Keros Divided (IC): Eruptions

Pyrena reared up when the intruder tackled her, and was hurt by the momentum, but she did not fall over. Being the size of a large horse, and heavily built, she could easily take a hit in her beast form. She staggered a bit, but remained on her hooves. Now that he was on her, she gave another, angry howl, before launching into a series of jumps and spins, trying to get him off her back, her wings flapping wildly, and her tail lashing. Her cobra-like hood flared, once more revealing the spectacle pattern on the back. Her body temperature increased even more, and Pyrena hissed angrily, starting to tire slightly as the volcano's rumbling started to subside.

He held on for dear life as it tried to dislodge him, but it was a futile effort. The more it struggled the more he sunk in his claws into it's flaming flesh. Perhaps he was the only one for the job after all for anyone else would've been burnt to a crisp by now. He could tell it was getting tired. It's thrashing were growing less and less wild, but it still had some fight left in it. By now he'd noticed the creature was some how tied to the volcano that they battled on. It was baffling how it may be tied to it, but it made sense as to why it would attack him out of the blue like that. So now his goal was to simply tier it out and hope to reason with it when it's all siad and done.

Pyrena was tiring, but she was now becoming desperate as the lizard-man on her back dug his claws into her back, seemingly uninjured by her body heat. She continued to struggle, before finally deciding that struggling was just making him grip even tighter. If you couldn't shake them off, the next best way to escape an opponent's grip was to simply relax out of it, which was not easy in beast form. She was now thinking a bit more rationally, and wondering if this was such a great idea. She could perhaps roll onto her back and crush him, but that would probably just hurt her, too. Eventually, she decided she would have to risk changing. She shifted back to her humanoid form, shrinking considerably, and darted away before he could tighten his grip to accommodate her smaller size. Whirling around to face him, and then breathing a solid plume of fire, meant more to simply keep him away, rather than cause injury. She would have to hope it worked, and then dive into the closest pool of lava as quickly as possible.

Suddenly it started to shrink. Clearly it was a shape shifter. Then as it, no SHE, darted away from him in an attempt to except from him. Then she blew a plume of fire at him and tried to dive towards a pool of magma. It was clear that she might make it. He couldn't have that! he'd worked hard to tame it/her... Whatever she was! Plus there was the promise to Emerald Falls he had to keep. He couldn't fail them. Once he made a promise or took a contract for a job it had to be completed. It was part of the Draken Code! Failure wasn't an option.

Then in a move of depression he let loose his darker power. The around them cooled as he channeled The Shadow Magic. He knew not what it would do, but it'd always been there when he needed it. And now it was blocking off the the path of his opponents excape for it had covered the magma pools in an impregnable layer of magic. He used his Power of Illusion to create the effect of imprisonment. And he hoped now his foe was trapped.

At this point it mattered now if it was going to end there, but for now he was in control. so he took advantage of that fact and called out to her.

"HALT! DESIST! I MEAN YOU NO HARM IF YOU CORPORATE!"

Pyrena seriously doubted that the stranger meant what he said. Judging by his abilities, he could have only arrived in the Fiery Fields to hunt her down, but for what reason, she didn't know. She ignored the fake cage that now surrounded her, now completely aware that it was only an illusion. It might have worked once, but the same trick would not work if it was used twice. She closed her eyes and ran right through the imaginary bars, and straight into the barrier of Shadow Magic. That was when she knew that there was no escaping this intruder.

The barrier was freezing cold, and worse, felt wet and damp. When she came in contact with it, it was as though she had been splashed with ice-cold water. She screamed loudly, her soprano voice twisting into a horrible chorus of pain, and she collapsed to the ground, her normally bright markings fading to a dull shade of red, as though they had suddenly burned down to embers. Steam rose, and it was clear that the barrier had the same effect as a bucket of water. Pyrena shivered, and tried to rise, but found that her strength was gone. She closed her eyes, waiting for the stranger to finish her with whatever evil force he was using.

He saw that his magic had once again harmed someone. He'd came here to reason with this being, but now she lay before him weakened. If he so wished he could kill her, but there was no need if he could get her to talk. To kill without reason was forbidden by the Draken Code. He realized he'd lost control once again. He At once tried to relinquish control of the dark magic he'd employed in his insanity. It took a few moments, but the magic subsided. He walked over to the elemental and offered a hand, hoping it took it as a gesture of peace. Then he spoke.

