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<blockquote data-quote="Drusilia Nailo" data-source="post: 726844" data-attributes="member: 2062">Hello, all!&nbsp; DrN asked me to make the next update, since I had the day off and he has been a little busy of late.&nbsp; I know that my style is somewhat different from his, but I hope that you enjoy it all the same!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The raven soared through the sky, high above the approaching longboats.&nbsp;&nbsp; It was unnoticed by them.&nbsp; Four sails, boss, the bird thought to its wizard, who was back on shore.&nbsp; &nbsp; Di'Fier looked up from his spell book, with a suddenness that made the others look at him sharply.&nbsp; &quot;They're coming,&quot; he said.&nbsp; &nbsp; Instantly the four of them sprang into action.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru and Shesara swarmed up the side of the watchtower where the arrows and pitch were hidden.&nbsp;&nbsp; Di'Fier began chanting, and when he was finished, Benares disappeared.&nbsp; &quot;Remember,&quot; he said to his now invisible companion, &quot;Don't confront them.&nbsp; Just steal their boats, or disable them.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He turned, and then followed Dru and Shesara up into the watchtower.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru had her bow ready, and was glaring out at the water.&nbsp; &quot;I wonder if the straw dummies in the other towers are going to fool them,&quot; she muttered, watching them approach. &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Hmm,&quot; said Di'Fier, as he too watched their enemies start to get out of the boats.&nbsp; &quot;The big one doesn't seem to splash in the water when he walks.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru sniffed disdainfully.&nbsp; &quot;Magic of some sort, I'm sure.&nbsp; There's got to be fifty of them there,&quot; she added, a worried note creeping into her voice.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The three of them leaned down, waiting.&nbsp; Di'Fier began to quietly chant, his eyes fixed on the stretch of beach not yet filled with pirates.&nbsp; &nbsp; The pirates began to mutter amongst themselves, looking at the silent camp.&nbsp; The biggest one, clearly the leader, looked towards the tower that the three were in, and began pointing towards it excitedly.&nbsp; He started to rush towards it.&nbsp; &nbsp; Just then, several things happened.&nbsp; The air around the part of the beach that Di'Fier was staring at began to shimmer, and a dire crocodile stepped out of nothingness.&nbsp; It lunged towards one of the startled pirates, who shrieked in very unwarriorlike surprise and terror.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru narrowed her eyes, dipping an arrow into the burning pitch,&nbsp; and aimed her bow,&nbsp; not at the pirates, but at one of their boats.&nbsp; It caught on fire dutifully, and she smiled in satisfaction.&nbsp; &nbsp; Shesara shot a flaming arrow at the charging leader, hitting him and catching his clothes on fire.&nbsp; Shortly afterward, Dru sent two more into him.&nbsp; &quot;Ha,&quot; she muttered, pleased.&nbsp; &nbsp; There was more chanting from Di'Fier's side of the tower, and suddenly, a cloud of fog surrounded several of the pirates.&nbsp; Some of them did manage to stagger out of the fog, although the there was muffled cursing and gasping coming from all of them, as they doubled over on the beach.&nbsp; The large leader, was unfortunately not in sight any longer.&nbsp; He must still be in the cloud, thought Di'Fier.&nbsp; &nbsp; The dire crocodile grabbed onto a pirate's leg with vicious teeth, and tore off the offending appendage.&nbsp; The man screamed, and died.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A volley of flaming arrows came out of the tower, dropping a half dozen of the pirates.&nbsp; The others, looking worried now, continued to advance upon the tower.&nbsp; &nbsp; Di'Fier started chanting again, ducking out of view so that he didn't present a target.&nbsp; Let's see how they can handle a bear, he thought to himself.Benares waded slowly through the water, trying to not make any more ripples than was strictly necessary.&nbsp; He heard the sounds of fighting on the beach, and looked back towards the camp worriedly.&nbsp; He hoped that his companions were able to defend themselves.&nbsp; They were good in a fight, but they were extremely outnumbered.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Grabbing the side of one of the boats, he began to drag it away.&nbsp; I have to save at least one of these, so that we can get back to Tanaroa, he thought to himself.&nbsp; Otherwise, knowing her,&nbsp; Dru might fire all of them. He looked back once more towards the beach to see a dire crocodile savaging yet another pirate, and another running around with his hair on fire, and shook his head in wry amusement.&nbsp; Our heroes fight dirty.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru sent one fire arrow after another into the pirates, dropping them one by one.&nbsp; When she heard the strange cacaphony of Di'Fier chanting and Shesara beginning to sing an elven song of valor, she grinned.&nbsp; They don't stand a chance, numbers or not.&nbsp; &nbsp; There were sudden yells of fear coming from the cave, and then the angry roar of a bear.&nbsp; &nbsp; Some of the pirates got close enough to the tower that they were able to throw axes up at the heroes.&nbsp; All of them missed.&nbsp; &quot;Thanks for the ammo!&quot;&nbsp; Dru beamed at them, and sent one hurling down at its former owner.&nbsp; The blade sunk deeply into the man's chest, making him stumble and fall to the ground.