Maya Hawthorne's Story

Maya was somewhere beneath them in the forest and Quetzal's form was becoming closer and closer. Aubrey took a deep breath and relaxed against Bren, running her fingers through his neck feathers. Even after her self-disappointment with not helping with the Behemoth, she'd gotten the flag back, and they could leave soon, she hoped. She felt Bren tighten his grip on the flagpole, reassuring them both that they had it. Aubrey smiled warily and Bren left his wings out to soar, wobbling them a little to each side so that they almost bounced in the air, earning him a giggle from his rider.

Her enjoyment was cut short however, when the air around them changed. Aubrey sat up stiffly as Bren's amiable wobbles became uncontrollable as something rose up from beneath them. Aubrey looked down but couldn't see anything other than the flagpole in Bren's grasp until a split-second later when she felt the huge gust of wind throw them even higher through the air. Bren cawed as he felt the weight of his bond leave his back when she was thrown from him. He was pushed up into the air but it took only a few moments for him to right himself as he flapped crazily to turn in search of Aubrey. She went up, then down, tumbling through the air as she plummeted to the ground. A panicked shriek wrenched itself from her lungs as all she saw was blue with some brown-green flashes before she squeezed her eyes shut.

The griffin located her and dove in, beating his wings to be faster then her rate of falling. Her cry was cut into a gasp as Bren barreled into her and grabbed her with his talons as gently as he could and spread his wings and brought his upper body up in efforts to slow them as they were berated by leaves going through the tree canopy. Even so, Bren could not pull up from such a fall and they reached the ground quite quickly.

Landing on his hind legs, Bren pulled in his wings and twisted to his back. Aubrey was thrust from his grasp and propelled forward until she was stopped by slamming into the base of a tree. The wind knocked from her lungs and her head snapped back. She sat for a moment, finally gasping then coughing when she could breath again. Green-blue eyes opened suddenly, glazed and wet with the beginnings of tears, but landing gratefully on her bond who was already stumbling to his feet. He walked over to her, seemingly okay, and stuck his large head into her face and then around her body, checking to see that she was okay as well.

"Oh quit that and help me up," Aubrey croaked, leaning against Bren on legs that felt like jelly. She grit her jaw, leaning over to brush debris off herself and asses the damages. She was certainly alive, and it didn't feel like anything was broken, aside from the fact that her head swam and her vision was fuzzy, and her abdomen hurt. Some scratches and bruises already forming, but she ignored them as best as she could and turned to Bren, running her hands across his back and down his legs. Nothing more than a few deep cuts and bashing from the trees.

Aubrey sighed and buried her nose in his neck. "Better lay off the flying and walk for now, I s'pose." she mumbled, aware that they no longer were in possession of the dratted flag. Bren snorted and flicked her gently with his tail. "Or you walk, I ride. That works too."

She climbed onto his back with a groan, carefully avoiding putting pressure on his wings when he let them drape at his sides as he made his way back through the forest in the direction they'd come. Aubrey blessed his avian's sense of direction as they came out of the forest line into the valley ((am I right?)) and found the others where they'd been the whole time. (Which she supposed wasn't actually all that long.) She ducked her head, embarrassed that even after all that, she hadn't gotten the flag. She'd been so useless to the others this whole trip! She wasn't sure if she even wanted to tell the other students about her pathetic fall except that Bren chirruped at the sight of Babur and Aubrey could only hold on and sit still.

Luca M. Feygor

The sound of Maya’s mocking laughter howling over the winds was enough to stir a murderer from his deep slumber. Luca’s azure eyes glazed in a chilling instance, rolling over restlessly and focusing on his prey. ‘Blue, lend me your power,’ Luca demanded, gazing at the ominous shadow of his bond hiding within the forests.

His eyes attacked the demon’s spine with a wave of nausea. No rational, no sense, no order could reason with the boy now, ‘What are you going to do?’ Blue asked rhetorically, though the demon already knew the answer his own question.

A second pebble twisted between his fingers as the question made his chest heave with a venomous chuckle, the reverberation barely filtering out the sadistic malice bristling within. Complying with Luca’s wishes, Blue Horror teleported beneath the dragon, its magic congregating with a wave of its skeletal hands. The demon’s invisible magic wove its way skywards, spiralling in tendrils as it targeted the dragon’s eyesight and pain receptors, aiming to disable them. Then, a silent whistling followed as Luca’s pebble flew through the air only to be replaced by Luca’s dark form mid-flight. A single powerful thrust sent a knife hurtling towards the soft under tissue of the dragon bond before Luca vanished without a trace, reappearring where his first pebble had landed.

Get ready Blue. Luca warned, recovering his composure with deep breaths. It was a last resort but Luca was sick and tired of the games.

(OoC: Bad move, and he's not a dragon.)
Quetzal looked at Blue Horror, and smiled.
"How cute. Trying to use fear and parlor tricks on one revered as a god." He then plucked the knife out with his teeth. "I promised Maya I wouldn't get involved in this, but you leave me no choice." Quetzalcoatl then moved faster than one would think something that big could, and swang his tail hitting Blue with the force of a train. He then turned to face Luca.
"Your knife tickled. But I have some advice. When one is as old as human sacrifice, they learn what a blade feels like, and soon choose to ignore it. The mind also grows, and weak magic such as your Bond's loses it's strength. Make no doubt, he did some of his job, I am currently blind in my left eye, but he did little else. Also, you aimed for the wrong half of the Bond."
Walker then galloped up behind Luca in the air, Brenna's movements silent with nothing to truly tread on, and swung the "flag" on a stick he was carrying, aiming to hit his head.
{Luck, don't fail me now.} he thought as he swung.

