The mouth of the Beijionese Desert

Leland again, sped to match her speed. Back at her side, he suddenly heard a low voice, though he assumed Anastasia may have heard it before him. "Hmm?" he turned to the direction of the noise, before his keen vision spotted the raven haired woman sticking from the sands. He furrows his brow, before shaking his head and ignored her pleas. He undid the binding for his levergun on the side of the horse for quick access.

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland again, sped to match her speed. Back at her side, he suddenly heard a low voice, though he assumed Anastasia may have heard it before him. "Hmm?" he turned to the direction of the noise, before his keen vision spotted the raven haired woman sticking from the sands. He furrows his brow, before shaking his head and ignored her pleas. He undid the binding for his levergun on the side of the horse for quick access.

Anastasia did in fact hear the plea to the right of her, and looked to Leland with a stern look as well. "...Are you seriously going to ignore that woman?" she asked, in an almost heated tone. "I know you are seeking something desperately in Asrond, but does retrieving it merit the-" she paused for a moment, her ears twitching again. She could pick up... subtle hints in the voice now that they were riding further from her. "...Huh, this heat must have gotten to me. When you think of it strategically, it makes sense. Obviously a trap." She then looked at the Gunslinger's back apologetically. "I almost took back the concept you were a gentleman, Leland."

It didn't take long for the woman to notice help was not coming, and she let out a death-rattle and a hiss, before submerging beneath the desolate sands.

Soon, the duo would notice something strange...

They were surrounded. A ring formed by the tails of a trio of Desert Golden Cobra Lamia had sprung.

"You are a mean pair, human and elf who passes through our territory. Wise though, you didn't take the bait. Does not matter, your still not getting through without paying the proper toll." The lone male of the trio, who held a modified desert trident aloft and slammed it's handle into the sand.

"A Gunslinger and a Scardian foreign Legion officer... Tell me, why are you out here? Normally folks like you take noisy planes or helicopters and avoid this desert."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:It didn't take long for the woman to notice help was not coming, and she let out a death-rattle and a hiss, before submerging beneath the desolate sands.

Soon, the duo would notice something strange...

They were surrounded. A ring formed by the tails of a trio of Desert Golden Cobra Lamia had sprung.

"You are a mean pair, human and elf who passes through our territory. Wise though, you didn't take the bait. Does not matter, your still not getting through without paying the proper toll." The lone male of the trio, who held a modified desert trident aloft and slammed it's handle into the sand.

"A Gunslinger and a Scardian foreign Legion officer... Tell me, why are you out here? Normally folks like you take noisy planes or helicopters and avoid this desert."

The horses stirred, now halting their advance. "Yup, just as I feared..." Leland said, sighing with mild irritation. "Where we head, such amenities are useless for safe passage. You wouldn't be from the Iron Sand Tribe, would you?" he asks in a slightly uncomfortable tone. He looked over to Anastasia and held out his palm, meaning to allow him to do the talking.

Leland McKelly wrote:

Darkstorm Zero wrote:It didn't take long for the woman to notice help was not coming, and she let out a death-rattle and a hiss, before submerging beneath the desolate sands.

Soon, the duo would notice something strange...

They were surrounded. A ring formed by the tails of a trio of Desert Golden Cobra Lamia had sprung.

"You are a mean pair, human and elf who passes through our territory. Wise though, you didn't take the bait. Does not matter, your still not getting through without paying the proper toll." The lone male of the trio, who held a modified desert trident aloft and slammed it's handle into the sand.

"A Gunslinger and a Scardian foreign Legion officer... Tell me, why are you out here? Normally folks like you take noisy planes or helicopters and avoid this desert."

The horses stirred, now halting their advance. "Yup, just as I feared..." Leland said, sighing with mild irritation. "Where we head, such amenities are useless for safe passage. You wouldn't be from the Iron Sand Tribe, would you?" he asks in a slightly uncomfortable tone. He looked over to Anastasia and held out his palm, meaning to allow him to do the talking.

Anastasia, put her hand to her Type 45, undoing the buckle which held it in her holster. She kept her eyes on the Lamia, as they circled around them. She counted three, with a large male and his trident. But before she could say anything, she saw Leland bring out his hand. She sternly looked at him again. "Do you know them?"

