Jakub paled as the second tail whip was covered in silver flames. The gust not only tore most of his remaining corpses apart, they were now burning beyond all repair.
Novak could only stare… even with Jakub's shared static vision and mage sight he hadn't seen Ashton escape their encirclement. There were also no telltale flames to signify a rift was used.
Ashton sighed turning his displeased gaze on Jakub. Before any of them could blink he was squatting on Devlin's head, staring down at the death mage.
Devlin's head dipped, but if he didn't see Ashton's figure in the now wide eyed necromancer's, he wouldn't have thought someone was standing on his head. Despite knowing this was probably the best chance he had to catch either of them… he couldn't move.
"That was unsightly, rotting corpses you rose, it would have been better, if they were only bone." Ashton said, his voice dripping with dissatisfaction.
Jakub swallowed down anything but his utmost respect as he gave a bao, "Please forgive me my Lord. I… did not… take that into consideration." The youth's eyes had constricted, he didn't know if that was a sign of something, but he wanted to take no chances.
"You must have created a rift! By your own rules, that's cheating!" One of the mages accused, if he broke the rules, that meant they may have won, or would at least get a handicap.
Devlin wanted to shut the mage up but he couldn't move… it wasn't that he wasn't trying, it was like… all of the mana in his body was suddenly stagnate. Devlin hadn't realized just how reliant on mana he was until he couldn't move it. Even his ability to breathe was now an arduous task.
Ashton tilted his head looking at the red faced mage. "I am offended, My Beloved is grossed out, what a great pity, you chose such a route."
Jakub paled as the youth reached out, a single finger covered in silver flame touched his forehead.
"I don't want to play, with you anymore, clean up this mess, you don't want us to, I assure." Ashton stated as the flames engulfed Jakub. Then he turned his attention back to the other mage, "Silence is a virtue, one you choose the hard way to learn."
Devlin watched as one second the mage was within arm's reach… the next a giant snake tail had slammed on the ground before anyone could even register the snake god had moved.
Devlin stared stupefied at the empty chasm… he belatedly realized Ashton was already hugging the female… they'd moved that fast.
Beloved buried herself in her big snake's feathers, rubbing her face along his body. "That was so dirty, I don't want to see! Why ruin the mood, why taint jubilee!"
Novak felt like his heart was in his throat until he saw Jakub with the other eliminated players. Glancing over Lucian and Jaxon, the enhancement spell was still active.
Jaxon was staring at Ashton, "He's been playing with us."
Devlin had arrived beside them the moment Ashton had run off to comfort the female bird still clinging to the giant snake. Ugh, their idea of gross was so… different. "It is a game your grace." Devlin reminded bitterly. Only now realizing just how true that was.
"Then we never had a chance… with that speed…" Novak trailed off. No, there had to be a solution… the birdmen… "We need to employ all ten of the birds."
Lucian watched as the insect and bird corpses were returned to the earth. But if the female bird's expression was anything to go by, not fast enough. If he hadn't been watching the trio he wouldn't have seen the tail move. More on instinct than anything else, Lucian grabbed Jaxon and Devlin by their collars before leaping away.
Novak was a split second behind as he moved. A split second too late. He found himself engulfed in silver flames, now standing beside Jakub.
Jakub sighed as Lucian was quickly eliminated, at first he thought the snake's body had elongated to strike them from such a distance. But no, he slithered over, struck, then returned before the female could fall. "To think… we had a chance was truly the epitome of arrogance."
Novak cursed as the Regina and Alexei were eliminated, the naga, Kaveri had burrowed underground. Though he left the area of his own volition. Now… only the three beasts remained.
Jakub glanced around, "What happened to Duke Carlos?"
A soft cough drew their attention. "I thought it prudent to… leave earlier." Sebastian admitted. He'd seen the snake god eyeing them, why deliberately earn a god's ire? He was not so foolish. Now he could enjoy the game as a spectator.
Novak was about to make a disparaging comment when Jakub collapsed, clutching his head. "What happened?" He demanded helping Jakub look toward… the female bird?
Beloved scrunched her nose as she danced along the ground. Eww!!! Some of the pieces still had wriggling maggots!!!
Ashton lifted her so she stood on his feet before their dance continued. In their wake, white flames were spreading over the ground. A step behind his own red fire followed.
Haven coiled himself up as the birds cleaned the area of the undead. Even the smaller birds were hopping around, black flames tackling still moving undead. Best to wait until after the area was clean. He didn't exactly relish the idea of shaking maggots or corpses out of his own feathers. As it was, two birds were grooming his tail, burning away any filth currently clinging to him.
Jakub sent a command for the corpse army to move faster. As the white flames engulfed their bodies… he felt them burning. As if his reservoir of mana had dozens of tiny flames burning holes in him.