Rue Tyryl

She was tired, utterly spent after sealing the behemoth in ice. She barely remembered stumbling away from the creature, or Nemesis knocking her to the ground to get her out of harms way. She woke a few times, once to find herself up on the back of a dog like bond, another time to find herself buffeted by winds that were strong enough to take her breath away and a third time to find herself on the ground near Luca. The third time she awoke, she finally was able to stay awake, though she was too weak to stand. Weariness still plagued her, but she was able to keep conscious.

She caught the sounds of fighting and bitter words thrown back and forth. She turned to look at what was going on just in time to witness a young girl and her bond thrown aside like rag dolls. The girl and her bond went tumbling into the out forest. Several moments later they rejoined the group looking very upset about their situation. Rue was unsure as to what was going on, but something told her they weren't done fighting yet. Her eyes shifted to catch the form of a huge dragon like bond hovering in the air and a black haired girl with a wicked grin on her face. She witnessed the boy that had run into her in the hall of the school a while back. He was with the black haired girl.

Rue wondered if they were the two causing so much trouble for the rest of the group. Next to her, she felt Snow rub against her arm. Looking off to the side she smiled at her bond, sleep heavy on her mind.

"Hi, Snow," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Good, your awake. Everything has gone to hell. This girl and the boy Walker is making it difficult for us to get the flag. Everyone's trying their best to stop her, but nothing's working. I was waiting for you to wake up. I need some energy, Rue. If you can."

Rue looked up to see Luca's towering form turn to face the forest. Her heart nearly stopped at the expression on his face. It was chilling to see the malicious intent deep in his beautiful blue eyes. She didn't know what he was doing, but then he held two pebbles in hand. One dropped at his feet where he was standing, and the other he twisted around in his fingers. A moment after and a cold, acidic laugh rumbled the air around him. Rue's eyes widened as she watched him. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Blue appear underneath the dragon like bond and raise his hand. He was doing something, and she was sure Luca was part of it too.

In the next instant, Luca chucked the pebble he was holding and he disappeared from sight. Rue's voice caught as she tried to yell for him, but she only managed a soft squeak. Turning her head to look for him, she spotted him in mid-air underneath the dragon bond. He thrust his knife upwards and into the belly of the bond and then disappeared once more. She jumped despite herself as he reappeared right next to her again. Pushing herself up, she felt the wound in her side burn as Snow's cauterizing failed to hold. She'd pushed it enough already, but she wasn't about to just sit and let everyone else fight while she did nothing. Not even entirely sure what was going on, Rue reached for Luca's hand as he stared at the bond in rage.

"Luca," she called, trying for his attention. She wanted to calm his rage, afraid of what it might do to him. At the same time her eyes narrowed and she concentrated on giving Snow her energy.

"I don't know what's going on, but if it's enough to make him like this, take all the energy you need, Snow."

"I only need enough to-"

"Don't argue! If you need it all to finish what ever is going on then do it!" Rue snapped back, her eyes growing hard and her lips turning into a frown. Her fingers curled around Luca's as she managed to reach him though it was painful to sit up like she was.

Snow clicked her beak sharply and jumped up into the air, beating her wings hard to get altitude. The phoenix ignited herself and Rue could feel the pull on her energy already. Snow took off without another moment's hesitation and headed straight for the girl and her bond. Her icy wings seeming to make herself much larger than she was. Rue's concentration went right with her bond, keeping her energy linked with Snow. The bird ignited the air, her ice freezing the warm winds. Snow flew in circles around the two, going around and around. She was fast, a white streak in the air that kept dipping and twisting around.

With her eyes locked up at Luca, she caught sight of Walker coming around with the flag in hand. Rue's heart lurched as she saw him and realized what it was that the boy was intending to do. With her fingers locked to Luca's hand, she pulled herself up to him, her light weight doing nothing to move him. She was shorter then him, but she reached upwards anyways, trying to put herself in the way of the downward hit from the pole. Her arms stung as the flag came into contact with her, knocking her forwards and against Luca.

Rue twisted around, grabbed hold of the flag and ignited her hands. Dry ice cracked and raced up the length of the pole at Walker. Her breathing shortening as she was growing dizzy from the small use of her bonds power. Her vision swam in and out, feeling every twist and turn that Snow took, every launch of icy power that cooled the air just a little more. Snow raised herself above both of them, having cooled the air as much as she could. In a final act of defiance and to show her utter anger at the two insolent children, she flung her wings outwards and then shot them down at the pair. Sharpened icicles rained down on them, each one exactly like dry ice, burning whatever it touched.

Down on the ground, Rue's fingers slackened on the pole and she dropped to her knees, her gaze still locked on Walker and his every move. Her eyes dimming as she also concentrated on Snow who was pouring everything she had down on the dragon and the black haired girl. Rue couldn't believe the boy had tried to knock out Luca causing her to feel a deeper anger that blocked out anything. However, she couldn't do much more than just hold the flag, too tired and weak to do much more. Hell the boy could reach over and do whatever he wanted without having her put up much of a fight.

However, off to the side she heard Erin's voice shout in rage. A second later and a very pissed off dire wolf came lunging out of her darkening vision to take Walker down.