"Forgive me milady. I fear I lost control there. I try not to employ such magics, for I have no control of them."

Pyrena's eyes flew open, once more filling with anger, although it was not so much blind rage as it was outrage at her treatment. She did not take the stranger's hand, taking his words as an insult, rather than an apology, she slapped his hand away, no longer worried about burning him, as he seemed to be immune. Her markings brightened a little bit as she started to get up, "Apparently you know nothing of what you almost did! Don't you understand anything about Fire Elementals?!" her voice sounding shrill. "You could have extinguished me! You could have killed me with the cold!" She was shivering, freezing, despite containing an inner fire. She crossed her arms and continued to shake, trying to get warm. "What have I done to you!? I have not taken a life, I haven't burned anyone's crops! What did I do to deserve this!? First the moons change and make the volcano want to erupt three years earlier than it should, and now this!" She was clearly hysterical.

Taken aback at first he understood her reaction. He'd marched into her home and nearly killed her.'
I'd be furious too'. He thought. This was why most of his life he remained solitary. But her words they intregued him. Something about the moon, the tides, and the volcano. But he'd address that later. Now that they were speaking he could explain why he came.

"I understand your anger. I'd feel the same way, but I didn't come to harm you. And no I have no score to settle with you. I've came at the request of those whom live in the village below. They fear you and believe you are responsible for the volcanos rumblings. They sent me here to get rid of you, I've hoped to reason with you"

Pyrena, despite being angry moments before, was an emotional wreck, and didn't know whether she should scream, laugh, or cry. Eventually, she laughed, but at the same time, tiny drops of magma came from her eyes, the tears of a Fire Elemental. Eventually, though, the sadness won out in a random mood swing. It was easy to think that she was slightly crazy, and perhaps she was, but now, she just didn't care. She was tired of trying to maintain control that was out of reach.

"Yes, the Village...I remember when four years ago, an old woman would come here to pick the Fire Flowers for her medicines. She was so brave, to come here, despite being so frail." She wiped the tears from her face. "She was the first person to speak to me, in many years. She was so kind, and wise, she always knew what to do. I would help her find new patches of flowers." Pyrena tried to suppress her sorrow, "But then, after awhile, she didn't come, and I didn't know what had happened, so, I went down to the Village on a night of the New Moon, to look for her. I had never gone there before, I was afraid that I would hurt them, living in their wooden houses." She suppressed a sob, "Then, I found a house that looked different from the others. It was a funeral home. I looked into a window, and there, in a coffin..." She was unable to prevent herself from the fresh tears that welled up. "I never even knew her name, and all I have to remember her by, was the recipe she gave me, the one that required the Fire Flowers."

Pyrena dabbed at her tears again, "After that, every New Moon, I would go to the cemetery, to visit her grave. I never meant to scare anyone. I never wanted to hurt them. I don't affect when the volcano erupts, I can only follow its example." Eventually, she collected herself, although she still looked terrible, "I'm sorry, I can't control myself. Something's wrong with the moons. It's ruining everything, I don't know what to do. I can't leave. I don't have anywhere else to go."

Pity. That's what he felt for her. After everything that had just happened he just wanted to help her somehow. But how? He didn't know how to even help himself. After all these years he had yet to tame his own issues with insecurity and control, and every time he lost someone got hurt or killed. Like her. Then he remembered the messanger.

"It's alright. I'm much the same way. Folks fear me for what I am. You've just seen firsthand what happens when I lose control. It's not pretty. Infact the only thing that keeps me from going over the edge completely is the fear of might happen. As for this women you speak of, I've met her kin. They're fine and believed her to be brave for coming up here. As a matter of fact I've got something of hers. A map that she used to guide herself up the mountain. Would you like to see it?"

Pyrena wiped her eyes, her sadness replaced by surprise, "The map survived? I didn't even know she had relatives. She told me she was a Widow, but she never mentioned much about her life aside from being a healer. I thought that everything was just destroyed if nobody inherited the property. She must have given her most important possessions to different people. She left me with a volume of written recipes that she had made, including the Fire Flower one, a long time ago, because she knew them by heart. She must have left the map to her children. Yes, I would like to see it, but I'm afraid if I touch it, that it will burn. The map was made from vellum, so that it would last, and so was the book, but the map isn't protected by a thick cover. I've managed to preserve the book, but I cannot be sure the same will be for the map."

