The second it locked eyes with Ashton Neolani gave her battle cry as she led the charge. Without hesitation she threw a spear with enough force to pierce its hide, unfortunately even though it hadn't dodged it was moving so fast that instead of piercing its eye, she only hit about ten feet down the right side. More than a dozen spears were half a second behind, though only two others pierced its hide. "Alexei!" She roared as it sped past, covering the distance in less than two seconds.
Alexei cursed as he disappeared in a flash of silver flames. A heartbeat later he was charging away from the nest and right at the oversized worm. "COME ON!!!!" He roared as the snake knocked away the other warriors as it made a B-line to Ashton. It had just completed its full turn so now its back was to Melia, and more importantly, to his Regina.
Alexei threw his spear with more force than he knew he could muster, instead of dodging the maw opened to show fangs larger than his body. It snapped his spear like a twig, but not before it pierced its forked tongue pinning it to bottom of its mouth. Alexei kept charging as he drew his short sword. Not even three seconds, beast gods above…
Neolani didn't flinch as the giant snake swallowed Alexei whole. It hadn't even needed to deviate from its course, but that half a second would cost it dearly. That fraction of second delay had been enough. Without a word she activated the spells on all seven pieces of their gear. The three spears, two arrows, the broken spear, and Alexei's sword all expanded, then anchored to the ground with chains thicker than a man's wrist bound the snake from mouth to tail tip. The spears, no matter how shallow extended to pierce the ground like toothpicks in a noodle. The broken spear and sword alone had created three javelins pinning the snake to the ground.
"Stone!" Melia ordered as she used both hands to pull off three feathers each from her necklace, then threw them at the snake the moment her mother had activated her spells. They expanded into six spears that pierced the spine in equal segments, half a second later every mage with a stone spear did the same. Soon it was hard to even see the snake's body for all the spears turned javelins.
Talvi had only been dazed a moment before she returned to the nest, but in those 15 seconds the battle had concluded. She didn't let her guard down though, that was no ordinary naga… it was stronger than her and on the verge of becoming a sin beast. Talvi looked up, even from the hundreds of miles that had to separate them, she could hear Father Caius's roar that rippled through the air.
Neolani didn't so much as flinch, waiting only a moment to ensure each javelin's chain was securely anchored. Beast gods above, even three hundred javelins and it was still squirming! "Mages to Melia! Reinforce the anchors! Warriors to me!" Neolani ran forward as she pulled off a feather that turned into a short sword. Several warriors met her at the beast's clenched jaw.
The naga continued to struggle, but it kept its mouth shut. Fine then, the hard way! "Cut it open! Four pairs of spears around the head!" Neolani ordered pulling off two more feathers turned spears, then stabbed each of them through the base of its jaw so they crossed. Six warriors did the same at the tip of its nose, just below, and above the eyes. If it tried to jerk itself free, it would have to sacrifice at least one eye.
The blood was making the ground slippery, but they didn't have time to waste! "Get him out of there!" Neolani roared stabbing into the cheek with her already bloody blade. It hadn't swallowed Alexei yet!
Talvi hesitated to freeze the snake in case that might be the death of the human… while Papa bird hadn't done anything, it wasn't a risk she was willing to take. Talvi glanced up, Father Caius's human form came in hurtling like a meteor.
Caius shifted his landing just enough to miss the nest, and the pin cushion of a snake! Caius didn't even wait for the dust to settle as he ripped the snake up with his bare hands and shook it hard enough for there to be audible bones breaking. "YOU DARE, YOU DARE TARGET MY SNACK?!" its mouth fell open allowing two lumps of melting flesh fell to the ground.
Neolani didn't hesitate to up the severed legs laying Alexei out. The venom was already burning her hands. Neolani flinched as her skin started to melt, but she moved the severed legs in place even though Alexei was half curled with his melting arms protecting his face.
"Uggghhh, ahh, aggh." Alexei wished he could fall unconscious; he was past pain. Breathe, just breathe. As long as he breathed… something, something would happen if he continued to breath. Breathe, breathe in, uggh, out…
Neolani refused to shy away as she looked up at Ashton who had continued to lay leisurely in his nest. Neolani turned back to Alexei releasing a precast spell dulling sensation.
Caius was about to rip out the bastard's throat when it disappeared in a burst of silver light. Then it was laying on the ground just a few feet away limply as his Little Snack hopped out of the nest with a sigh.
Ashton stretched as he walked the few feet to Alexei, "I have a use for it fox, but first we should probably fix my ember's mate up." Ashton glanced over Alexei with a wry smile, "Being eaten is not the best way to die, nor is melting… a learning lesson yes?" Ashton half teased.
Neolani stepped back as her warriors surrounded the snake, she could use Ashton's mana to heal but it wasn't the same as Ashton healing someone. She just wished he would hurry up… Alexei's labored breathing sounded more like groans, groans that were quickly becoming harder to hear.