Maya was weaving through the forest when she her left eye went blind, and when she took to the air to see what was going on, she saw Quetzal get stabbed by Luca, and charged towards him to make sure he was safe.
Quetzal, who saw the cyrophoenix, flew towards Maya and coiled around her in time to stop the icicles from hitting her, the frozen spears piercing his hide. Maya felt this and immediately crawled out of his coils, raising her hands.
"STOP! PLEASE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST STOP HARMING HIM!" Her voice had done a total 180, having gone from a mocking, playful tone to a girl who was scared for the one thing that actually didn't hate her all the time.
Walker heard this and charged off on Brenna, the dire wolf missing by inches, dropped the false flag before he could hit Luca, and used most of his and Brenna's luck magic to make sure most of the icicles didn't hit Quetzal, but one pierced Maya through her stomach, and she collapsed and fell off of Quetzal, Walker catching her just before she hit the ground. He quickly laid her down and took out his first aid kit.
"Alright, this may sting a bit." He said as he gently pulled out the icicle, which, luckily, had missed her spine and her more important organs. Maya grunted in response.
"I guess you really do know how to get inside a girl!" She groaned, not liking the feeling of a hole where her kidney should be, and passed out. Walker turned to Snow.
"She'll live, but I need to get her somewhere sterile, this isn't any good out here." he said, tossing the real flag to Snow. "Take the flag, get it to Rue, but PLEASE send someone who can help!"

Luca M. Feygor

Quetzal’s rapid movement caused Blue Horror’s body to lurch, his demonic frame tightening like a coil as it forced itself to remain in place, even as the dragon swung its tail at him. Its hooded visage seemed to lock onto Quetzal’s, keeping direct contact as he did nothing more than raise his many arms against the serpent’s immeasurable force. The tail sent it flying backwards into the forest, crashing through numerous tree trunks in a shower of splinters.

Luca coughed out blood in reaction, the blow forcing the air out of his lungs as the dragon rounded on him.

"Your knife tickled. But I have some advice. When one is as old as human sacrifice, they learn what a blade feels like, and soon choose to ignore it. The mind also grows, and weak magic such as your Bond's loses it's strength. Make no doubt, he did some of his job, I am currently blind in my left eye, but he did little else. Also, you aimed for the wrong half of the Bond."

Luca replied with nothing but a mock smirk, “Is that all?”

Luca’s hand clutched his broken ribs, he was sweating with exhaustion but still he could only laugh despite the pain of each breath. A deep echo of cruel humour ushered from his tongue as he wiped the blood away from his lips. “He’s not really my bond you know, and the reason you can’t feel the knife is because I willed it, until now.”

Blue Horror re-emerged from the shadowed tree line suddenly, its bloody hood drawn back to reveal a massive head with an eyeless mouth, needle like teeth protruded from every surface as it lulled. It almost looked like it was smiling as its magic began to increase.

"Luca,"

Luce blinked; snapping awake like cold ice had been poured over him. He felt a endearing warmth crawling through his skin and craned his neck to investigate the source. Looking downwards, he noticed a pale hand clenched around his and followed the curves of the shining white hair to their origin. His eyes fell onto Rue’s distressed, almost pleading expression, her green eyes piercing him greater than the acute burning in his ribs then. A stunned silence fell over him in response and like a dying storm, Blue’s magic began to calm likewise. Pain flared through his chest again as Rue’s soft body was knocked against him by an overhead flag pole, causing him to stiffen helplessly as he realise she'd shielded him. The air temperature around them dropped simultaneously as Snow began using her powers in retaliation.

"I'm sorry Rue, i guess i'm more of a danger than any good to you," Luca grimaced.

"STOP! PLEASE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST STOP HARMING HIM!"

And then it was over. Heedless of the stinging agony he felt in his ribs and the fatigue all across his body, Luca staggered upwards, cradling Rue’s unconscious form. He looked around and spotted Walker hunched over Maya and the ominous dark liquid leaking from her stomach.

"She'll live, but I need to get her somewhere sterile, this isn't any good out here. The flag, get it to Rue, but PLEASE send someone who can help!"

Luca rolled his eyes, “Why do you think we wanted the flag so badly?” he chided, “Whatever, Blue’s still got power left. Pass her to him, he’ll teleport the injured to the infirmary. For now though, I just want to sleep…”

Erin Tyryl

He'd thought Rue was still sleeping, but when he saw Snow launch into the air, he knew she was awake and twisted to look to her. He was worried that she was pushing herself and that could be very dangerous. Erin's heart lurched forward as she pulled herself up using Luca and blocked a downward strike from Walker. She managed to hold on to it, though she dropped to her knees instantly and her usually bright green eyes were dull. With his chest tight, and still burning from the beating he'd taken with the behemoth, he started towards her. His eyes were locked on Walker, all thoughts on how he was going to knock the boy out.

Nemesis was faster, though. The dire wolf changed immediately and rushed the boy who was attacking Rue. Behind him he heard the other girl shouting in fear. Turning for a mere second, he witnessed Snow raining down icicles on her and her bond. Taking one to the stomach the black haired girl plummeted to the ground. Nemesis missed the boy who threw the pole at his sister and rushed for the girl who was falling.

Pure rage rolled through Erin as he watched the boy toss the real flag to Snow and yell for help. Unable to help it, he stalked up to the young man, not hearing Luca's words either. Ignoring his own wounds and probably cracked ribs, he grabbed Walker by the shirt, pulled him around to face him and drew back his fist. Knuckle collided with jaw and he shouted out in rage at Walker.

"What do you think my sister has had to endure this entire time?! She's wounded too you little..." Erin drew back again, but Nemesis knocked him to the side. Loosing his footing, Erin hit the ground, every limb shaking from his anger. The dire wolf hadn't reverted back to his smooth, sleek body, so he was twice the size he normally was. Turning, the wolf lowered his head and growled deeply at Walker, though he didn't make a move to attack. Nemesis was sure his threatening presence was enough to have the kid thinking twice.