"I know that this may surprise you, but the map willnot burn. Someone had already treated it so it won't. Don't as how I know I just do. You can have it if you wish. I have no use for it. Once I've gone somewhere I never forget the way." He dug out the map. Really he only had half an idea as how to get here, he felt she deserved to have it more than he needed it. All he really had to do anyway was climb down when he was done. But she didn't need to know any of that.

"Here take it. I'm sure that it won't matter if the folks below don't get it back. I'll come up with something to tell them."

Now he waited for her to make the next move. Hopefully she won't take the gesture the wrong way.

Pyrena took the map from the stranger's hands, examining it. That was when she noticed an extremely faint golden glow on the vellum, something she hadn't given much thought to, but was positive existed on the Herbalist Book as well. "This Map...it's been treated with Fire Flower nectar, that must be why it isn't burning. If you look closely, you can see it glowing. I never gave much thought to it, but I think the book might be treated as well. The old Healer was very good with medicines, as well as finding out the special uses for plants. The nectar of the flower must make things fireproof, and they produce a lot of it, but you can only get a small drop from each one. I can't imagine how many blooms it took to treat both the book and the map."

She then thought of something, and looked back at the stranger, "Sir, this is a wonderful gift, and I will take good care of it, but there is still the issue of the Village's people and their fears. I can't go and search for another home, there are no other regions like this one, and the other Volcanoes are in locations where it rains or snows. If I get caught in a rainstorm or a blizzard, I'll get wet, and that can kill me, even faster than your magic. I am also linked to this mountain, because I have lived here for so long. I don't bear any ill will towards the Villagers, but the Volcano will erupt soon, and I can't maintain self-control when it does. It's far enough away from the Village where the lava and the pyroclastic surge won't hurt anyone, and there shouldn't be any large rocks, or balls of fire, but that doesn't mean they're safe. The ash from the volcano will still reach into Emerald Falls, and I fear that they may be buried alive, if the wind blows in their direction on the day it occurs. Sir, you have to warn them, in five days, it will happen. They need to find a way to prevent the ash from covering their homes and fields, and it will blot out the sun, making the weather cold enough for it to snow. If they want to evacuate, they have to do it quickly, because the ash will be laden with toxic gas when it comes."

She shuddered, not because she was cold, but out of fear. "Sir, please forgive me for giving this warning so late, but this isn't supposed to happen. I monitored the pressure in the Magma Chamber, it was building slowly, it shouldn't have been ready to blow until three years from now, but something is wrong with the moons, and their pull is making it build much faster." She was now continuously shaking, "Something's wrong, and it has nothing to deal with me. Something's wrong with the Moons, something's making their pull stronger. This Volcano's early eruption will not be the first problem that the strong gravity will cause. It will pull the magma deep within the heart of the world to the surface, Volcanoes all around the land will erupt, even those that are thought to be dormant, or those that appear to be normal mountains. Many of the few Fire Elementals that still exist will become irrationally angry, and attack anything that gets near them. The ash from the eruptions will trap much of the regions around them in a state of Winter, and smother countless lives.

She now seemed to be on the verge of panic, thinking about it. "The volcanoes won't be the only things affected. The Oceans, I don't go near them, but they are affected by the moons even more so. The tides will rage out of control, and waves will tower over the mainland like mountains, flooding the coast, and perhaps making many islands vanish entirely. We don't worry about that in this particular place, we're on a floating continent, but the lands below us are unfortunate, surrounded by vast seas. I don't think there are any left in existence, but any Water Elementals, who are completely innocent, will be blamed for causing them, even though they will try to save as many as they can."

She was still not finished speaking, and began to rattle off the number of disasters the altered moons would cause, "A lot of Magic spells and artifacts draw their power from the moons, there's no telling what might happen, they might spin out of control, or cease to work entirely. Scientific devices that function based on where the moon is located in the sky will be rendered obsolete. Lunar calendars won't work at all!"