&nbsp; &nbsp; The crocodile was lunging at now desperately fleeing pirates, biting at some, smacking others with its tail.&nbsp; It left behind it a wake of bodies.&nbsp; The pirates were beginning to get brave again, however, because some of them began to carefully approach the rampaging reptile, swords ready.&nbsp; &nbsp; The cloud of vapor dissipated, revealing several nearly comatose pirates.&nbsp; The leader isn't there, thought Dru wildly.&nbsp; Where is he?&nbsp; &nbsp; As if in answer to her unspoken question, the rope ladder was jerked downward at her feet.&nbsp; Smiling savagely, Dru dropped her bow, and pulled her rapier.&nbsp; She poised herself above the trap door, and exchanged nods with Di'Fier.&nbsp; They would wait.&nbsp; &nbsp; There was another roar of enraged pain from the bear, and then there was silence.&nbsp; &nbsp; Four throwing axes came over the sides of the tower again, but this time, their owners were more lucky.&nbsp; Two of sank into Di'Fier, and two into Shesara.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shesara gasped, and ducked down out of sight.&nbsp; She began to chant over herself, causing some of her wounds to knit themselves closed.&nbsp; &nbsp; There was a cheer of victory as some of the pirates were actually able to wound the crocodile, cut short by it getting in another bite on one of their number.&nbsp; &nbsp; While they were waiting for the leader to make his ascent, Di'Fier began chanting.&nbsp; Thick webs appeared beneath the tower, trapping those pirates that were hiding beneath to escape the fire arrows.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The leader vaulted over the side of the tower, instead of coming up through the trapdoor.&nbsp; Dru blinked in momentary surprise, but recovered quickly.&nbsp; She leapt towards him, her rapier singing out twice, rapidly.&nbsp; Both times her blade struck true.&nbsp; Di'Fier stepped forward, and with a blade that steamed from frost hitting the humid tropical air, struck the leader in the chest.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Confused and surprised at quickly and seriously he had been injured, the pirate leader lunged towards Di'Fier blindly, striking out at nothing but air with his sword.&nbsp; &nbsp; Shesara, singing, pulled her sword and thrust it through the leader's stomach.&nbsp;&nbsp; Dru moved in again, striking at him twice, though only hitting once.&nbsp; Di'Fier followed up with several bolts of magical energy, which struck him unerringly in the chest.&nbsp; &nbsp; The leader, perhaps still unable to take the women seriously enough, struck out at Di'Fier, his blade finally hitting him.&nbsp; The action, however, was enough to make him drop from the exertion on his heavily abused body.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Dammit,&quot; said Dru.&nbsp; &quot;There's two arrows left.&quot;&nbsp; She snatched one up, and plunged it into the burning pitch.&nbsp; &quot;Might as well use it&quot; she grumbled, sending it towards one of the pirates, wounding him.&nbsp; &nbsp; More bolts of magical energy flew from Di'Fier's fingertips,&nbsp; killing one more pirate and seriously wounding another.Out in the water, Benares moved the boat out of sight.&nbsp; He started to move back to the shoreline, and when he got close enough, began to anxiously take stock of what had happened.&nbsp; There were pirate bodies strewn carelessly all over the camp.&nbsp; Only one pirate was still caught in the webbing, and was loudly protesting when his companions set fire to strands.&nbsp; He couldn't see the crocodile anymore, so it had probably been defeated.&nbsp; It seemed that there were only a few pirates left standing.&nbsp; We just might win this, he thought.&nbsp; And then he saw Dru balancing precariously on the railing of the watchtower.&nbsp; What is she doing?!&nbsp; And then he heard her battle cry, and saw her leap over the edge.&nbsp; His heart in his throat, he watched, and saw her land, feet first, onto one very surprised pirate.&nbsp; He crumbled under the sudden weight, and did not stir again.&nbsp; Dru half-rolled off of him, and moved out of the way of the other axes and swords.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; He saw Di'Fier balancing on railing as well.&nbsp; The wizard then steadied himself, and sent several more magical bolts down into some of the enemy,&nbsp; before leaping down at them.&nbsp; He landed poorly, though, clearly hurting himself on the hard ground.&nbsp; Benares winced.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shesara, upon seeing Di'Fier hurt himself, grabbed onto the rope that she and Dru had rigged up before the fight.&nbsp; She slid down it, letting it carry her over the hedge and away from the fight.&nbsp; She kept singing, though, hoping that her voice would continue to buoy her companions.&nbsp; The fight is almost over, she thought to herself.&nbsp; What a song this will make!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A pirate, deciding that the prone Di'Fier was a good target, hit him an axe, the blade sinking into his currently unprotected leg.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Di'Fier responded by sending more magical energy bolts into his opponent and one other pirate,&nbsp; and then rolled to his feet.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Shesara leapt back through the hedge, her sword ready.&nbsp; &nbsp; There were two pirates left, who didn't seem to realize that they were outnumbered now. One of them stepped up to attack Di'Fier, but Dru moved in at his flank, sending her rapier into his kidney.&nbsp; The pirate sank to the ground, blood bubbling out of his wound.