Leland McKelly wrote:The horses stirred, now halting their advance. "Yup, just as I feared..." Leland said, sighing with mild irritation. "Where we head, such amenities are useless for safe passage. You wouldn't be from the Iron Sand Tribe, would you?" he asks in a slightly uncomfortable tone. He looked over to Anastasia and held out his palm, meaning to allow him to do the talking.

The leading male swung the trident back to lean the handle over his shoulder looking at Leland with mild curiosity. "Why? Do you know us?" he said, before his eyes darted to Anastasia as she went to unbuckle her weapon.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia, put her hand to her Type 45, undoing the buckle which held it in her holster. She kept her eyes on the Lamia, as they circled around them. She counted three, with a large male and his trident.  But before she could say anything, she saw Leland bring out his hand. She sternly looked at him again. "Do you know them?"

The creaking of a bowstring greeted their ears as one of the females had aimed a recurved longbow at Anastasia, and a stern look in her eagle eye. "One flinch and this shaft gets buried in your pretty blonde skull, Elf." warned the female.

The male frowned. "Now, I ask again, why did you ask me that, Gunslinger?"

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Leland McKelly wrote:The horses stirred, now halting their advance. "Yup, just as I feared..." Leland said, sighing with mild irritation. "Where we head, such amenities are useless for safe passage. You wouldn't be from the Iron Sand Tribe, would you?" he asks in a slightly uncomfortable tone. He looked over to Anastasia and held out his palm, meaning to allow him to do the talking.

The leading male swung the trident back to lean the handle over his shoulder looking at Leland with mild curiosity. "Why? Do you know us?" he said, before his eyes darted to Anastasia as she went to unbuckle her weapon.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia, put her hand to her Type 45, undoing the buckle which held it in her holster. She kept her eyes on the Lamia, as they circled around them. She counted three, with a large male and his trident.  But before she could say anything, she saw Leland bring out his hand. She sternly looked at him again. "Do you know them?"

The creaking of a bowstring greeted their ears as one of the females had aimed a recurved longbow at Anastasia, and a stern look in her eagle eye. "One flinch and this shaft gets buried in your pretty blonde skull, Elf." warned the female.

The male frowned. "Now, I ask again, why did you ask me that, Gunslinger?"

Leland remained rigid. "I have paid my toll already. Through...." he coughed. "The... unity ceremony. with the Lady Chieftain's second daughter, Kaliphenia. I'm... still on that journey for her gift." he coughed again, blushing slightly though his face remained rather neutral.

He turned to the sound of the bow string being yanked back, and looked to Anastasia. He quickly turned to the male Lamia. "She is a guest of mine. She doesn't need to pay the toll."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:
The creaking of a bowstring greeted their ears as one of the females had aimed a recurved longbow at Anastasia, and a stern look in her eagle eye. "One flinch and this shaft gets buried in your pretty blonde skull, Elf." warned the female.

She turned her lidded eyes upon the lamia's. "If you let go of that shaft, I'll stick it where the sun doesn't shine, slug." she says cooly, her brows furrowed. "I'm sure that wouldn't be as pretty." she threatened back in return. She turns her eyes to Leland again. "What are you talking about, Leland?"

Anastasia Faizland wrote:She turned her lidded eyes upon the lamia's. "If you let go of that shaft, I'll stick it where the sun doesn't shine, slug." she says cooly, her brows furrowed. "I'm sure that wouldn't be as pretty." she threatened back in return. She turns her eyes to Leland again. "What are you talking about, Leland?"

The female hissed at the Elf and was ready to let the arrow fly out of spite, but was halted by the male's hand raising in a hold sign.

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland remained rigid. "I have paid my toll already. Through...." he coughed. "The... unity ceremony. with the Lady Chieftain's second daughter, Kaliphenia. I'm... still on that journey for her gift." he coughed again, blushing slightly though his face remained rather neutral.

He turned to the sound of the bow string being yanked back, and looked to Anastasia. He quickly turned to the male Lamia. "She is a guest of mine. She doesn't need to pay the toll."