Erin trembled, trying to calm himself as he looked to his sister in Luca's arms. She was unconscious, though he wasn't sure how bad it was. Then she stirred slightly, her green eyes cracking opened to look up at Luca. He sighed in relief, happy that she was still alive. She'd scared the living day lights out of him. Over head, Snow flew in a tight circle, keeping a watchful eye on Luca and Rue. Erin flopped onto his back and coughed heavily, tasting blood in his mouth. Both him and Nemesis had probably over done it a bit, but it couldn't have been helped. He was just glad everyone was still alive. Though he could probably do without Walker and the black haired girl at that moment.

"Yeah, I second that man," Erin commented on Luca's last bit about wanting to sleep. He closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh, "I guess now all we do is wait for our crazed sports teacher to come get us..."

Rue Tyryl

Walker threw the pole at her, but she didn't register it at all. Instead she toppled forward, her body loosing all strength. She was walking a fine line, a very dangerous line. She felt Snow release her hold on the energy she'd used, and in the distance she heard shouting. Then her body felt warm as someone picked her up. Her eyes cracked open slightly to see Luca's face grimacing at her. She tried to smile, but failed at it. Rue missed completely what he'd said to her as she slipped into darkness.

A little while after and she stirred again, feeling a bit of energy rush through her veins. It was like a jump start that startled her. Her heart beat was irregular and she was still very tired. Opening her eyes again, she felt herself cradled in someone's arms. Once more she was met by Luca's form. It looked as if he'd been talking, but she only caught the last part.

"I just want to sleep…"

She managed a smile then and reached up her free hand to touch his face, though her fingers just barely brushed him before losing strength again, "I do too. Can I..." her eyes drooped as she struggled to stay awake long enough, "... sleep... with... you...?"

Her hand dropped over her stomach and her eyes closed again. Her breath was shallow, but steady. Had she not received the small burst of energy, things probably wouldn't have gone downhill for her much more quickly.

Walker's Story
Walker stood up and spat out the blood from his mouth, wiping his mouth with a movement that emanated so much restraint and anger it could make even Blue Horror run in fear.
"I did only what was asked of me for the person who helped me out of a bad situation. A favor for a favor. I'm not going to respond to your sleight with retaliation, though, there's a life at stake here, and I'm not risking losing it over a bloody lip." He gently lifted Maya from the ground, wrapped her lower torso with bandages to staunch some of the bleeding, and carried her to Blue Horror, each movement done with the control of someone who's had to tend one too many broken enemies and friends in the back of an alley after a bad scuffle, his words to the Bond spoken with a force behind them that even Walker had never noticed before.
"Make sure she gets there in one piece, and no messing with her mind, or I swear on my mother's grave, I will make you of all the creatures that walk this planet fear my very name." Each word he spoke had no emotion save conviction behind it, as if the Walker from earlier had withered away into a husk, leaving one who would be fully capable of carrying out his threats behind. As soon as he was sure Maya was taken care of, he went over to Rue, shoving Nemesis out of the way as if Walker were his commanding officer in an army, and showing just as much regard. He then went to press his fingers to her neck for a pulse.
"She's there, just spent from using so much energy. Stable, too, I made sure of her recovery earlier. Let her rest and she'll be fine. I also recommend someone getting her a heat-pack or something else warm, the local temperature will put her into a hypothermic state if we're not quick. Rabies, Babur, get over here and put that fur of yours to use." He motioned to Nemesis, and Babur, then to Rue, to point out they needed to keep her warm while they waited for pickup. He then kneeled next to Rue to make sure she was going to remain stable.

Erin Tyryl

"You're bitchy friend's life isn't any less important than my sisters!" Erin spat back, lurching forward from his position on the ground. If it was a fight the boy wanted, Erin would gladly give it. The idiot didn't scare him in the least, and his whole deal on doing a friend a favor was just a joke. "Don't try to act like you were helping. You put my sisters life in danger, ever thought about that? Then you go a smack her with a god damned pole!" Erin was shouting now. The boy had the audacity to try to act the hero when he in fact had added to the pressure and the life threatening situation to them all.

Erin snorted at the thought of the boy even trying to make his name feared, "Yeah, you're not getting anywhere with that." Erin would have continued the insults, but then Walker stalked passed Nemesis, hitting the wolf as he went, who hardly moved from the impact. In reaction, Nemesis unleashed a serious of loud growling barks and charged Walker as he reached for Rue. The boy barely laid a finger on her and announced that she was going to be alright. All of which, Erin didn't hear as blind rage washed over both him and his bond.

Walker knelt down next to his sister and Nemesis immediately put himself right between them, roughly knocking the boy backwards with his full body. Nemesis then turned and snapped his jaw in the direction of Babur, clearly stating that the lion was not welcomed near Rue either. The dire wolf had gone into over protective mode and would no longer let anyone near her or his human bond. The only ones seemingly alright to be near was Luca who was already holding Rue, and Suren whom Nemesis trusted. Erin stumbled as he got to his feet and started over to Luca and Rue. All the while Nemesis growled and snapped his jaw right in Walkers face. It took all of the dire wolfs utter control to keep himself from tearing the child apart limb from limb.

"Tell him, he touches her again, and I'll make sure he has no use for his hands anymore," Nemesis growled over their connection.

"Gladly," Erin's voice was deep as it rumbled past his clenched teeth. He sat down next to Luca and his sister, his cold eyes glinting with malicious intent, "Touch her again, and I won't stop him from tearing you apart. Stay away from her. I see you near her ever again, you won't live to see another day," Erin's threat was laced with acid, weighing heavily in the air.

Turning to Luca, he tried to keep the venom from his voice, "I hope you're thinking the same thing. Seem's like there's only one person here I can trust with my sisters life. I sure in hell won't trust someone whose two faced. Especially when it's more than clear that everyone's in danger," his eyes narrowed as he turned to direct the last part at the boy who was having Nemesis' jaw snapped right in his face again for good measure.