Pyrena was now in a full-blown panic, "The Elementals will be affected first, we always are when the balance of nature is ruined, some of us will go mad, and others might die, or be pursued and blamed for everything. We're already scarce, the Water Elementals are probably either extinct, or very rare. Fire Elementals like myself never recovered from the time when people thought we caused the volcanic eruptions, and forced us into ponds or snow or rain, there are so few of us left, and we are seldom born now. Lightning and Wind Elementals will be affected when the ash from volcanoes travels on the wind, and begins to conduct electricity. Many of them may be badly hurt. Half the Earth Elementals will die because they are linked to plant life instead of rocks!"

"I see. I'll try to do my best to tell the villagers that it isn't you they have to fear, but they may be reluctant to listen if I tell them that you cannot move. I'll pass your warning on to them and hope they listen. If not I hope they make it out alive. But that's now what worries me. You mentioned the tides and the Moon. I've felt off as well. Like something bad is going to happen real soon. What you've said confirms this. Although it's far worse than i feared. The very balance of nature is at risk!"
He wondered within how this would affect his his home of Ryium. It was a land dominated by towering pines and rich in animal life. It had many small lakes scattered amongst the trees those Elementals would survive perhaps sense there are no large bodies of water. The Earth Elementals may be torn asunder by the earthquakes.
"Pray tell, how would something like this affect me? I may not be an Elemental, but my kind has always had ties to fire and in some cases the wind. It's what allowed me to assault you successfully. "

Pyrena stopped, clasping her arms and digging her nails into them, trying to keep from launching into hysteria once more. "It's the balance of nature itself! Nothing will be left entirely untouched! When the volcanoes erupt, the pillars of ash from them will launch all the way up into the Stratosphere, it doesn't matter where the land is, if it's that high up. There, so little rain occurs that it could take years for the particles to clear out, and all the while the winds will carry it everywhere else, thousands of miles away from the original volcanoes that erupted. The ash will block out the sun, and reflect heat away from the planet! The temperature will drop, and so will the amount of light the realm receives! The changes in weather will kill crops and plant life, along with most livestock, and famine will occur. There won't be enough food to feed everyone, and disease will spread to the weak and vulnerable members of society, both young children and elders. Even the most gentle creatures will turn vicious, either fighting for food, or enraged by the destruction of their habitat. That's only because of the volcanoes, not just the tides. Not all volcanoes are visible, either. Some look just like normal mountains, or don't even exist in the form of a mountain. Sometimes they're just gigantic pools of magma beneath the surface. When the super volcanoes, the flat ones, erupt, their magma chambers will empty, and the land above them will collapse down into them."

Pyrena paused to let the stranger absorb this, "Even before this happens, there will be signs, and people will panic. The gasses that heat things like hot springs and geysers will become toxic from the volcano, and wildlife and people both will die. Entire flocks of birds will fall from the sky, and large schools of fish will wash up on shores, dead, from breathing water that has been tainted by undersea volcanoes or otherwise. Animals that drank the water will become sick and die, poisoned. The waters in hot springs will eventually dry up completely, boiled into vapor. Pandemonium and fear will make people irrational, and crime rates will rise. Populated areas inland will be overcrowded, as people near the shores battered by tidal waves move to safer ground. Unless the moons can be returned to normal balance, this will be the future that awaits us, and if my volcano is preparing to erupt, then I am sure that the same is happening all across the realm."

He saw the sevarity of the problem, he wasn't stupid. Intact he was quite intelligent, but panicking he knew from Experience solved nothing. He knew time was growing shorter the longer they spoke, but there had to be a way to stop this from accruing. So he resolved to go to tithe village first and talk later.

"I feel the need to speak with you some more, but I must deliver your warning to Emerald Falls before its too late. I would like your name as well before I leave. Of course I plan to return, but fate may have other plans. You may call me Rynier."

She nodded, "My name is Pyrena, pleased to meet you, Rynier." She was interrupted by another rumble from the volcano, and in one spot a distance away, steam shot out of a crack in the ground. She turned back to him, "You'd better hurry, it's starting already. The steam is the first sign. Meanwhile, I'm going to try to re-open some of the plugged magma vents, and maybe open a few new ones. Hopefully I can buy the Village more time if I help drain the lava and relieve the pressure." With this, she turned and changed, rearing up and charging back up the side of the mountain, eventually vanishing into the crater.