The male broke rank and slithered toward the two, looking sternly yet questioningly at Leland. The Lamia Circled once around Leland's horse, his tongue flicking out. When it reentered his mouth, the stern gaze was replaced with shock. "You are... it is you? Your the one? Your the one that rescued me from those bandits all those years ago?.... Lady Kaliphenia's chosen one...."

The male reared up to match height with Leland and Anna while they were on their horses, and he smiled. "Zetose, my name is Zetose. I'm the little boy you saved from being beaten to death by those horrible adult male bandits. The whole reason Kaliphenia let you into the deep city!" But with those words, the smile died on his lips, and he looked downcast. "Lady Kaliphenia..... has left us.... She passed on the first anniversary of your departure, believing you would not return...."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland remained rigid. "I have paid my toll already. Through...." he coughed. "The... unity ceremony. with the Lady Chieftain's second daughter, Kaliphenia. I'm... still on that journey for her gift." he coughed again, blushing slightly though his face remained rather neutral.

He turned to the sound of the bow string being yanked back, and looked to Anastasia. He quickly turned to the male Lamia. "She is a guest of mine. She doesn't need to pay the toll."

The male broke rank and slithered toward the two, looking sternly yet questioningly at Leland. The Lamia Circled once around Leland's horse, his tongue flicking out. When it reentered his mouth, the stern gaze was replaced with shock. "You are... it is you? Your the one? Your the one that rescued me from those bandits all those years ago?.... Lady Kaliphenia's chosen one...."

The male reared up to match height with Leland and Anna while they were on their horses, and he smiled. "Zetose, my name is Zetose. I'm the little boy you saved from being beaten to death by those horrible adult male bandits. The whole reason Kaliphenia let you into the deep city!" But with those words, the smile died on his lips, and he looked downcast. "Lady Kaliphenia..... has left us.... She passed on the first anniversary of your departure, believing you would not return...."

Leland had a look of surprise on his face. The details were very foggy, but... it was true, as he described how he came to meet Kaliphenia with perfect accuracy. "My...You've grown well, Zetose. I honestly didn't recognize you." He says, unsure what else to say. Upon the news of Kaliphenia's demise, his shock remained, and he looked downcast himself. "Oh..." he says, looking down. The moment he laid eyes on these Lamias, he figured he'd have to find another clever ruse to keep the nymphomaniac snake from getting hitched to him. He had just turned seventeen when he met her too, hence... the awkwardness. Now... to hear she was dead, it was actually quite depressing. He didn't want to be married to her, but wouldn't have wished death to take her either. He remained silent as he thought about their next course of action.

"Down girl," she says with a slight smile to the Lamia who had her eye on Anastasia now she couldn't shoot her. She eased up as well, before turning to Leland and Zetose, listening to their exchange. She blinked her long lashes and kinda put together the pieces. "Talk about a charmer... a snake charmer." she thought, looking at Leland with a slight smirk, while she buckled the strap over her gun again, securing it.

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland had a look of surprise on his face. The details were very foggy, but... it was true, as he described how he came to meet Kaliphenia with perfect accuracy. "My...You've grown well, Zetose. I honestly didn't recognize you." He says, unsure what else to say. Upon the news of Kaliphenia's demise, his shock remained, and he looked downcast himself. "Oh..." he says, looking down. The moment he laid eyes on these Lamias, he figured he'd have to find another clever ruse to keep the nymphomaniac snake from getting hitched to him. He had just turned seventeen when he met her too, hence... the awkwardness. Now... to hear she was dead, it was actually quite depressing. He didn't want to be married to her, but wouldn't have wished death to take her either. He remained silent as he thought about their next course of action.

Zetose nodded, and the look of understanding crossed his features. "Still, you are right. You paid the blood price a few times over in my case. Not many humans would have helped out a Lamia. And this is a friend of yours?" The male Lamia turned to look at Anastasia with a slight smile and extended his hand in a common greeting among the surface dwellers. "Hi, I'm Zetose. Whats your name?" he greeted.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:"Down girl," she says with a slight smile to the Lamia who had her eye on Anastasia now she couldn't shoot her. She eased up as well, before turning to Leland and Zetose, listening to their exchange. She blinked her long lashes and kinda put together the pieces. "Talk about a charmer... a snake charmer." she thought, looking at Leland with a slight smirk, while she buckled the strap over her gun again, securing it.

