Argus Umyn's Story

Argus wandered, he did not know where, but he wandered. The way around him was cloaked in a grey mist, no matter how hard he tried to peer through the fog, it seemed to grow thicker. He waned as he continued to walk, the equipment upon his back, his Swords, his Bag, his Camping supplies, all of it seemed heavier than usual. Eventually, he succumbed to his weariness and sat down, placing his bags down next to him and beginning to set up camp. His vision seemed different, more blurred, but everything to him seemed so real. He took off his leather armour, undoing the straps slowly as he began to tire from traveling, and walked out into the woods to find some firewood branches, leaving his equipment in his encampment.

He brought enough firewood back in a few minutes, and created a campfire to warm himself and his food upon it. It also took him another few minutes to place his cauldron atop the flames and began creating a stew for his evening meal. As he looked into the fires, he knew something was wrong, they were hypnotizing, almost making him even more tired. His senses drew him away, and allowed him to continue with his food. As the stew finished bubbling, Argus took a bowl from his sack and was about to pour some stew into the bowl, when he saw some smoke rising from the cauldron. They took the shape of a young woman, but her skin was grey and her hair dark with purple tips. Horns grew from her forehead, but they were attractive like the rest of her body. He was barely clothed, and instead wore a revealing undergarments and such. It stepped out of the smoke and suddenly became real, which alarmed Argus and made him draw his sword.

"There is no need for that, Argus Umyn." The woman said, her voice calm and soothing. Her eyes were not normal, they were darkened and had purple irises, but Argus was distracted by her revealing clothing. He still held his sword to her, ready to cleave her head from her neck with one foul move, but did not wish to. The woman walked towards him and looked deep into his eyes, which for a second grew purple like hers. He lowered his blade a little, allowing her to grab the blade and stroke it with her index finger.

"You seem so lonely," The woman continued, stroking the blade. Argus watched as the metal crumbled like rust, despite it being made of silver. She had magical powers that Argus had never seen before. "Wouldn't you want company on the road?"

"I..." Argus stuttered, he tried to speak, but couldn't find the words to do so. He couldn't break himself from the gaze of the woman, and watched as her eyes glowed again, making his aqua eyes glow the same colour as hers for a moment again. He suddenly jerked upright, his body seemingly not his own. "Yes, I would like that."

"I can give you anything you desire, Argus." The woman explaining, reaching him and stroking his face. Argus could do nothing but look onward as she did it, not taking his eyes off of the woman's. "Tell me, what is your greatest desire?"

"To..To be with you, Milady." Argus replied, his voice seemingly not his own. His conscious new something, he knew he had been enchanted, ensorcelled, hypnotized by this being, this creature. The Woman smiled and drew herself away from him, seemingly readying herself for something.

"Very well," The woman said, flexing her muscles, which shook her clothing and made Argus, despite his enchantment, smile. "This will take but a moment, close your eyes, My dearest."

As she prepared to possess him, Argus broke the enchantment for one second and managed to swing his blade, cutting the creature across the chest. It screamed and sent him flying backwards, and that was when he awoke from his dream.

Argus' head snapped backwards, almost hitting his head on the oak tree behind him. He sighed and rubbed his hands across his face. He had not an ideal life, he was being chased by Felyan Assassins because their Queen wanted him as another mindless puppet of hers, ready to command his excellent hunting and swordfight skills for her own evil benefit, and had been chosen by a Demon, a Greed Demon at that, to become it's thrall, it's vessel into the mortal world. Although being a White-Wolf meant he had increased dexterity, will and magical abilities, it left him open to be invaded by demons in his most vulnerable place, his dreams. The Demon that desired him, that had chosen him, visited him every night since he took the tests of the Farkas, and he knew he could not outrun it for that long. It made his dreams feel so real, so lucid and vivid, and that was disturbing to him. He slithered out of the shade of the oak tree, and look upon the daylight, although the shadow of Mount Haumond deflected some of the sun's rays, enough got through to make it day. He drew some water from his pack and doused his campfire so that the embers would not cause a forest fire, and took a few minutes to pack up his equipment and continue on his way, his bags and swords feeling as they should, not more heavier than they were in the dream realm.