Looking away Erin noted the dark stain on his sisters shirt. Lifting it gently he looked at the wound that'd she'd relieved earlier. The cut was deep, a bloody mess as well and it looked as if Snow had tried to staunch the bleeding earlier, but to no avail now. Cursing, Erin took a portion of his shirt and tore at it, creating another piece of gauze to place over the wound. Removing Luca's tie, he put the make shift gauze down then replaced the tie over it to hold it there.

"Damn it all to hell..." he muttered.

Aslan Portegar

The wind was gone, Erin had made it through but there was also a girl standing next to the flag with her Bond who resembled very much a dragon and yet Aslan knew it wasn't. The girl decided to piss everyone off by taking the flag and turning capture the flag into a tag-you're-it game. Aslan didn't like the girl, she had no care in the world for the wounded and all she though about was playing around. Aslan was about to go after her when suddenly Aubrey jumped onto her Bond and flew off. There was a stern and cold expression in her eyes, he never thought he would ever see on Aubrey's face.

Aslan wanted to go and help but Luca moved first and Aslan could leave all of these wounded people behind with no protection. He glanced over at Amalthea who looked terrified so he decided to stick around instead of leave. The fight was starting to look bad for Luca and Aslan couldn't see Aubrey anywhere until she finally came out of no where. He was about to go see her when Rue moved and in a few moments something happened. The Quetzal go stabbed and Erin's dire wolf got the boy called Walker. The flag was retried by the white phoenix and all was well.

Aslan walked over to Aubrey, "Are you okay? How's Bren?"

They didn't look too good so he let her use him as support then he looked up at the sky and called out, "Alright Berach, we got the flag as well as wounded people, would you mind bringing the hover craft down?"

Berach Vullian

"The kids are good, but I am going to have many things to say to them," Berach said as he looked into the hidden video camera screens.

He called for a hover craft and then waited for them to return on campus grounds so that he could give them a lecture about what was bad, what was going to have to be improved and what was good. He got out of the video room and went out to the school fields waiting for the students to arrive.

Amalthea Oprah

She had been terrified during the whole thing until the very end. A stabbed Bond made her feel so much pain even through she wasn't linked to it. Cerberus had to stay close to her as she nibbled her nails. Amalthea wasn't used to so much violence. She knew all about being rejected because she was a Misfit but she had never been in a fight and had never seem blood before.

It was only when she heard the sound of a humming motor that she lifted her gaze to the sky and noticed the hover craft above their heads coming down. Cerberus was to be put in the crate bellow while she and the others climbed up a ladder to sit on the seat belt deprived seats of the hover craft.

Since Cerberus wasn't next to her she felt the need to calm herself so she started to sing a Tyrillian campfire song:

Walker stood perfectly still, then, moving before anyone could have time to react, instantly slammed a punch into Erin's gut, then throwing him over his shoulder into the ground, his knife appearing from nowhere at Erin's neck so the slightest movement would nick something important. Brenna stood between the pair and Nemesis in Night-Mare form, pawing the ground as she stared down the dire-wolf. Walker glared into Erin's eyes, the fury inside unrelenting.
"Your sister does not have a gaping hole in her stomach. Like it or not, boyo, I'm the only one here who has actual medical experience, and the only one lucky enough to make sure things go well. If you want your sister to come out of this alive with everything in her skull the way it should be and not in a coma due to hypothermic shock, you'll have to trust me. Try to stop me, and I cut your Achilles tendon so you can't walk, and continue making sure she's safe. And as for the flag, I let go of it the second I heard Maya scream. Your sister blocked a piece of wood that would never have hit it's mark. Think about that for a bit, and then talk to me AFTER we make sure your sister is safe." He got up, and walked back over to Rue, taking his jacket off and using it as a makeshift blanket, ignoring the cold. He then went back to making sure she was stable, using some more of his bandages to patch up any wounds Erin had missed.
As he kept pace with his work, Brenna continuing to stare down Nemesis, with her sharp hooves and luck manipulation as the reason Nemesis shouldn't cross her, he began to have a flashback to one bad evening when he was younger with a very similar situation. One of the enemy gangs had been fighting in the restaurant with the gang his friends were in, and he'd had to tend to both friend and foe. Several of the other guys resisted his help in the beginning, but he'd been able to save most of them... There was the one kid, couldn't have been more than 13... He'd had a beer bottle smash his eye socket in, and he died while Walker had been working to save him due to hemorrage of the brain. The dead kid's face... the funeral... The people who swore his death because he couldn't save the kid... He'd promised himself he'd never let that happen again, not to anyone he saw.

Luca M. Feygor

Luca became startled as Rue’s fingers brushed softly against his cheek, causing him to gaze down at her small form with concern. Her peaceful face, although filled with signs of exhaustion, still glowed with a glossy sweetness under the moonlight.

“I do too.

Blinking, he almost did a double take, not entirely certain if he’d heard her mumble correctly or if he was just tired.

“Can I… sleep… with… you?”

Luca’s ordinarily colourless cheeks burned slightly as he blushed in surprise, uncertain how he should respond to her at first. But, as her delicate figure finally relaxed, her glowing eyes fading into rest, he couldn’t help smiling affectionately towards her, “Sure Rue. I promised I’d let you do whatever with me when this was over after all,” he said, leaning in gently besides her ear even though he was sure she couldn’t hear him.

Walker stepped towards them then and knelt down to check on Rue. Luca spotted Erin’s body convulse with anger and anxiety in reaction, his high cheekbones becoming ugly as the rage became evident for all to see. Luca could only tremble in the face of such relentless of determination. This was a man who’d single-handedly defended his sister since they were young, a man who’d fought a wild wolf and behemoth relentlessly in a single day. He was undoubtedly just as tired and more injured than Luca and still he defended her with such vigor. With its pitch black hair on end, Nemesis intercepted Walker and stepped between them with a dangerous growl.