The female hissed again in slight agitation and slithered off in a huff. "You wanna play nice with them Zetose you do it without me, I'm going back to deep temple!"

Zetose looked back at Leland "Dangerous to bring horses through the desert Leland. They won't last long beyond the bones. You wanna come to Deep City? I'm sure Queen Orphia would welcome you warmly."

He smiled faintly. "We are in a hurry, but you are correct. The way we've been pushing these horses, its perhaps best we took a rest. And pay our respects to the Queen." He admitted. He turned to Anastasia and then back to Zetose with a smile. "Yes, she's travelling with me. We both seek the same goal, but...it's a troublesome road ahead of us. Still, I'm sure we'll figure it out once we get there." he adds, turning to the female Lamia that left. "She's... not too friendly, is she?"

"Here," she says, pulling out a canteen and tossing it to the Lamia woman. "Don't want to die of thirst now." she grinned pleasantly again, like she had to Leland in the courtyard. She kept her smile, and then turned to Zetose and took his hand. "Anastasia." she says, shaking it.

Leland McKelly wrote:He smiled faintly. "We are in a hurry, but you are correct. The way we've been pushing these horses, it's perhaps best we took a rest. And pay our respects to the Queen." He admitted. He turned to Anastasia and then back to Zetose with a smile. "Yes, she's travelling with me. We both seek the same goal, but...it's a troublesome road ahead of us. Still, I'm sure we'll figure it out once we get there." he adds, turning to the female Lamia that left. "She's... not too friendly, is she?"

Zetose looked at the retreating female. "Who, Silixia? Oh... she is just passionate about protecting our borders, and was somewhat hungry. She had a brood recently with her mate, and has become rather paranoid about surface dwellers."

He looked back and began leading the horses towards the edge of the dues, were some rocky outcroppings poked through the ever shifting sands. "Oh? You wouldn't mind me asking where you are heading would you?"

Anastasia Faizland wrote:"Here," she says, pulling out a canteen and tossing it to the Lamia woman. "Don't want to die of thirst now." she grinned pleasantly again, like she had to Leland in the courtyard. She kept her smile, and then turned to Zetose and took his hand. "Anastasia." she says, shaking it.

The retreating Silixia caught the offered water canteen by the strap with her tail and flung it back with considerable force at Anastasia's head. Before leaping up, and burrowing into the sand and disappearing.

Zetose returned the smile and gently shook Anastasia's hand. "Please, forgive Silixia's antagonism. She's very proud and competitive at the best of times, and today has.... not been the best of times".

"Heh, well that is unfortunate for her." he says chuckling nervously, before he cleared his throat. "We're...headed Eastward. Towards Amaine, to be honest." he replied to the serpentine male.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Anastasia Faizland wrote:"Here," she says, pulling out a canteen and tossing it to the Lamia woman. "Don't want to die of thirst now." she grinned pleasantly again, like she had to Leland in the courtyard. She kept her smile, and then turned to Zetose and took his hand. "Anastasia." she says, shaking it.

The retreating Silixia caught the offered water canteen by the strap with her tail and flung it back with considerable force at Anastasia's head. Before leaping up, and burrowing into the sand and disappearing.

Zetose returned the smile and gently shook Anastasia's hand. "Please, forgive Silixia's antagonism. She's very proud and competitive at the best of times, and today has.... not been the best of times".

Anastasia nimbly dodged the canteen, her right hand leaving his, reaching up and grabbing it by the strap before encircling her arm so that the strap wound around it, the metal canteen tapping her forearm once finished. She chuckled, as she turned back to Zetose. "Silixia's eh? Well if today is an example of her on her worst day, I should probably go easier on her then." She shrugged, and then followed the snake man, running her free hand along the side of the horses face. "So you mentioned a deep city?"

Leland McKelly wrote:"Heh, well that is unfortunate for her." he says chuckling nervously, before he cleared his throat. "We're...headed Eastward. Towards Amaine, to be honest." he replied to the serpentine male.

