Phar wasn't sure what to do. Angus could close on it by charging but then the centaur would be alone with it and there was no telling what the Gloom had done to this lizard. With the mist, though, it might be possible for it to hide again.
Phar cast a spell and an explosion of light flashed all around the creature, outlining it in the fog.
The motes of light settle on the creature and it shakes its head and yells.
"Ah, I'm blind! I'm blind!" Then it laughs manically and glares in Phar's direction without actually locking eyes with the paragon elf wizard.
"Oh, wait, no I'm not! HA! HA!" Then it roars.
"I know you're out there wizard, and my teeth will find you... eventually."
Locke:
Moves silently to the left of Angus and to the right of the lava blooms, staying away from the dangerous path. Moves as far as he can to clear the lava blooms, and then back out further to the left, continuing a gradual flanking move.
Locke glides through the misty fog like a ghost in the night. He is certain the creature cannot see him. He moves carefully to avoid both the lava plums and the cracks in the earth. The ground around the various rifts are very unstable and it wouldn't take much for the ground to collapse around them.
Hopefully the others know to keep away from them.
- - -
Quinn moves with as much silence as he can across the uneven ground of the Gloom. He knows he's not likely to sneak up on this dragon, but he does his best to try to not be too overt. His armour creaks as he moves under the enhanced speed of Phar's spell. While the gladiator-knight's movement is obscured by the swirling mists, he cannot hope to not make noise.
The dragon doesn't react to his movement. Did he fool the creature or is it so focused on Angus and Phar that it is ignoring him. Regardless, Phar's magic now clearly outlines the creature, even in the mist.
Angus, seeing the weirdly-proportioned creature, is relieved. If it IS a dragon---and his gut tells him it's not---then it's the smallest dragon he's ever heard tell of. But what really gives him hope is the creature's speech; no self-respecting dragon would call him a "horse man," when there were so many more haughty appellations to be had, like "mortal worm," or "insect."
"Horse man?" Angus snorts, "Is that the best you can do? I'm surprised at you. I'd have been thinkin' ye'd be a little more creative than that, laddy. In fact, I feel insulted! Come on then, what are ye a'waitin' fer? Come and eat me! I hope you brought a big fork, though. All I be havin' is me big butter knife, here."
The reptilian creature's eyes lock on Angus and it growls. For a moment, it seems as if the
dragon is poised to charge him. But, instead it lets out a low chuckle and then hisses.
"What is that, dear lady?" It cocks its head and looks skyward.
"You wish to meet this prey. Yes, yes, I understand." It's right eye flash a bright green that outshines Phar's magic for a moment.
"Then, come forth my dear from the Darklands and rend them asunder. It will be so much fun!"
The creature makes no motion towards Angus or the others but its right eye continue to shimmer green in the swirling mists. It holds its place and giggles to itself.
"Yessss, sssso much fun."
You aren't sure what or who the dragon is waiting for... if anything. Is it so mad that it is talking to itself? Or could there be something else sneaking across the landscape towards you? Or, perhaps something in the gray skies? The creature seems to be focused on something as it continues to laugh with its piercing green eye wide and wild. The other eye seems unfocused... or shadowy.
- - -
Aureus tries to block out the creature's babbling as she glides across the broken landscape of the Gloom. She stays close to Quinn while staying low to the ground.
When the creature calls out to its unseen ally, she puts her senses on high alert. She sweeps her eyes from left to right and perks up her ears. She only hears the dragon giggling to itself, but her keen eyes find something out in the mists. There is something there, but it is hazy. At first, she thought it was only mist, but a figure barely shimmers in the mist. It isn't invisible but it looks insubstantial.
She isn't sure what to make of it.
"Quinn," She says to the gladiator-knight, who is standing only 20 feet from her.
"There is something else... there."
She points to high hill that stands roughly 25 feet southeast of Angus's position. Quinn strains to see what she is looking at but he cannot see anything through the mist but the glitterdusted dragon.
Aureus knows she cannot stay quiet.
"Angus!" She shouts.
"Beware, there is some sort of ghostly creature near you! It is shimmering in the mist. Twenty to thirty feet in front of you... a bit to your left."
The creature hisses, but it doesn't turn its head towards Aureus. It is keeping its focus
towards Angus.
"Yesss... the lady will be here soon."