Kaijuu flew high above Mount Haumond, her eyes scanning the forests below for one half breed in particular. She started at the peak and methodically made her way down, circling the mountain, her eyes constantly searching for any signs of movement. When she had reached about halfway down the mountain she caught a glimpse of something between the trees. She circled back, slower this time, and hovered watching the area closely. She had definitely seen something, she flew closer and examined it. There he was! Argus Umyn, leader of the now disbanded White Wolves. She had heard that he had taken up residence on this mountain but she had been skeptical at best about this lead. It looked now like it was worth her time after all.

She had a few questions for him but she just hoped she had brought enough Dwarven Ale to bribe him. She swooped down towards the forest, transforming from her dragon form to her human form and landing gracefully in a clearing below. She dressed quickly, although it was perfectly acceptable for dragons to go nude, humans were a different story. She didn't understand why but she followed their stupid laws so long as she was in their land. She walked through the forest, using her senses and her memory to guide her to where she had seen him.

When she spotted him in the distance she decided it was best to make her presence known before approaching him, she didn't want to startle him because from here he looked as if he had just been to hell and back. She stepped on as many branches as she could and bumped into every bush on her way, making enough noise to raise the dead. When she reached him it looked as if he was just about to go on his way, she would have to make this quick. "Yo. Are you Argus Umyn?"

"Depends on whose's asking." Argus replied, refusing to acknowledge or even look at the person speaking to him. He simply continued on his way, his supplies making a happy, metallic jingle on his back. He had no time for idle travelers that somehow recognized him, he had to leave the area before the Felyan Assassins came for him once again, or it became nightfall and he again came under the spell of the Demon, and he knew somehow that he wouldn't escape the next encounter with his free will."If you're Human, I don't exist."

Argus continued through the woods, he did not know if the traveler was still following him, but he certainly did not have the time, and actually did not want to, listen and answer her questions. He was a man whose's life was at stake, his free will and his ability to control his actions, and he was happy enjoying the rest of those days hunting in the Haumond Wilderness, before either the Felyans came and enslaved him like the numerous villages around the Divide, or the Demon overwhelmed him and possessed him, turning him into her puppet, her beacon into the mortal world, forevermore. He was heading to the outskirts of the Mountain itself, hoping to do some odd jobs for the villages around the base to earn some gold. He knew sleeping on the floor wasn't comfortable, and would easily trade it in for a bed at an inn, but he knew it was necessary.

Kaijuu had also been told about his gruff attitude and it did not phase her in the least. "I'm asking though I wouldn't expect you to know who I am." Although he had made no indication that he had even noticed her she was watching him very closely. In her travels she had learned that humans could become violent at any moment over nothing more than a few harsh words. Even if this man was only half human that didn't mean that he was only half as likely to become violent, and she kept her distance from him. She walked a few paces behind him, prepared for the worst.

"Well then it's a good thing for you that I'm not human because if you didn't exist then you couldn't have any of this." She took a large flagon filed with Dwarven Ale out of her pack, her informant had told her he had an affinity for it. Since he still refused to look at her she had no choice but to continue to talk to his back. "It's Dwarven Ale, I brought it in the hopes that we could trade. You tell me what I want to know, I give you a drink." She was brutally blunt. Her tactics had never involved being suave or coy, everything that came out of her mouth was the entire, uncensored, honest truth.