Zetose looked back at Leland and Anastasia with an expression of concern, even worry and fear. "It's probably for the best your coming to the city then Leland... Our scribes will have news you will want to hear" said the Lamia.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia nimbly dodged the canteen, her right hand leaving his, reaching up and grabbing it by the strap before encircling her arm so that the strap wound around it, the metal canteen tapping her forearm once finished. She chuckled, as she turned back to Zetose. "Silixia's eh? Well if today is an example of her on her worst day, I should probably go easier on her then." She shrugged, and then followed the snake man, running her free hand along the side of the horses face. "So you mentioned a deep city?"

"Yes indeed," Zetose replied, a smile coming back to his lips. "It is the capital of all Desert Lamia, Crystal City." Zetose added, as he indicated an unassuming cave. He let off two distinctly different hisses and a shake of the tail rattle he possessed. After half a second, two heavily armored Lamia seemingly materialized from the entryway, slithering to either side of the cave, almost like they were opening a gate...

"We keep the entrances well hidden and guarded, especially with what has been happening lately."

[From here]

Felnara's steed carried her through the accursed Amaine, and then she was back out into the mouth of the desert once again, and its blistering heat. The horse's movements made her battered body jiggle, and her heart beat out of her chest... excited about the coming duel once she saved Leland's brat. Leland had been holding back for some devilish reason, but... after that last attack that nearly did her in? All the observations with her younger sister helped, but he had far more expertise wielding that gun than her. Something about him pisses me off...yet, I'm compelled to... She shrugged off the thoughts. "I'm doing this on my honor as a Knight... besides, no child deserves to be on that dreaded Island... how she ended up there in the first place bothers me as well..." She spoke out loud, feeling her face warm and pink, blaming it on the humid air.

While in mid gallop, the Imp's stead became stock still- the rider and horse both freezing in place! The time distortion was palpable, and from the side of a dune stepped out a short, green lizard-goblin like creature:



"Sttturrrrrm!" The creature hissed, shaking her staff wildly and angrily. "Why?! Why you not kill him?! You had your chance, still do!!" Stammered the little creature, who began smacking the horse's side with the staff. Felnara could now move, but the horse remained stationary. "You had chance! WHY?! Did we not pay you enough?!!" the creature scree'd, her eyes blinking in an odd manner that was more akin to a lizard. The creature was half the size of Felnara, who herself was rather short. "Or is it you lost nerve?! Is it that your stupid?!" It/She screamed at the imp!

Enigma wrote:While in mid gallop, the Imp's stead became stock still- the rider and horse both freezing in place! The time distortion was palpable, and from the side of a dune stepped out a short, green lizard-goblin like creature:



"Sttturrrrrm!" The creature hissed, shaking her staff wildly and angrily. "Why?! Why you not kill him?! You had your chance, still do!!" Stammered the little creature, who began smacking the horse's side with the staff. Felnara could now move, but the horse remained stationary. "You had chance! WHY?! Did we not pay you enough?!!" the creature scree'd, her eyes blinking in an odd manner that was more akin to a lizard. The creature was half the size of Felnara, who herself was rather short. "Or is it you lost nerve?! Is it that your stupid?!" It/She screamed at the imp!

Felnara's ears twitched, and she slowly turned to face her employer. "Azaahz..." she began, as her employer began insulting her, and with a single swipe of her blade, destroyed the staff which bound the horse to the reality marble's laws, and the creature was alive, rearing and kicking her employer back into the dunes! Felnara stablized the horse, and turned to face the small creature, a look of annoyance on her face. "You'll loose your head if you say such things again, worm!" She spat, her eyelids narrowed and blade pointing at the annoyance. "Your money has nothing to do with this, I can slay him any time I want, he's my prey and I can handle him the way I want to, or did you forget the terms of our agreement?!" She barked, the horse shaking its head beneath the fiery imp, her weapon coldly pointing down at the creature!

"Tell me... was kidnapping his child part of the plan as well?!" She hissed. "Don't lie... only a sniveling creatures like you know how to pass through the barrier that protects that island! You half baked lizards know its intricacies far better than any other creature on this damned world!"

