Halimar Wilds

Junpei had been waiting for the moment that would serve best for his attack, Sleza had hesitated so Dryttz had to cover for them. He gave Sleza a sympathetic look as he ran by her. He knew she had wanted to feel useful, but now was the time for action not show boating. He skidded to a stop and swung his sword with great force sending a wave of flames at the creature, Junpei couldn't help but smirk as he watched the attack hit home.

Junpei's attack wasn't that grand but it did what it needed to do and landed well. With the beast confused and bombarded with attacks, Anya pulled an arrow back but saw that Balthazar was in a better position to attack and serve a purpose. With flame energy still burning around the beast, Anya called to him, "Balthazar, go for it!"

"Right!" Balthazar responded; stepping forward into range of the massive beast. Taking a moment to compose himself, the Drag'Konin took a deep breath; and as he did the familiar blue aura slowly formed around him, coming from the elements themselves. Opening his eyes his pupils slanted vertically of that of a predator, and he growled lowly before spreading his legs and taking an offensive stance. He curled the muscles in his arms as he concentrated and let his innate element flow through him; manipulating the Aether that flowed through his soul. Then his massive wings opened to their full span - and he pushed the element into the folds of his wings, letting a ball of the power form in front of him before he raised his ax into the air.
"Crystal Conflagration!"
The massive wings on Balthazar's back suddenly beat forward, pushing the magickal energy away from him in a beam. The blueish energy flowed forward, freezing water in the air, until it collided with the remnants of Junpei's attack, and suddenly a massive wave of flesh-searing steam blasted into the weakened Behemoth. When the attack struck, Balthazar brought his wings in and grunted confirmingly, his ice attack done.

So much ice becoming steam. As the energy exploded around the monster, Nez was ready to move forward. he yanked his blade back at his right side and charged with a mighty yell. As he moved, wind energy swirled in around the blade and Nez drew the blade upwards with a mighty slash. Wind energy coalesced around the man and exploded toward the monster, swirling around the beast and generating a hurricane-like eruption of force. As the steam cooled, rains pelted the beasts and hases of powerful wind ripped into its weakened flesh. With that, Dryttz finally found her way to her feet (roots) and swept her crest of leaves and a waft of leaves exploded away from her, carried on the remaining wind energy and the razor-edged leaves slashed into the Beast, finally causing enough damage for it raise up on its hind legs and roar, shivering as it fell to the earth, its chin smashing into the ground. It had taken so much damage but the beast had finally bled to death. Nez lowered his blade and Anya laughed, stepping forward. She couldn't believe it. The monster was dead... Though they had their issues, the group had finished the monster together. She dropped her bow to the dirt and sat down, taking a deep, long breath. "Fuck that thing..."

Ogava gave a small cheer as he watched the beast fall... He had been nothing but a distraction to the beast, but it was dead. He was happy. He saw Anya drop her bow, and sit down, visibly relaxing. Ogava headed in her direction, pausing to clap Balthazar on the shoulder as he passed. "Well done brother! The beast is dead, but I fear now the real battle begins." He waited for his brother's reply, offered him a smile of encouragement then headed over to Anya. "Ma'am are you all right? That was a tough enough battle to knock the wind out of anyone's sails." He said as he warily looked around at the others. He wished he could trust everyone here but the fact of the matter was he couldn't. His side of this little division was out numbered, and exhausted. Now would be too good a time for Nez to strike, Ogava, would not let his guard down.

Balthazar let the massive shield he carried slip to the scoce hook on his belt; and slipped the stone ax underneath the tight leather as he looked over the fallen monster. Everyone was relaxing, but Balthazar's mind was deep in thought and he remained standing and alert. Ogava's slap on the shoulder snapped him out of it, somewhat, and he turned to look to his brother as he gave a rather confident grin. "Was there ever any doubt?"
He pumped his arm a bit before allowing Ogava to walk off, and he slipped back into the world of fancy he'd been visiting as he examined the dead creature. Tedrin should have been here; this would've gone a lot more smoothly, perhaps they would have been better coordinated, perhaps there would have been less mistakes...

The Drag'Konin's mind replayed the scene of Tedrin's death, the confusion, hatred, and violence that'd rifted the party members like a bolt of lightning. It'd been a massive cluster-cuss of miscommunication, but to draw so quickly... Balthazar glanced over at Ogava and saw his kin stragetically place himself nearby Anya in case of treachery. While Balthazar's mind did doubt the intentions of Nez, Junpei's self-righteousness was continuing to tear at Balthazar, and he looked at the Val's back as he turned away from him, Balthazar's eyes slitting to predatory and for a second be beared his teeth. A sound from one of the others brought him back again and he turned away. It wasn't worth it. He lumbered over to Ogava and took an obviously defensive position next to Anya; although defense from the others, or the creatures of the forest, it was not apparent.

Tedrin wouldn't want Junpei dead for a mistake.
Even so, somehow still, Balthazar did.