She had a backup plan in case he didn't want to trade for the ale. Another thing she had learned in her journeys was that almost anything could be traded for gold. Being a dragon she had amassed quite a hoard of it and precious stones, although she wasn't fond of giving them away. She didn't need any of it, everything she had had been made with her own two hands out of things she hunted or found, but that didn't mean she wanted to part with her shiny treasures. She would do anything to reach her goal of avenging her parents, even if it meant giving away her baubles. In her pack she had 400 gold coins, she did her best to make them rattle and jingle as she walked. Hoping that perhaps the sound would get him to loosen his tongue and tell her what she needed to know.

In the mention of Dwarven Ale, Argus' ears perked up as big as his interest. He swung around and snatched the bottle out of the woman's hand with his increased dexterity. He looked upon the glass and found it was made by the Haumond Dwarves themselves, which intrigued him even more. Long had it been since the Dwarves of Mount Haumond left the Mountain, and were given supplies from the Mountain Village of Haven, who brought them supplies and left them out in the cold in front of the Great Golden Doors. He popped the lid and drank the browning liquid inside, which soothed his throat and gave him temporary peace, for a time.

"Come, If you want answers, you will travel with me 'till nightfall, and then I answer your questions once camp is made." Argus said, walking into a forest clearing. He did not like traveling with others, they slowed him down, but there was something about this woman, a fineness that he hadn't seen in a long while. Whether he would recruit her for the White Wolves and remake the Order, however, would be seen depending on her whilst she traveled, if she accepted, that is. Joining the Order was dangerous, however, and he feared for her safety during the Joining. Whether she would survive, he wondered, but he would have to see.

| Jag |

The air was crisp, nipping at the soft tips of Jag's ears. The left was folded against the insistent tug of mountain wind, whilst the other stood perked, a barely perceivable shudder passing down its spine. The ring of voices slipped inside its head, quiet like and incessant, broken pieces of emotion and intent whispering sweetly to its mind, and it turned its gaze to Mount Haraumond's mighty shoulders. The forest grew grey about him, specks of vibrant light burning as leaves do on the trees in autumn, with warm bellied birds and the slightness of the puma out in the wood beyond. Such negligent sounds ringing out in peaceful silence, and Jag turned its gaze there, upon those who would disturb. Its head cocked to the side, processing the half-breed and its non-human companion with the curiosity and fearlessness of a child. Its mind knew to avoid, but so did it seek solace in discovery, that it would go move forward, into their path. Jag’s slim body drew itself abreast a tree, to watch those who moved with purpose, and its tail quieted, the ivory spine hooked over its left shoulder.

Kaijuu let him take the flagon and smiled. It seemed as though she wouldn't have to bribe him with her gold after all. She was actually relieved that he had taken it. She couldn't stand the taste of it and if he had not accepted it she would most likely have thrown it away and she hated wasting things. She nodded at his proposition, they would travel together until night came and he answered her questions. Where she went from there was anyone's guess.

As they walked she tried to plan ahead but found it difficult, if he knew something about the ogres' whereabouts it was obvious that she would follow this lead but if he didn't then she would be back to square one, again. That was the problem with her quest, it was all hearsay, she would get information from one person that lead to another and then another but eventually they all ended the same way. Somewhere along the road she would be given bad information that led her to someone who knew nothing and she would have to start all over again from scratch. She hoped this wouldn't be a dead end like all the others, now that there was a war in the works those cowardly ogres might show themselves again and her parents could finally rest in peace.

Although her mind was miles away, focusing on her revenge, her senses were still tuned to her surroundings and they were being watched. She couldn't tell just who, or even what it was. It moved like nothing she had ever heard before and her inner alarm brought her back from her daydream and told her to be on her guard. She didn't know if Argus had heard it, she doubted he would care even if he had but she did care. She made sure to step lightly, her body tensed in case it ever decided to attack them. She coudln't afford to lose Argus now that he had agreed to talk so for the first time in her life Kaijuu was willing to fight for someone other than herself.