Caius clenched his jaw, tails flaring as he turned to his Little Snack… calm, calm, all is fine. His rage had to be suppressed, his Little Snack had sent him away deliberately, clearly expecting such an attack. Caius could not let his emotions rule him, could not anger his Little Snack… Caius closed his eyes with a deep breath.
Ashton leaned over placing his hands on either side of Alexei's head, then rested his forehead against the melted forearms protecting Alexei's face. Ashton made sure the big fox saw the single teer that fell onto the still melting flesh.
Caius watched as the mushy slop rippled, then… started sagging as new muscle was exposed. Clumps of melted flesh just… slid off as tender pink skin rapidly expanded over the still growing muscle and bone. The skeletal figure plumped up as the figure twitched periodically. Caius held his breath in pure awe… he'd never seen such… thorough healing… even that wretched Pegasus had not been so quick with a simple severed limb…
Neolani watched as the flesh bloated, fell away, and healed areas continued to ripple out from the arms up to the head and down the chest at the same time. Ashton gently laid Alexei back down as his body twitched. His body jerking between ragged gasps. It felt like an eternity watching Alexei grow new flesh, but watching the bloating, melting slop stretch from the severed legs almost had Neolani wretch.
Ashton glanced over his Ember, "My Ember, remember, pain means he still lives."
"AAAGGGHHRRGGH!!!!" As if to punctuate the statement Alexei let out a scream that would no doubt haunt many dreams for years to come. Alexei couldn't keep himself from thrashing as the worst sensation yet throbbed up from his legs.
Neolani clenched her jaw, fingernails piercing her palm. As blood dripped down her fist the fresh pain was a welcome distraction, beast gods above… it had only been half a minute since the healing had started but Neolani felt as if she had watched ten lifetimes worth of horrors. She pointedly did not look away, not even when she heard the first warrior start to empty his stomach. The cascading effect had no less than a dozen warriors run off to do the same.
Ashton used his silver flames to burn away the fleshy blood on his hands and face. "Hopefully this is the last time you let yourself get eaten, yes?" Ashton asked as Alexei had gone from screaming, to ragged breathing. Competent enough to use spacial rifts to get in front of the snake, but not out of the way… priorities.
Alexei let out a low groan as he opened his eyes. "Ah-greed… uggh." Breathe in, hold, breathe out. Repeat, those were the only thoughts he was currently capable of as his body continued to randomly twitch, with the occasional agonizing spasm.
Neolani stepped forward to kneel beside Alexei, offering a flask of water. "Drink love," Had it really only been a minute or two? Alexei's skin was a tender pale pink, his scars gone without a trace. All previous markings gone, though his hair had returned. She quickly held out a hand, she was the only one who should be seeing such a sight. Even if the circumstances had been dire, to have Alexei's bare body on display… was not her first priority right now.
Melia brought a fresh shendyt, mother only tossed it over her father's privates but the bloody lumps all around his body quickly turned the white cloth red. There was also a slimy liquid pooling around the clumps of flesh, the worst was the smell. It wasn't a rotting smell but… it burned like someone cut a thousand onions then concentrated the sensation.
Neolani winced as she reached to adjust the cloth. Her burns may have paled in comparison… but the adrenaline was wearing off. The dull throbbing yet also pulsating flashes of agony up her arms had to be taken care of quickly.
"My Ember, come." Ashton held his hands out for hers. Neolani stood up, placing the backs of her hands in his palms. Ashton leaned over and let a teer fall into each open palm. The flesh was already swelling, there were also four moon shaped punchers in each palm so the venom had entered her bloodstream.
Neolani didn't flinch as her palms started to bubble. The wounds closed as only a few layers of skin started to peal back, then take on the same slimy mucus texture before sluffing off. Not even a few heartbeats had passed.
"Tend to your mate my Ember, he will be weak for a while yet." Ashton offered as Neolani continued to sneak glances at Alexei. This would give him time to decide just how to put this snake to the best use. Nagas were typically considered welcome, associated with water, protectors of treasure, and only bit the truly wicked… or those destine to die early.
Caius smiled as he gathered up his Little Snack, "Aiya! So naughty Little Snack! You knew that pest was lurking around! Yet you still sent me away!" He complained as he lifted his Little Snack to eye level, then carefully inspected every visible inch of flesh.
Ashton raised a brow, "Did you not receive news when the dragonkin were attacked?" This snake had hardly hidden itself. Besides, not even the dead could just pass through the earth. The only indication of its presence was when Lucian had been used as a lure. Then again… nagas were not usually associated with being able to move the earth… perhaps a hybrid or…
Caius was mildly surprised with his Little Snack rocked his body then fell to the ground. Caius followed him to go look at the snake again… Aiya, so ugly! Scaly! Not to mention all the oozing holes. Caius made sure to not step in any of the forming puddles, only then did he notice… his chest, pants, and feet were already victims of such repugnant foul. Aiya… no use cleaning it off, the clothes would just have to be burned.