The creature was finally dead but Nez was not ready to call it quits. There was still a Demon that kills tens of thousands that needed to be destroyed. There was no way that the group was going to move on so soon after a major battle so it was best to rest. With the champion gone, the forest would likely be a less treacherous place. He sheathed his weapon and called to Anya as he walked toward her where she sat. Of course, Ogava, Balthazar and Oleris gave him inquisitive looks but he held up his hands to show that he was unarmed. "Anya, please call off your men..."
Anya grabbed her bow from the dirt and quickly got to her feet before saying, "It's okay. I think it's okay. Balthazar was the most ferocious and Anya had to raise her left hand in front of him and slowly lower it in order to calm the Drag'Konin. He was a powerful Drag but he was kind in a warrior's way and Anya respected the man was was beginning to understand him. "We'll be fine, Balthazar. Thank you..." She turned her attention to Nez and asked, "What is it that you want?"
"I only propose that we rest here. Our battle was very difficult and I have not had a battle this intense in a very long time."
"Well too bad for you, Nez. But alright. I'm fine with resting here until we are prepared to move..."

To Oleris, resting sounded good but was still very wary of Nez and the Drazyll. Even if they were going to make a makeshift camp in the forest, we was getting to keep more of a watchful eye on Nez and Junpei than the creatures in the darkness beyond them. Once a fire was going in the center of the clearing, the creatures out their would most likely turn their attentions away. Most wild animals were put-out by the fires of val. There was one thing that Oleris was happy about; and that was the fact that a massive behemoth had been taken down. He moved to collect a large ring of rocks and built a pyre and asked Junpei to light it. Once the flame was going Oleris walked over to the behemoth and worked diligently at slicing off a hack of scaly flesh and then clearing a chunk of meat from its side. The rib meat was the best on a creature like this. The slab was long enough for him to fold over his blade and he went to the fire, working at roasting the flesh on his blade. it was a little impromptu but he had no better ideas and he'd gone through his ration of salted sand skitter.
A few large tree limbs served as a good perch for the hilt of the weapon as he jammed the pommel into the dirt and let the meat hang over the flames. As the flames licked up, kissing the meat, the smell began to fill his nostrils and he smiled at the idea of a good hunk of cooked meat. He licked his lips and looked toward Anya, saying, "For me, one who is much larger than you, this is a delicacy. Inple take down creatures like this in hunting parties and we cook these beasts and we can eat them in an afternoon, leaving nothing but bones and brain."
He looked back toward the meat and remembered being with his own people. He was saddened that it would be a long while before he was back with them. In that case, he wasn't sure if he would ever get back to them if the enemies were to become more powerful than the behemoth. He took the blade from its perch and made quick work of flipping the meat on the blade and returning it to cool. "I sure wish I had some seasonings and a few bundtchal coast potatoes right now. A big pot and some broth with a little of this meat settled in it over a low flame would make for a tasty stew..."

Ogava chuckled to himself. They had just woken up and already Nez needed a nap. Nez was soft... Weak. Unlike Tedrin... But no use focusing on those they had lost. Ogava would grieve later, now he had to make sure Nez didn't try any trickery. Ogava put his shield on his back and sheathed his sword, though he left his hand on the pommel in case he needed to draw it. "Anya I don't want to sound like I am challenging your authority... But What is our plan to kill this spirit? ...And what do we plan to do afterwards?" Ogava said still standing keeping an eye on Nez, and his crew.

"Okay," was all that Nez said when he sat up from against the tree he'd fell to sleep against. When it moved, he realized that it had been Dryttz watching over his all along. He couldn't see what the Drazyll saw in him but he was grateful and he loved the old woman. He patted the tree softly and walked away from her. He called to Anya, who was already awake. She looked toward him as she kicked dirt on the fire and she said, "Are we ready to go?"
"I would figure..." Nez said.
"I will go out, shoot some game and we'll let Oleris cook it up..."
"That Behemoth tasted like dog shit..."
"And you've eaten shit?" Anya said.
"Seems like he would," Balthazar mumbled from behind Anya.
She laughed and watched as Nez's face crumpled up. Anya said, "Oh, Nez, just let it go. He's just being Balthazar. You should be used to is by now."
Nez shook his head and said, "I'll drop it. I'll join you on your hunt as well..."
Just then, Ogava asked a question of Anya and she thought for a while before saying, "We'll have to draw the demon out. We know little of it so we'll have to go into the bogs and wing it. Perhaps we call upon the Forest Spirit, see what it can tell us now that the Champion is dead."
Nez nodded and said, "What of the future...?"
"We will continue Tedrin's journey. The powers that be need to know what happened. We don't need to fight a war based on a lack of information and twisted lies. I don't want to fight a war against the El'Dren. We don't need to. Thousands have fallen because of one demon. We have a chance to kill him now. It was what Tedrin wanted. It's what we need to do."