&nbsp; &nbsp; Di'Fier sank to one knee, knowing that he couldn't continue much longer.&nbsp; He cast the glowing bolts of magical energy into the last standing pirate, and the collapsed to the ground.&nbsp; The pirate fell beside him, breathing his last.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;All they had on them were just armor and their weapons,&quot; said Dru in disgust, dropping the last of the bodies into a pile.&nbsp; &quot;We would kill the world's poorest pirates.&nbsp; Maybe the huts will have some loot?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;There's always the storage cave,&quot; said Shesara, comforting her.&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru slipped on the magical ring that they had pulled from the leader's charred body.&nbsp; &quot;I wonder,&quot; she murmured.&nbsp; &quot;Di'Fier, you said you saw that guy walking on water?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He nodded.&nbsp; &nbsp; She stepped out into the water carefully, and grinned broadly at her companions when she stayed on top of its surface.&nbsp; &quot;I can walk on water!&nbsp; I can walk to Tanaroa!&nbsp; I can walk to Freeport!&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Drusilia Nailo, post: 726844, member: 2062"] Hello, all! DrN asked me to make the next update, since I had the day off and he has been a little busy of late. I know that my style is somewhat different from his, but I hope that you enjoy it all the same! The raven soared through the sky, high above the approaching longboats. It was unnoticed by them. [i]Four sails, boss,[/i] the bird thought to its wizard, who was back on shore. Di'Fier looked up from his spell book, with a suddenness that made the others look at him sharply. "They're coming," he said. Instantly the four of them sprang into action. Dru and Shesara swarmed up the side of the watchtower where the arrows and pitch were hidden. Di'Fier began chanting, and when he was finished, Benares disappeared. "Remember," he said to his now invisible companion, "Don't confront them. Just steal their boats, or disable them." He turned, and then followed Dru and Shesara up into the watchtower. Dru had her bow ready, and was glaring out at the water. "I wonder if the straw dummies in the other towers are going to fool them," she muttered, watching them approach. "Hmm," said Di'Fier, as he too watched their enemies start to get out of the boats. "The big one doesn't seem to splash in the water when he walks." Dru sniffed disdainfully. "Magic of some sort, I'm sure. There's got to be [i]fifty[/i] of them there," she added, a worried note creeping into her voice. The three of them leaned down, waiting. Di'Fier began to quietly chant, his eyes fixed on the stretch of beach not yet filled with pirates. The pirates began to mutter amongst themselves, looking at the silent camp. The biggest one, clearly the leader, looked towards the tower that the three were in, and began pointing towards it excitedly. He started to rush towards it. Just then, several things happened. The air around the part of the beach that Di'Fier was staring at began to shimmer, and a dire crocodile stepped out of nothingness. It lunged towards one of the startled pirates, who shrieked in very unwarriorlike surprise and terror. Dru narrowed her eyes, dipping an arrow into the burning pitch, and aimed her bow, not at the pirates, but at one of their boats. It caught on fire dutifully, and she smiled in satisfaction. Shesara shot a flaming arrow at the charging leader, hitting him and catching his clothes on fire. Shortly afterward, Dru sent two more into him. "Ha," she muttered, pleased. There was more chanting from Di'Fier's side of the tower, and suddenly, a cloud of fog surrounded several of the pirates. Some of them did manage to stagger out of the fog, although the there was muffled cursing and gasping coming from all of them, as they doubled over on the beach. The large leader, was unfortunately not in sight any longer. [i]He must still be in the cloud,[/i] thought Di'Fier. The dire crocodile grabbed onto a pirate's leg with vicious teeth, and tore off the offending appendage. The man screamed, and died. A volley of flaming arrows came out of the tower, dropping a half dozen of the pirates. The others, looking worried now, continued to advance upon the tower. Di'Fier started chanting again, ducking out of view so that he didn't present a target. [i]Let's see how they can handle a bear,[/i] he thought to himself. Benares waded slowly through the water, trying to not make any more ripples than was strictly necessary. He heard the sounds of fighting on the beach, and looked back towards the camp worriedly. He hoped that his companions were able to defend themselves. They were good in a fight, but they were extremely outnumbered. Grabbing the side of one of the boats, he began to drag it away. [i]I have to save at least one of these, so that we can get back to Tanaroa,[/i] he thought to himself. [i]Otherwise, knowing her, Dru might fire all of them.[/i] He looked back once more towards the beach to see a dire crocodile savaging yet another pirate, and another running around with his hair on fire, and shook his head in wry amusement. [i]Our heroes fight dirty.[/i] Dru sent one fire arrow after another into the pirates, dropping them one by one. When she heard the strange cacaphony of Di'Fier chanting and Shesara beginning to sing an elven song of valor, she grinned. [i]They don't stand a chance, numbers or not.[/i] There were sudden yells of fear coming from the cave, and then the angry roar of a bear. Some of the pirates got close enough to the tower that they were able to throw axes up at the heroes. All of them missed. "Thanks for the ammo!" