up brighter than ever towards the two strangers that had seen fit to attack them. To her great relief, Lars managed to rise back up to his feet, and even returned to her side able enough to issue a powerful challenge to the mages. Though she would have dearly liked to stop and check his health, now simply was not the time for such luxuries. She would have to be content in preventing him from coming to further harm, and knowing that Gwen would see to his wounds later.

The second mage, still on the ground level with Wolf, Renmith, Lars and Jade, took a shuffling step back and reached into the folds of his robe for something. He snickered spitefully, the yellow swirls of his eyes seething out of the darkness towards the Chosen. "Fools! You lost this battle the moment you so unwisely chose to side with the selfish Four! There is no hope, no peace, any success you trick yourselves into believing you have achieved is but a pathetic illusion!"

"I can't say I have any idea what the devil you're rambling about, but 'tis mere useless drivel at this point, lad," Jade snapped right back, deflecting another flying rock with the flat of her blade. "You've stirred up a hornet's nest, you and your mate!"

Before the red-clad intruder could reply, the dragoons that had swept around to he and his companion's sides flooded into the area with an earth shattering collective roar. Without so much as a challenge, the remnants of little Zai's rescue party emit a smattering of raspy inhales, and then breathed out as one in an eruption of flame. The two mages hollered and began waving their arms furiously in what looked to be a desperate attempt to bat away the massive wall of fire, but soon became apparent as their necessary actions to keep the flames at bay. And now, they were in a difficult spot. If they ceased their focus and mad wavings around, the fiery breath of the dragoons would roast them alive. But if they did not, then they would be left standing there unprotected from the angered Chosen who stood only feet away. Much as they were now.