After she vanished into the crater Rynier took off down the side of the volcano. It was clear that an eruption was emiienant. Several of the bridges connecting the islands of rock had fallen. He bsrely cleared several of them as he barreled towards the base and the village. Once he nearly fell and another time he lost his grip. He'd had to climb up a ways before continuing on. Soon the village came within view. Perhaps he could save them all.

Thinking about how he looked as he rushed into the village hasn't at the front on his mind, but he probably scared quite a few folks. But as it was he came down the Mian stretch at full speed. Then he bellowed out the warning as load as he could.

"People of Emerald Falls I beseech you to leave with all post hast ! I have came from the crater up above from the creature you fear. She says that the volcano will spew its contents into the valley in less than 5 days time. I urge you to prepare to leave."

The Villagers misinterpreted Ryiner's warning. "He has failed us!" Screamed one man who looked strangely like a gopher. "The Creature is angry, and now it wishes to destroy us all!" The way his warning had been spoken, they believed that he had failed to defeat it, and that it was going to cause an eruption to punish them. People began to scream, terrified. Meanwhile, the Messenger who had given Ryiner the map was just emerging from a discussion with the Elders, leaving the meetinghouse with one of them, and talking about the Inventor in Clockwork City, and how they would have to arrange a gift for him, as his portable rift theory proved to be correct.

The two walked out of the tiny yard surrounding the House, and discovered that the entire Village was in pandemonium. In all of this, Ryiner was yelling that the volcano would erupt, in five day's time. The Elder, whom everyone simply called Vine, was ninety-seven years old, and was the most powerful, head of the entire Village council. He was about three-foot two-inches, somewhat short, but a very powerful presence, nevertheless. He had thick, leathery skin that was a sort of mossy green, which was incredibly wrinkled, and reminded one of a tortoise. His face was that of a very old man, nothing but wrinkles, with a long, hooked nose, and long, pointed ears. However, despite this, beautiful blue eyes, the color of pure water, that seemed much younger than his physical form, were set in his face. He had a long beard and hair that looked like a clump of vines growing from his face and scalp, hence his name. On his hunched-over back he sported a pair of large, feathery wings that shone a bright, reflective green. His tail, which was thick, like a lizards, was barely visible, for the long brown cloak her wore, which covered much of his form. In his right hand he had an old wooden staff, ornately carved, with a glowing green crystal set in its tip.

When Vine saw the chaos in the Village, he lifted his staff, and brought it down, and despite being on soft ground, the wood made a loud noise that seemed to instantly silence everyone. This was the magic imbued in the crystal, which allowed him to bring peace to his people, and gather their attention. When everyone had focused on him, he lifted his head, and began to speak, his voice very old, "I do not believe that panic will help us..." He spoke very slowly, but people hung to his every word. He looked at Ryiner, and beckoned him to come forward with one finger. "Please...come here...and explain the meaning of this..." Vine did not appear to be angry, and he was not. He only wished to understand why this had occurred.

The chaos he'd caused made him regret the way he'd entered the village, now this elder proveded him a way the explain.

"Forgive me Elder. I didn't mean to insite a panic. I mearly wished to convey the message quickly. Perhaps I could've handled it better" he looked at the Elder. He seemed to want him to go on. So Rynier continued on." The creature and I have battled. I didn't win, niether did I lose. We fought to a draw, where upon after we spoke as rational beings. She has told me several things, but the most important is that the volcano she inhabites shall erupt. She told me to come and warn you so you have time to escape the soot and ash that shall fall. She's doing all she can to spare the village a grusum fate, all she can do is postpone the inevitable. We both believe larger powers are at work."

Haven spoke he waisted the Elders response with anticapation.

Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest


When Colneth returned to the den, she found Ravencloak in his potions room/study, where he was staring at his crystal ball, which glowed an eerie purple. His face displayed a combination of both fascination and mortal terror. Colneth shuffled into the room, the potion ingredients in her hand.

"Is everything all right master?" she asked Ravencloak. The old elf turned without speaking, and moved to his bookshelf, where his hand methodically traveled down each dusty shelf until it fell on a particularly tall and wide book, which he withdrew from the shelf and placed on his workbench. He flipped one of the book's archaic pages open, and began to read.