Erin took the opportunity to sit next to them, uttering one final, seething warning before inspecting Rue like a precious jewel, "I hope you're thinking the same thing. Seem's like there's only one person here I can trust with my sisters life. I sure in hell won't trust someone who’s two faced. Especially when it's more than clear that everyone's in danger, damn it all to hell..." he said to him.

Luca exhaled deeply, wincing from the movement of his chest again as he let Erin re-apply the bandage. “My bond can transport her to the infirmary also,” Luca stated clearly as he stood up straight, ignoring the next fight. He strode over to his seemingly impassive bond, its horrific maw hidden underneath the hood once more. Compared to the vitality it had displayed only recently, it almost seemed docile in comparison now, as if uncaring of the events surrounding it once more. Even Walker's threats had failed to break its simple reverie. He lay Rue into another set of arms and the demon’s hood shifted downwards in a simple nod before disappearing alongside with Maya and Rue.

There was no further time for conversation for the hovercraft buzzed into view then, ladders unfurling to greet them.

Walker sheathed his knife, and Brenna changed to rabbit form, hopping in his pack so he could walk to the ladder before he did, he stopped to speak to Luca.
"I guess I'm in your debt now. Call me if you ever need anything." He then climbed up and awaited whatever punishment he'd have to face.
(OoC: Shortpost is short, I know...)

Rue Tyryl

Her eyes slowly shifted open and what met her was a brightly light sky and the smell of cleaning supplies. Then she realized that she was no longer outside and that the sky above her was in fact a ceiling with a very bright fluorescent light. Her eyes focused then, and she took a deep breath feeling much more relaxed and energetic than before. Her fingers moved across her stomach and she looked down to see that her shirt had been changed out for a simple white short sleeve that exposed her pale skin. Around her stomach she felt a kind of tight pressure and lifted the shirt to see what it was.

Wrapped around her torso were bandages that were still white and crisp. Gingerly she touched the area where she'd received the deep gash from being dragged and winced only slightly at the dull ache that pulsed at the touch. Slowly she pushed herself up to look around. Her bed was situated right next to a window and across from her was another bed with another occupant. A girl with black hair who was sound asleep. Rue raised an eyebrow as she recognized that black hair and realized it was the girl who had caused a lot of trouble during their trek through the forest.

Looking around she also didn't see Luca or anyone else there with her. Throwing the covers back, she got off the bed in her jeans and socks and started walking towards the door. Her only thoughts were on finding her brother and Luca. Even if she just found one of them, she would be happy.

"Where are you going?" A soft voice asked. It was the nurse that had probably tended to her. Twisting around, Rue looked at the older woman and found it hard to speak. She opened and closed her mouth, her nerves twisting her stomach and clenching her throat.

"Luca," was all she managed and then opened the door to the infirmary and left as quickly as she could. Running was probably a bad idea as she could feel a slight pulling in her stomach. Obviously her wound had been stitched, so in order to not break the stitches or make things worse, she slowed her pace and walked quickly down the hall. She didn't even know where she was going, but she was determined to find someone who knew what happened to Luca and Erin. Even Snow wasn't with her and she was beginning to be fearful about what happened after she'd passed out.

"Luca... Where are you?"


Erin Tyryl

His arms were folded over his chest as the students were now in the presence of the insane sports teacher. At least, Erin thought he was insane. What kind of sport was that? The 'live or die' game? His irritation was clear and even more so in the presence of the boy named Walker. How he wanted to tear him apart and let him know just who was exactly the more deadly here. However, he pulled himself together and told himself that the kid wasn't worth his time and seeing as Rue was okay, he didn't need to fight anymore.

One thing was for certain though, Erin wasn't going to talk to the boy ever, and if at all possible, never set eyes on him again. A cough welled up in his chest and he quickly covered his mouth as it exploded and sent hot blood into his fingers. The fight with the behemoth had tore him up pretty good, but he wasn't too worried about it. Whatever wound he had would heal just fine, the blood was just left over from the fight. With that in mind, he just wiped his hand on his jeans, leaving a streak of crimson.

Leaning over, he got Luca's attention, "Your bond, is he with Rue? I'd like to see her once this guy gets done talking," he said jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at the sports teacher. Not to mention he was pretty tired and probably needed to have a check up with the nurse also. With a look at Luca, he determined that the taller boy needed a check up too. "You should get looked at too you know," Erin commented, then grinned, "Rue's taken quite the liking to you, wouldn't want you to be in anything less than perfect condition."

Next to him Nemesis laughed, his barking voice coughing like it always did. The huge wolf leaned heavily against Erin's thigh and flicked his ear towards him and Luca while the other kept turned the other way to listen to the teacher.

"STOP! PLEASE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST STOP HARMING HIM!"

The cry rang out from Maya, so different from her previous snideness. Aubrey struggled to swallow back bile, glaring at the other girl even as her eyes teared up again. So she can screw with us as much as she wants, but her flying snake gets a few cuts and boo hoo? Aubrey screamed inside her head, growing dizzy as she bit back the emotion that would fill her voice if she'd actually voiced her thoughts.

Bren felt the onslaught of her rage and fear, crowing to his rider in efforts to sooth her. A sigh turned into a grimace when her back throbbed when she tried to resettle her seat. Thankfully Aslan joined her just then, distracting her. "Are you okay? How's Bren?" His questions made her blink in surprise; he seemed genuinely curious about her condition, even though she'd failed miserably in her efforts to help and no one else seemed to notice her much. She bit her lip, thinking about a response. She could say 'fine', but it was too much of a lie. Everything hurt and she was worried for Bren.