Once night broke over the Forests, Argus sighed deeply. He knew his time was coming, he knew that every night he slept, the closer his demon would come to get him. He led his companion out into a Forest clearing and stopped in the middle of the grass, before pulling the belt around him off and sending his swords and pouches to the ground, quickly followed by his camping equipment. He would have to stay tonight, although now he would prefer to keep watch to protect his companion. She didn't seem like someone that could handle themselves...yet. He took off his overcoat and revealed his Wolf armour, before beginning to set up his tent.

"I have another tent there, set it up across from mine once the campfire burns." Argus explained, stumbling into the forest to collect firewood. He appeared moments later with a few branches, they were long, but nothing his axe couldn't turn into a campfire. He retrieved it from his pack and began to chop the wood down, before placing some pebbles in a circle and dumping the wood inside. He had survived in these woods for almost a year, and counted himself as an expert survivalist, one of the perks of being the Wolven Marshall. His time was coming to an end, and he knew of a promising recruit.

He crouched over the wood and cupped his hands, before whispering something into his hands and allowing his eyes to tint purple, before he released the flames onto the wood. He watched as the campfire blazed, and when he knew it wouldn't spread, he grabbed his pots and pans and set his temporary stove over the fire. He rolled out a mat beneath the entrance of his tent and set it down, before sitting on it and beginning to cook.

"You had questions, now is your time to ask them and my time to answer them." Argus said, looking at his companion. "Speak child, for we leave at sunset."

They had stopped for the night and the half breed began unpacking his things. Kaijuu always traveled light and she gazed around at all the things he had brought with him. He had many weapons, most of which she could identify but he also carried many things that were foreign to her. He told her to set up something called a tent when he came back with firewood. But before she could ask he left to get said wood. What was a tent? And why did they need firewood, or even a fire? Was he cold, couldn't he see in the dark as well as she could? She shook her head and focused on her surroundings, if she tried to figure out why humans did half the things they did it would take her a millennium.

When he returned with the firewood Kaijuu did as he said and began setting up the other tent, she was accustomed to sleeping under the stars, using her wings as her only protection from the elements. But she would try anything once and tonight she was going to attempt to sleep in a tent. She watched him as he made a small fire in a circle of stones, how did he expect it to spread if he put those stones around it? However, she was more interested in how he had started the fire in the first place. As far as she knew he was not of draconic blood yet he started it as easily as she could have.

As she watched him even more questions rose to her mind, what was he doing with those metallic bowls? He put them over the fire and left them to heat up, why? She sat down on the opposite side of the fire, puzzled. But when he told her to begin asking her questions she ignored all of these and focused on the most important one. "I've been told that you know what happened to the ogres. They disappeared from this land about a decade ago and no one has heard from them since. Do you know where they went?"

"Ogres?" Argus chuckled, sitting back in his tent. He had not heard mention of the Ogres in almost a decade, almost as long as they had been gone. His historian background was good, but he had seen firsthand about the location of the Ogres. He had been there when they were freed, he had watched at Varecia's side as he unshackled their minds and stood at his side when they returned to their mountain homes. "That is a tale."

"I'm assuming you've heard about the Felyan-Human Independence War? I assume so. The Ogres played a big part in the army of the Felyans, having been enslaved and corrupted alongside many species, like the Bats that fought our griffons and the Spiders that matched our horse mounts. They were the battering rams of the army, but even their brute strength could not break the Maeran Walls. When the Wandering Wizard, known by his ancestral name of High King Varecia, returned to his Kingdom and banished the Felyans, he freed the Ogres of their affliction, knowing that they were a docile species. They retreated back into the mountains, where they haven't been seen in, like you said, almost a decade."

Argus spoke with fascination and intent, but even he could sense something about this woman. She wasn't human, he could tell that, but such things did not matter to him. He simply ignored the fact and check his stew once more, which he found ready. He took two bowls from his pack and poured the broth-like substance into them and handed one to the woman, eager to see whether or not she would eat it. All it was made from was lamb, peas and carrots, it was a healthy dish. There was something peculier about her eyes, they seemed human but he knew that was a clever and deceitful ruse, and ruses were the specialty of a rogue, or someone that did not want their identity to be discovered. What she needed this information on the Ogres for was unknown to him, but from her facial expressions, she knew hatred and anger whenever she said the species' name.