Being launched back was a bit of a surprise for the lizard creature! The being planting into the sand with a screech before digging herself out of it! "Pah! PAH! ACCURSED SAND!" She spat, before Azaahz glanced up with her reptilian yellow gaze. "You dare strike me?! Your employer! Have you turned against your demonkin for the honor of a lowly HUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuman?!" She hissed. "Do you not recall the number of demonkin that monster has slain in the name of ---" She paused, gasping when the mention of the kidnapping. "I... I don't..." She began to stammer, but the blade pointed at her made her nervous... her demeanor shifted, more sinisterly. "So what if we did? Perhaps it was a plan we devised to make the human weak with guilt, weak enough to kill! I am curious, how you came across such information... Lady Sturrrrrrm!" She hissed.

Felnara's eyes became heavy lidded, and a small snarl pursed her lips:



"Tss... demonkin? Your kind aren't even in the pecking order, your beneath even the half-lings, gutless cur!" She spat. "And I don't believe I recall any particular nobles dying lately, I assume those were lies as well?" she huffed. "Nothing begets poking a hornets nest already stock raving mad, you purposely antagonized this man... for what purpose?!" She howled, bringing the horse closer, causing it to displace the sand beneath Azaahz's feet, causing the lizard woman almost to be trampled under the heavy hooves of the black mare! "Its not so hard, once given time to think. I was a strategist for Gilded Tree if you recall!" She answered the creature. "Why am I going through this trouble you lying little wretch? Because, because of your actions, I was denied a proper fight! Now you'll tell me where Yume McKelly is, or I'll spit-roast you alive! You'll be surprised how far I can stick an iron rod through a body without injuring any important organs..." She bellowed lowly.

Felnara Sturm wrote:Felnara's eyes became heavy lidded, and a small snarl pursed her lips:



"Tss... demonkin? Your kind aren't even in the pecking order, your beneath even the half-lings, gutless cur!" She spat. "And I don't believe I recall any particular nobles dying lately, I assume those were lies as well?" she huffed. "Nothing begets poking a hornets nest already stock raving mad, you purposely antagonized this man... for what purpose?!" She howled, bringing the horse closer, causing it to displace the sand beneath Azaahz's feet, causing the lizard woman almost to be trampled under the heavy hooves of the black mare! "Its not so hard, once given time to think. I was a strategist for Gilded Tree if you recall!" She answered the creature. "Why am I going through this trouble you lying little wretch? Because, because of your actions, I was denied a proper fight! Now you'll tell me where Yume McKelly is, or I'll spit-roast you alive! You'll be surprised how far I can stick an iron rod through a body without injuring any important organs..." She bellowed lowly.

Azaahz gasped, as the sand slid out beneath her, her body scrambling to keep herself up and from being crushed by the heavy footfalls of hooves! All the insults and stabs at her lizard kin and her pride, made the creature snarl uneasily, but defenseless to the imp. "You traitorous bitch, aren't you a Knight of the Demon Realm?! You should be sick of what you are saying, your ancestors would be puking in the emptiness if they could see what you've become! I even paid you!" She stammered, the threat of being burned alive like some animal roast was...disheartening however.

Felnara smirked. "There it is... the little indignant rantings of a newt who's about to get stepped on, if these were your final words I'd feel ashamed, at least die classy." She says before causing the horse to buckle and slam its hoof onto Azaahz's right hand! Bone crunching sounds emanated from the stomp, and the lizard shrieked... and Felnara smiled. "My family was exhiled from the Demon Realm, that allows even the least important of demons like yourself to call me what you will... but in my heart, in my accursed soul lies the spirit of a honorable knight of the demonic realm! Go ahead little pest, nibble at the crumbs of the fallen, thinking because you can that your insignificant little lives actually matter in the end!" She spat.

She then withdrew her horse from the hand, and sheathed her sword. "Keep the money, I'll gladly return the rest... but you will have Leland McKelly's head, a head you do not deserve worm. But I am releasing that innocent girl, and if you wish to become the feast of something far greater than your entire existence, the ants and rodent's of this mortal realm, I suggest you tell me where the girl is on Shi No Shima!" She growled, reaching for her cursed blade on her belt...