'Well that sure isn't good." he audibly thought to himself.

"Master, what's wrong?" Colneth cried out, as she placed each potion ingredient on it's shelf. He closed his eyes a moment and slowly massaged them with his bony hands, and then spoke.

"Have you seen the moon lately Colneth?" he asked.

"Yes, master. it's a rather peculiar shade. Is it a sign from Chorevoun?"

"Aye, it is."

"Well what is a purple moon a sign of?" Ravencloak sighed and closed the book. He looked back over at the crystal ball, and then turned around dramatically.

"Mortal terror." he said.

"I'm sorry, master?"

"That's what the sign means. It's a sign of mortal terror. I fear that an enemy of our's is returning".

"You don't mean..."

"I do. I fear that Agareth has aligned herself with Mallis, and she is heading this way to destroy us".

"Oh dear." Colneth hadn't been that scared in years. Her chest clenched up, and her breathing became hoarse. A lone bead of cold sweat rolled down her cheek and dripped onto the floor. Her sister was going to return at the head of an army.

And this time, she'd probably leave with a pile of ashes and Colneth's head.

---

"Batten down the hatches!"

50% Mitch awoke to the dark of night, though it should have been about noon. He sat bolt upright, and his one nostril caught the aroma of something that no seaman ever wanted to smell. Fire. He jumped out of bed, grabbed his sword, and ran across the rotting deck of his ship, "The Jolly Rotter". The floorboards creaked as he stumbled across them with his deformed legs, all the while the scent of fire grew stronger. he could almost feel the heat on his face, singing his nostril. He rose to the top deck, to find that the entire bow of the ship was a blazing inferno. He turned to his First Mate, headless Freddie.

"What is going on?" he yelled to the first mate, who was shouting commands to the crew.

"A freak lightning storm sir!" Headless Freddie shouted "We flew into it and got hit!"

last time I get a first mate who can't see. 50% Mitch grabbed the wheel, the only light in the middle of the massive storm cloud from the crackling thunder and the fire from the ship. He turned port, towards the end of the massive storm, yet no matter how far he sailed, there was no end to this storm. He watched in horror as another merciless bolt of lightning hit the ship's stern, and it erupted in flames, incinerating 3/4 Joe and one-armed Jacob.

"Decrease altitude five hundred feet!" Mitch yelled to headless Freddie.

"But cap'n!" he cried out "we're only six hundred feet in the air!"

"We gotta get out of this storm Freddie!"

Elder Vine nodded thoughtfully, tapping one index finger of his hand on his staff repeatedly. "I see...so the Creature is friendly...but if so...then why has she refused to speak for us for so long...and why is this warning so late...when she can come and warn us herself? What reason...does this Creature have...for behaving in such a way?" The entire village was now quiet, looking between their elder and Ryiner, wondering why the Creature had taken so long to attempt to communicate.

"It's the they way you've treated her in the past. Last time she came to the village it wasn't a positive experience. And she's had her hands full with the volcano. As well as worry over the change In the tides. There's been a shift in the natural order in its made her tempermental. It's best if she doesn't come her at this time." He wondered now if he'd said too much. Perhaps not, the more they knew the better. "Things are going to get really bad really soon. For not just this volcano will erupt, but soon many others may as well. It isn't looking good ill admit, but you may survive if you and your people prepare and go far away from here."

Vine frowned, "We have...not tried to attack her...and we have not seen her before...I feel there is more to the story than just a negative experience...as she always visits on the New Moon, for whatever reason...Her tracks frequently lead to the cemetery..." There was a rise of whispers from the crowd, as nobody had noticed anything about the cemetery. "You must tell us...why does she do these strange things...? Something does not fit with what you say...what was in the cemetery that she searched for...?"

"You messanger, who was it you said owned the map. Was it your grandmother? I can't remember. It's her grave I believe she visits. She misses her visits to the volcano. Perhaps she's simply lonely. I know I would be. She bears no ill will towards you. I assure you, but I still insist you leave with all paste hast. It's not safe hear for much longer. I myself am headed back up before long, any message you wish for me to pass on to her?"