Beloved glanced around with a firm nod, "It's good that they're gone, good I don't see, such unsightly pieces, even eyes feel dirty!" She complained sending a fierce glare at the death mage!
Sebastian tried not to laugh… was she… pouting? For the pain she'd caused mage Jakub, surely that should have been a glare.
Novak kept his head bowed as he put his smile back on. They could not afford to offend the birds further. As it was… Jakub could be accused of ruining everyone's chance of getting that wish…
Lucian closed his eyes, honestly, even if what they'd shown was the extent of their abilities… no one had a chance to earn those wishes.
When Ashton was assured that there were no more corpse pieces he nodded, "The area is clean, no unsightly dirty things, but now there's just us, shall we now step it up?" Ashton asked glancing over Haven.
Haven settled back in. He would not be provoked into action. Not until he was sure.
Sebastian watched as Lord Reece and Lady Beloved… danced on the snake god's head. Sometimes sliding down his spine, sometimes leaping through rifts to fly overhead. Yet not once were they out of striking range.
Calix's eye twitched as Lord Reece once again…. Landed between the giant snake's eyes. He was only Kaveri's size, but that was still large enough to eat two full grown men at the same time. Possibly three.
Lamont was sitting on a tree stump… "Is there a saying for snakes that's the same as tugging on a tiger's tail?" He asked to no one in particular.
Tania choked on a laugh, "If there is, they probably didn't liv long enough for it to be well known. Tiger's teeth… all he had to do is open his mouth when they drop out of a rift and he could swallow them."
"It makes one wonder… why she remains so skittish around lord Kaveri." Noelle commented as she leaned against Rowena. If they weren't going to play… what was the point in keeping the barrier up?" It had already been almost an hour.
Tania covered her mouth when the snake god opened his! Lord Nix was going to be eaten!!!!
Lamont jerked, Tania and her freaking crow's mouth!
Ashton lightly stepped on Haven's lips as he hopped over the tilted head, to slide down his spine. Did snakes have lips??? A question he should find an answer to! Later.
Beloved dove down, letting her talons briefly make contact with Haven's feathers as she flew after Nix. Her delighted song carrying over the land. Her big snake was making his move!!!
Haven watched as they once again leisurely flew off. They weren't taunting him, no, birds were flighty creatures, they did not seek out danger. So, what trick did they have hidden to be so at ease? With his ten small birds clinging to his feathers, Haven went after them.
Beloved let out a peal of laughter as she darted up, poor Nix dangling from her talons as her big snake started to give chase.
Sebastian raised his arms to shield him from the sudden gust of wind as the snake god disappeared from sight! It took until the dust settled several moments later for him to see the snake god weaving through the sky after Lady Beloved! They were moving almost faster than the eye could see. As it was, Lord Haven's enormous size was little more than a blur.
Ashton laughed as Haven almost caught them several times already. Only Beloved's quick turns kept them from ending up in the giant snake's open mouth! Glancing behind them, he realized, Haven had two sets of curved teeth. They looked… very sharp. On the bright side! No giant fangs, so maybe Haven wasn't venomous?
Beloved made another tight turn when Nix's foot was less than a feather's distance from Haven's open mouth!
Haven was ready for the sharp turn, Beloved's zigzagging was impressive, but Nix was only dead weight in the air. Haven was almost not surprised when Nix leg go, the wind current carried him over his open mouth, but Beloved's tail feathers were almost in reach.
Ashton almost bounced off Haven's back, having to grab onto one of the larger feathers before he plummeted to the ground. What bird fell to its death? Not this bird.
Beloved spiraled so Haven couldn't get a good lock on her tail feathers. If Nix was going to do something, he needed to do it fast! As pretty as the shiny white teeth were, she didn't want to be trapped inside them!
Haven felt the feather's tickling his face, preparing to inhale the small bird the next time her feathers brushed his lower jaw he held his breath. The sudden jerk caused him to veer off to the side, precariously close to the edge of the game arena. Leaning into his caught wing, Haven started to spiral toward the ground.
Ashton was pulling Haven's left wing, instead of using brute strength, he shifted the airflow currents.
Haven's natural affinity for wind meant that every current worked in his favor. So, tapping into Haven's control to shift the current had been a jarring to say the least. He was the God of Wind. His control of wind was absolute. He quickly wrested his control back from Nix's as he leveled his body.
Ashton wasn't surprised Haven regained control so quickly. Before the ruffled god could do anything, Ashton leapt off, diving toward a conspicuously placed rift.
Haven glanced around, searching for Beloved. She was small, agile, resourceful. He leisurely circled, waiting for them to approach again.