"We're living," she murmured, watching the others. The hurt girl's brother (it was an obvious connection with their hair and looks) got into a fight with the boy that had returned with Maya. Rightly so, Aubrey agreed, turning her gaze to the flag that was finally given up, listening faintly as Aslan called to the sky for their teacher's help. Humming that seemed to fill up her ears and pound in her head (but it was probably just the headache, she mused) came with the relieving sight of the hovercraft. The boys were still fighting as a rope ladder unfurled. Aubrey eyes traveled up it's length, watching a girl already climb up. She wondered faintly if it was safer in the hovercraft or on the ground, but decided she might as well stay on the ground because surely she couldn't make it all the way up there.

Bren understood her considerations and took a few steps towards the rope ladder. Before Aubrey could even protest, her stubborn bond sent energy flowing into her body for the climb that should be a piece of cake. Aubrey glared at Bren and slipped off his back, managing to land on her feet but not managing to hold back a tiny whimper. Cheeks flushed lightly pink at the chance that someone might've heard her showing weakness, she hurried up and gripped the rope ladder in shaking hands, pulling herself slowly up. She almost lost her footing twice, but heaved herself gratefully into a seatbelt-less seat, but a seat nonetheless, careful to not lean against the back. Aubrey brought her legs up to her chest, rubbing at some dried blood as the others on the ground finished up whatever they'd been 'discussing'. The girl she'd watched climb up a few moments before started singing a song most everyone knew, and Aubrey found herself tapping a finger against her leg to the tune.



[note: I realise my post may be a bit irrelevant by this point, but I'd had it typed up and just couldn't post it 'till now, sorry]

Berach Vullian

When all the students were on board and sitting Berach cleared his throat and made himself audible, "All of you except for Aslan, Amalthea, Aubrey and Luca understood the meaning of team work! This isn't a game, it only seems like one because if you get hurt someone comes to get you, but when you're in the midst of a true battle no one will come and save you so you better as hell work as a team!"

He could tell that some students didn't even care about what he was saying but they didn't see how dangerous the world was right now. After the Third War, incidents still occurred and some are still going on in places that are not so far from the school.

"Maya and Walker," Berach shouted out their names, "you two would be dead. Your Bonds would be dead. And the only thing you could tell yourself in you last seconds of breath would be 'I should have stayed with my team'. But I'm not saying that you kids have to stay together because your kids, soldiers do it too because they know that they don't stand a chance a lone!"

His words seemed to finally be getting to them, "All of you seem to think you're strong enough to do it on your own. You're not. No one is. Now all of you are going to the infirmary because you didn't work together, listen to each other and consider yourselves as a union force. If you had then you would be going to lunch a lot earlier. Tomorrow, we're going to be working on your team issues."

With that the hover craft left and nurses came to take the kids and bring them to the infirmary, the ones who weren't wounded went tot he cafeteria.

Walker's Story
Walker smiled at Luca.
"And I never give favors to people unless they've earned them." He said, and then listened to Berach. After Berach spoke, he stepped forward.
"Sir, with all due respect, we are not in a war zone. If we were, Maya would never have acted the way she had, rather using Quetzal's air control to create vacuums around her knife, which she would be using due to actual training with it, in order to make clean cuts that couldn't be mended while moving too fast for the opponent to catch. As for me, I was assisting in what WOULD have been a decoy maneuver in order to distract and delay from the final goal as repayment for being freed from the net I was stuck in. Perfect strategy does not mean perfect victory, and neither does teamwork. As for my own fate, I would have simply made myself and Brenna lucky to the point where a giant with a billboard couldn't have hit us if we were even on the frontlines, instead of acting as a medical unit, which I'm more capable of dealing with. Gym class is not war. I should know, I've been in too many to count.

Maya's Story
Maya snapped to consciousness in the infirmary, feeling her stomach to see if the hole was still there. The amount of pain she felt proved no, it was healed, and yes, it still needed time. She closed her eyes, and felt Quetzalcoatl's presence flying in from the lake. She then laid back in her bed, and relaxed herself to prevent straining herself, and blew a piece of paper off of a table nearby, and using a combination of wind and reaching a little bit to make a pencil roll towards her. Once both were attained, she started drawing out a picture of Quetzal in mid-flight, looking as if he was going to soar right out of the paper.

Walker's story
After Walker got back from the trip, the first thing he did was go to the infirmary to check on both Maya and Rue, making sure he had disguised himself as a nurse, and was lucky that no one had recognized him when he had slipped into Rue's room with a lunch consisting of pan-fried fish he'd prepared himself, with a chile-lime mayo sauce he'd made himself that always proved to be a hit down in the Wharf, as well as a light salad with a raspberry vinegarette on the side and a slice of handmade chocolate cheesecake with a raspberry glaze, also his own work. His taste test earlier had proved ithis meal to be one of his best works yet. He placed the meal down in front of Rue.
"Lunchtime, Miss Tyryl." He said, hiding his accent with all the skill of the finest of con men. "Oh, before I forget, a boy named Walker McMullin came by earlier with this meal, and said he wanted to apologize personally to you, but protocol said otherwise. I told him I'd handle it for him, and it took a bit of convincing to get him to agree. He also left me a message to tellyou, what was it... Ah, yes: 'Hope you get well soon, your brother gave me hell trying to keep me from making sure you were safe after you passed out. I'll try to keep away from running into you anytime soon, unless you feel like at least talking.' And that's it. Well, I need to be off, so eat while it's still hot, and enjoy!" As he said that, he slipped out of the room and over to Maya, who had turned her sketch into a paper airplane and was flying it around the room. Maya grunted in disgust.
"What do you want no-... Walker?" she asked, as Walker smiled and took the makeup he'd been using earlier off and removed the nurse's outfit he'd had on. "Damn, and I thought I'd seen all your talents."
"Nah, you've only seen my biggest talents." Walker said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her. "Speaking of, what the hell were you thinking back there? Granted, I owed you, so of course I was going to help, but why do something like that in the first place?" Maya looked out the window.
"Well, I couldn't have let it be TOO easy for everyone." Walker laughed at this, and smiled.
"Riiiight. Well, just remember that our relationship is over from here on out as lovers, got it? Friends only, it was too awkward being the one left in the dust." Now it was Maya's turn to laugh, then grunt a little at the pain.
"Well, that saves me the trouble of trying to avoid you like the plague now!"
After that, the two continued to chat until Walker had to leave due to visiting hours.