Kaijuu sat back and listened to his tale. Well she didn't sit per se, it was more like she leaned back onto her heels in a crouched position. She was always ready for an attack though she doubted that if one came it would come from the man sitting across from her. It could come from the thing that had been following them but she hadn't heard from it in hours. Regardless, she crouched, prepared for the worst but listening to what Argus had to tell her about the Ogres. The story he told her was one she knew inside and out, she had heard it so many times but this time the ending was different. Where most people said "No one knows where they vanished to after the war" He actually had an answer. She almost laughed when he said that they were a docile species, docile her ass, what kind of docile species brutally murders two innocent people in their beds and them tries to kill a child. She wanted to shout that to him but decided it was best to keep it to herself.

Now she knew where they were, they were in the mountains. No matter what it took, she would find them, and she would make every last one of them pay for what happened to her parents. Guilty or not every ogre was a dead ogre to her. She wanted to leave, now but she was also curious about the tent and how it worked as a shelter. She was just mulling over whether to stay then night or fly away and begin her slaughter early when he handed her a bowl full of the mysterious brew he had been making over the fire. She wasn't sure what it was though she had seen other humans ingesting similar things.

She smelled it tentatively, there was definitely meat in it but there were other things too, things she wasn't familiar with. She didn't want to eat it, after all it could have been poisoned, but from the way Argus was looking at her she didn't want to be rude either. Rude was a word humans often used to describe her and when they did use that word they were usually very uncooperative. So, she said a silent prayer hoping it wasn't deadly and took a sip of the strange broth. It wasn't terrible, in fact it wasn't even bad, there were a few new tastes on her tongue but they weren't unpleasant and she swallowed.

Kaijuu felt the warm liquid slide down her throat. She wasn't dead, yet and it hadn't tasted half bad. She decided that if one sip was going to kill her anyways she might as well have more. She raised the bowl to her lips and rrank, stopping occasionally to chew pieces of lamb and other things.

"Ahem, Done?" Argus said as she drank the stew, which made him smile. Himself was sat with his bowl and a spoon, slowly eating it instead of the way she had eaten it, like a savage. "You ate that like Riordan always...always..."

Argus simply stopped his sentence and finished his meal, before taking the cauldron off the heat and placing it in the grass under the moonlight to cool, whilst he retreated inside his tent. Riordan was the Warden of the White Wolves, he was in charge of defending the Homestead from intruders, and was the first one slain by the Imperian Forces. He wanted to kill Prince Rickard, and that was his destination, Darrundel. Where the armies of Dwarf, Elf and Man stood together to hold the Felyan Horde. Whether or not he would survive to see the old fort, would be seen. Argus stepped out of the tent and looked at his companion.

"If you're finished with your questions, I am retiring for the night." Argus explained, grabbing his overcoat, which he used as a blanket, and his swords in case of invasion or betrayal. He did not trust his companion, but liked her company. It reminded him of the olden days, of traveling with the King and the Wolves to track down illegal Monster Hunters and Monsters themselves. Those times were past, and he was the only one left, and he needed to begin anew."Whether you do the same is up to you."

Argus entered his tent without saying farewell or wishing her a good night. He simply sat down on his bedroll, which had grown cold from the grass but warm from the campfire, which had created a nice mixture of hot and cold. He entered his bedroll and placed his head on the pillow, before wrapping himself in the woolen covers and placing his overcoat over for extra insulation. He soon drifted off into a deep sleep, holding his longsword for protection.

| Jag |

Even from the distance of a dozen or so yards, Jag could feel, as much or more so than he could see, the change in the Dragon-Girl. The signs spoke of awareness, and he could feel its eyes searching with swift precision, the very trees stretching in their slow, sleepy recognition. They rarely paid mind to the creatures that creep and crawl beneath their arms, which tempted Jag to slip from its place of hiding, ears twitching against the breeze. It knew it was able to flee faster then this creature could follow if danger arose that could cause bodily harm, and the beings body language suggested it would not attempt to chase it, in any case.

