"He left!" Demon snarled, baring his fangs at Evlyn. "After that Renegade!" He snapped his head back up and glared at dragon and rider. "Are we leaving or not?"

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Kendath hesitated before climbing onto Wyvern's back behind Merrin. He sensed the silver dragon's powerful muscles tensing, and he grimaced as he regarded Merrin's back and wondered what in the abyss he was supposed to hang on to.

His hands hovered for a moment before, with another grimace, he placed them around her waist.

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"All right, we'll come Merrin, but only to stop the Meiltha when he trys to take it for himself." Answered Semri. Reno said nothing, but gave an understanding wink to Wyvern.

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"HE TURNED!!!!?????" She yelled in disbelif, before Jemx thrust his snout into her hand. Slowly her breathing slowed, and she bowed her head to Demon. "I am sorry. I shall not speak furthur on the subject Demon." She leapt onto Jemx. "Lets go then."

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Made by Lembas

Merrin seemed on the point of retorting in Kendath's defense, but thought better of it. Perhaps she was grateful that Semri had even agreed to come. "Right," was her only, and rather terse, reply.

Wyvern did not return his white companion's wink, but flapped experimentally a few times before leaping like a coiled spring into the air. Merrin was suddenly quite aware of Kendath behind her, and resisted an impulse to feel slightly self-conscious at his grasp around her waist. She had, after all, told him to hold on.

This thought, however, had its place taken by another, rather unexpected one. "I'm afraid I don't know quite where we're headed," she said over her shoulder, tone slightly apologetic, to Kendath behind her. "Where were you...ah...this Guardian would be somewhere in the Mountains of Oblivion, then?"

Merrin finished somewhat awkwardly. She was uncomfortably aware that had it not been for extenuating circumstances, their positions would likely be reversed - Demon underneath them rather than Wyvern, and herself still captive.

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Demon spread his wings and pounded them furiously, catching altitude as he rose into the air. He hovered in the air above the foothills, regarding the noxious fumes with supreme distaste. He glanced at Jemx. "We'll go as far as the upper foothills. Then we'll have to descend before we're poisoned to death."

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[aaahhhhhhhh... *flips back a few dozen pages* can't even remember what I posted.]

Kendath gazed at the towering mountain range before them. At the jagged peaks and barren slopes - barren save for the ever-present fumes, green miasma tainted with spots of black, rolling down its unpromising sides.

"Mountains of Oblivion," he murmured in her ear, as to not shout over the wind. "The peak known as Hell's Finger... a volcano more precisely. There we will find the Temple of the Skyseekers. There was said to be an ancient road carved by the Skyseekers that leads under the mountain. It is marked by a so-called Sigil of the Dragon. Don't ask me what that's supposed to mean, because I haven't a clue."

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Merrin gave the land below her a quick glance, and Wyvern turned his head to regard her questioningly with one eye as a sudden sense of apprehension echoed through both their minds.

"The dragons will have to stay behind," she observed, and held back a sudden urge to curse violently. Stars above - I only just found you again! Merrin moaned silently to Wyvern. He understood but did not reply, only sent a comforting tendril of thought out to her.

With an effort Merrin brought her mind back to the matter at hand. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, as it were. Wyvern, let Rano and Semri know that we'll have to split up likely this evening."

And she fell silent as hours passed too quickly, grappling inwardly with the overwhelming temptation to abandon the entire venture.

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Not really listening, Kendath nodded absently. His concentrated gaze was scanning the peaks jutting above the fumes for a sign - anything - that would hint at this Sigil of the Dragon.

"There," he said, pointing at a peak carved in the likeness of a three-fingered talon, palm facing up and claws arched as if to grasp the heavens. He'd been around dragons long enough to know a dragon's claw when he saw one.

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Merrin's eyes, however, flitted to the unhealthy-looking greenish fog that enshrouded the mountains. Her lips tightened. "It's not safe to fly through. We'll have to climb it."

Wyvern wheeled closer to Rano. We're going down.

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Allright, but... Aprehension flitted accrose his maw. Won't we have to stay behind. It will just be Evlyn and Garthag. (where is he btw??)
Evlyn looked up in horror. "Not again." her fingers tightened round his neck. (hehehehe bareback of course)"Damn"

Semri and Reno said nothing, olny flew behind them, waching the dragon claw and fog with distaste.

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Made by Lembas

Demon settled on a rocky outcropping and eyed the drifting miasma above. "Jemx and I could still serve as lookouts and relay our findings to you. Hell's Finger should be at the center of the mountain range."

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"Ok, we fly as long as possible, and then head into the mountain." Evlyn replied

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Made by Lembas

Wyvern alighted in a valley between two jagged rocky outcroppings of the mountains and squinted up at the distant dragon's claw. He awkwardly furled his wings as Merrin slid down and eyed their surroundings with distaste.

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Semri jumped down and stroked Rano's neck absentmidedly. "So now we walk?" She looked around. "The dragons should have a high place to look from."

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Made by Lembas

After Evlyn had dismounted, Demon once again spread his wings and gained altitude. "You're on your own now," he told her. "We'll scout and relay the terrain to you." He eyed the uninviting mountains and highly doubted he and Jemx could be of any large help.

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Another pair of eyes, hooded and malignant, watched Evlyn and the dragons' descent. The gaunt face twisted into a mirthless grin. This would be highly entertaining indeed.

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Kendath nodded, judging the distance from their valley to the Sigil. If they hurried, they could reach it by midday. "Ready?" he asked, turning back to the others.

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(i'v PM'd Curi, but he's not answering...hmmm)

Evlyn nodded and patted Jemx. "Fly fast" Live high He answered before soaring after Demon. She wached them speed away and then started her asent up the first mountain.

"Whenever you are....Kendreth." She held Rano close and whispered the mantra they had repeated since childhood. "Fly fast" Live high Then started after Ken, her dragon inging though the sky.

(i need Evlyn and Semri to meet up somehow, any idia's?)

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Made by Lembas

[meanwhile I'll have my newly introduced guy in the shadows keep you company. the hooded dude's going to lead Evlyn to the tunnel that the Renegades just entered, and he manages to unlock it for reasons I'll state later. perhaps Semri lingers behind as rear guard, so Evlyn catches up with her]

Still smiling under the shadows of his hood, the man emerged from behind the boulder and slowly made his way towards Evlyn. His shimmering robes - an unusual hue of crimson the color of blood - swished about him as he walked. His gait was measured and sure, but possessed an almost skittish edge, as if his feet were dancing on water.

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Merrin wound her fingers around one of Wyvern's gleaming spikes. Be careful, she warned.

Look who's talking, said Wyvern with a touch of amusement, and sprang into the sky after Rano.

His rider's eyes followed him for a moment. "Yes, I'm ready," she finally replied, and looked at Kendath. "Lead the way."

((Yay, LDM is LDM again!))

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