Brenna's interlude
Brenna hopped through the hall to the cafeteria, where she nabbed a bit of food from the line, then over to Aslan and Erin.
"Hey, Erin, I'm sorry about Walker's actions, he's got a code he sticks to, and I can't really do much about that." She then saw Aslan's face and turned to face him.
"Now, dear, what's got you all up in a heat?"

Aubrey listened to Berach but averted her fuming eyes to the floor. How did he throw a group of more-or-less strangers with only a handful of any real training between the lot of them into a situation like that and expect anything to work out?! She sucked in air between her teeth and almost immediately regretted it as her chest squeezed painfully. But she felt grimly happier when Maya and Walker got a special chewing-out. For the rest of the hovercraft ride she focused on breathing slowly and trying not to think about whatever ‘team-building activity’ was in store for them.

Upon stepping off the flying vehicle, they were practically swarmed with nurses who seemed to pick them off one by one. Aubrey knew she’d gotten some slightly-more-than-minor injuries, but she’d thought she could manage to slip away... nope, not quick enough. Some no-nonsense woman clad in white popped up right in front of her and looked her up and down before tutting softly and dragging her away with a gentle grip on her arm. Aubrey bit her lip but complied, turning instead to muse over the startling size of their infirmary. She supposed with teachers like Berach, it was necessary, as well as with the size of some bonds.

Speaking of bonds, Aubrey looked around with a crease forming in her brow. The nurse guessed correctly, assuring her that they’d be reunited with their bonds soon. Aubrey huffed but sat down on the edge of a bed, watching warily as the nurse went around the room gathering things. She was given a bandage for a fractured rib, ice for the biggest bruises, and salve for the cuts before she managed to slip away, feeling a little bit better.

Once she’d made her way safely past the reach of any nurses, Aubrey began looking around, thinking of where the bonds may have gone. Except that just then Bren rounded a corner and trotted over to her, tail flicking happily. The girl sighed, relieved, and hugged her bond. Maybe they had a bond infirmary? In answer to her questioning look, the griffin lifted his wings from his back, showing her how they’d been treated. Aubrey smiled and ruffled his head, and they both made their way to the cafeteria.

Just as she reached the entrance, out burst a stormy Aslan, too deep in thought it seemed to notice her. She clung to the wall and watched him pass, wondering what had him looking that was as she entered the cafeteria and saw kids that had been healthy or already treated hanging around at various tables. One of which held the white-haired brother of the girl with the phoenix bond and another girl Aubrey didn’t know as well as a little goblin-like creature which must’ve been someone’s bond watching the doors. Maybe they’d talked to Aslan? Aubrey wasn't up to find out and instead used the opportunity to grab some food and sat down at an empty table, grateful to be off her feet after only that short while. She tossed Bren an apple to shove his beak into and started nibbling on a sandwich for herself.

Luca M. Feygor

"My secret for you, is the same,"

Like a waterfall, Rue’s hair fell in cascades all over his body, engulfing his vision in pure white as she exhaled one last sigh and then closed her eyes. His entire chest felt the warmth of her face as she snuggled closer to him, using him like a pillow. She really hadn’t been joking about that part. Luca smiled amicably as glanced at her peaceful expression, a reassuring sensation easing over him and relaxing his muscles. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, but he was glad she’d finally be able to rest. Careful not to disturb her, his own arm wrapped around her shoulder, bracing her body. Then, he twisted his head, his own eyes falling shut as he drifted asleep.

Students! Listen carefully, all classes are finished, you must take cover in the Auditorium right away, no delaying, don't go to get precious items because they won't be precious anymore if you're dead. Get to the Auditorium right away!

Luca awakened mid-way through the ominous announcement, his cold eyes snapping open. He was already alert despite the lingering weariness he felt all across his body, the message conveyed through the speakers leaving no illusions as to the gravity of their situation. The voice behind it was calm but an undeniable, almost indecent, alarm had been carried within the tone of the terse warning. His left wrist bent towards his him as he checked the time before flicking his gaze towards the speakers. Just what was going on? His hands stroked over Rue's delicate frame as he attempted to conjure her consciousness, certain that an emergency was underway. Already he could hear the sounds of frantic activity coming from outside of the nursery window. Frantic activity which didn’t sound in the least bit good.

“Rue? Rise and shine, don't make me kiss you again,” he informed her, ignoring the guilt from disturbing her. “I’m sorry but seems i'll have to put off being a pillow again, things may have gone awry... Snow, stick close to me, I’ll likely have to teleport us.” Pulling himself away from her, Luca straightened himself just as one of the nurses pulled open the curtains.

“Oh, good, you’re both already awake,” she frowned.

“Is there anyone else here?” Luca followed up immediately.

“Just you two and one other student, Maya Hawthorne, we need to get going now though,” the nurse responded.

“I can handle that,” Luca nodded, flexing his arms. "We just need to gather close."

A moment later the group was teleported to the Auditorium.