Its tail slowly lowered until it almost brushed the ground, before curving into an s-shape. Jag's scaled feet griped the earth, hands bent as it advanced on four legs, with a somewhat awakward, yet efficient gate. It's body was almost feline, bright yellow eyes unblinking in curiosity. It decided to follow them, allowing them to dread on. Jag could track them with its inferred vision for miles, following their heat signatures long after they had passed out of even his sight.

Jag stopped when only several meters away, left ear flicking towards the half-breed while the majority of its attention was turned upon the Dragon-Girl. It had waited until they were settled before approaching, unconcerned as ever. Its conscious reached out, a web of thought and sentience, rather then the less effective, pesky use of words, nudging against the two creatures with little regard to privacy or personal space. It could read little with its focus so split between the two, using the words spoken aloud as a key to the thoughts kept quiet in their conscious. Demon's.... Ogre's... the scent of alchohal, fouling its nostrils, ash, old fire... Jag growled softly, not with aggression, so much as verbal input that still maintained some of the lucidity of thought.

Kaijuu finished her chunky drink and licked her lips. She now understood why humans liked it so much, it was delicious. She didn't know why Argus didn't finish her sentence and frankly she didn't care. After years of searching, years of being led down one dead end path after another she had finally found those murderous beasts. Her hands instinctively turned into claws when she thought of tomorrow. She had never been more excited for a day in her entire life. Even if she had to burn the mountains themselves to a crisp she would find and end every single Ogre. She had been so enthralled by her own imagination she didn't even notice when Argus left her and went to bed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of something approaching. She looked to her right to see the strangest creature only a few metres away. She looked over to Argus for confirmation that he was seeing the same thing but he had already retired to his tent. She looked back at the strange thing and tilted her head a bit to the right. Her hands were still scaly claws, prepared to fight if need be but before she could even begin to formulate an attack, it spoke.

It didn't really speak since it's lips never moved but she could still hear it inside her head, communicating with her. She could hear its thoughts but she couldn't understand what it was trying to say. It mentioned Ogres, Demons, alcohol, and the fire but none of it made a lick of sense to Kaijuu. So she tried to communicate with it, in her own uncouth way. "Come on then, out with it. What are you trying to say? And what are you anyways? Where did you come from and what do you seek here?" She stared at the creature, waiting for her answers.

Argus found himself in the Wolf Homestead, which was consumed in fire and battle. He saw three soldiers advancing towards him, like he had before. He remembered it well, but did not know how or why. He had seen this scene before, but he did not know why. He tackled one soldier and slit his throat, before ducking another's blade and thrusting it into his underbelly. The third one caught him by surprise and went to cut him, the edge of the blade slicing his cheek, barely missing his eye socket. The Soldier went for the killing blow, but was shot in the back of the head by an arrow. Kathrina, the Hunter of the Wolves, stood in the forests and beckoned him towards her, which Argus gladly followed. He continued to follow her through the woods, but eventually separated from her and found himself lost, the fires blazing around him. Smoke from the fires began to circle him, engulfing him and blocking his vision. He began to cough and splutter, forcing him down onto one knee. The Demon appeared through the smoke and immediatly grabbed his blade before he could stop her, crumbling it like she had done before. She grabbed his chin forcefully and peered into his eyes, which glowed purple and enchanted him once more. She had him exactly where she wanted him, and was stroking his cheek with her index finger whilst her other hand rested on the back of his head. She relaxed his muscles and brought him down onto one lap, and without a word, began her possession process, tightly holding his hands and staring into his eyes.

The Possessed Argus shot upright in the bedroll and stood upright, not being able to control his movements. It grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, before walking over to the tent's entrance. Argus began to fight the process, trying to free himself. This allowed him to control his movements, which caused the Possessed Argus to stumble whilst it moved. It exited the tent and started to move closer to the woman's tent. His eyes were pure black with purple irises, showing signs of becoming a beacon.

"You...do not...belong here!" Argus stuttered, a gruff voice shadowing his own. He stumbled towards the woman, feebly raising his blade to attack her.

Argus fought with the demon, struggling as her body began to turn to dust and beginning to enter Argus, the possession was almost complete. He knew he would lose, and he was going to in a matter of seconds. Maleficarum was his destiny, becoming an abomination that preyed upon travelers.

Kaijuu had angled her body towards the strange creature that had approached them wary of it. It was strange in appearance and the way it communicated only made her even warier. She was naturally cautious but tonight she felt even more jumpy than usual. While she waited for it to answer her questions she got a funny feeling. Something felt, off but she couldn't quite place the feeling. It wasn't coming from the creature although she had focused all her senses on it, it felt like it was coming from the direction of Argus's tent.

Suddenly the alarms in her head all started ringing at once and she spun towards his tent. Argus came outside, sword brandished but he looked nothing like he had just a few moments ago and his movements were jerky and uncoordinated. She looked into his eyes and they were different as well, as if they were not his own. She tensed up as the thing approached her, feeling the flames rising in her belly, ready to let them out if need be. When it spoke it did not sound like Argus either, the smooth and even voice whose sentences seemed to flow together had been replaced with a thick, raspy one whose sentences were choppy and broken.

She didn't understand what his words meant but she didn't like the sound of them. When the thing raised its sword towards her she released her muscles like a spring that had been coiled tightly and exploded, launching herself directly into its stomach. The force of her attack knocked the thing flat on its back, she straddled it and held it's arms down with her claws, gripping the soil with her nails. "I don't know what you are or what you've done with Argus but I know you aren't him. SO get out of his body before I force you out."

| Jag |

Jag could feel the discourse, and it jarred its focus, turning its gaze to the half-breed with unblinking eyes. Part of it listened to the Dragon-Girl's threat, but its attention had been drawn and directed. It saw the sword, and within a blink, was standing at its full height, tail lashing. It could flee, but curiosity was greater then self-preservation, and within a half second, it had advanced. Its long arms swayed, head tilted, as it attempted to speak, in a halting, unaffected tone, rough with disuse.

"You thought.... of Daemons. Now.... do you... think of Man?" The question was peculiar, testing, one might think wary, but wariness required fear, and Jag did not feel fear. It as close enough to touch, but it waited, as if expecting something else to occur. Its stance was defensive, tail raised to deflect the swing of a sword, poised to run, or duck, but stilled in thought. It followed the Daemon's movements, as if it was a snake, hypnotizing a man.

Wrex walked through the daylight forest. He had a bad feeling about this hunt. First of all the reasons was the fact that the villager had no idea what creature had been breaking into his food storage. All he had known is that the creature had seemingly avoided the door as if it were not there. The second reason that Wrex had the bad feeling was just that. Teleporting creatures, or even ones that can temporarily avoid solid objects, were usually bad news.

Then he heard it. The territorial call of a telepanther. Great. A telepanther. Thought Wrex as the thing appeared from tree to tree, soon going between trees on the ground. Wrex put up his shield instinctively, moving it quickly when it disappeared for the last time.

---

Several Hours Later
Wrex came to as his back smashed into a tree. This was definitely not the forest he had engaged the creature in, and it was nearing night. It must believe that it can use night to its advantage. Wrex thought as he turned to look for the creature. Instead he spotted a fire, then he heard it again. The call.

Bracing again for another attack, he managed to deflect its blow, throwing it off to the side. Wrex then began running towards the camp, turning around when he heard the creature crash into the leaves on the ground. His shield went up just in time to take the hit, throwing him across the ground. After rolling around in the direction of the camp, Wrex stood up watching for it to make a single mistake again. This time it didn't, striking Wrex in the shoulder. Wrex then grabbed the telepanther's mouth, throwing his sword into Argus's tent as he pulled the creature from his shoulder, nearly landing in the fire pit as the two rolled past the little group, struggling to kill the other.

Wrex then smacked into a tree on the other side of the camp, losing grip on the creature's mouth. However, Wrex was not out of moves, punching the creature in the side, then in the head. Then it was gone, but Wrex knew that it wasn't done. They didn't quit until they died, just like a dragonborn. Then it caught the side of his vision, causing Wrex to twist, barely dodging the creature's leaping strike. When it was directly over him, Wrex's mouth began to glow, opening just in time to catch the creature's underbelly with his acid as it landed.

The telepanther, obviously in pain, stopped. With its last bit of strength, it used its abilities to launch its now corpse at Wrex, who was now just too worn move out of the way. From the outside, for a few seconds, it may have seemed like the creature's massive body overtook the dragonborn. Soon, however, the body began to lift into the air, before being tossed off to the side slightly.

Wrex got up, not noticing any of the others in his daze, as stumbled over to his sword. The fact that it had been stabbed into the cloth of a tent didn't force him back to reality, but the feel of said cloth on his feet caused him to pause. As Wrex began to drift back into reality, his sword's tip shot into the ground. He quickly leaned on it as he struggled to stay upright.

| Jag |

Distantly, it could hear a disturbance in the woods, the rustling of bodies and violent thoughts, a growing undercurrent to Jag's attention upon the strange half-breed and its male companion (or was it female? Gender meant very little to it, but most sentient beings were sensitive to such things). The noise was growing into a physical thing, no longer just the stirring of restless energy in the woods around the growing group of beings. It doubted Mount Haumond had seen such surface activity in awhile, now that the dwarves had slunk of to their caves and nooks away from the light.

When the two battling creatures crashed through the tension of the camp, it didn't immediately turn to look at the sight, curving its ears to listen to the ragged breathing of the Dragonborn and the beast, twitching at the its pained cry. It was only then that Jag turned its own feline eyes upon the warrior, narrowing them slightly. Its head tilted, as if asking a question, but it did not emit confusion, rather propping the creature with a careless thought. It broke off momentary as the Dragonborn stumbled to its feet, moving towards the weapon it had discarded. Forgetting momentarily how little most beings liked to be touched, it approached, side stepping until directly in front of it. Its seven digit hand pressed to the side of its face with the pointer and middle finger, and it hummed quietly under its breath, sorting through its thought with a fickle intrigue.

The Possessed Argus, who had been pummeled and brought to the floor by the woman, tried to escape but couldn't. The Demon inside the dream stopped and looked around, allowing Argus to jump up and run it through with his blade. He watched as it let out a scream of pain, and twisted the blade to cause more pain to the creature.

"These are, my dreams!" Argus yelled, pulling his shortsword off his back and stabbing the Demon through the forehead with it. Although it had been gravely wounded, the Demon would not die. Only Magick could slay the Demon, and that was Magick that had been long forgotten. "These are my friends! And my Life!"

The Demon screamed as he pulled the blades out and turned to dust, forcing Argus out of his dream. The Possessed Argus shrank away and Argus' eyes and movements returned to normal. He looked at the woman atop of him and threw himself away, before running across from her and cowering. He was a hard and ruthless man, but his dreams were a place he could not control, he had probably stopped the Demon for a while, giving it a chance to heal, but he was scared.

"I, I'm sorry," Argus muttered, looking at his companion with watery eyes and a shocked and confused expression. "That, that wasn't me, I'm sorry if I hurt you."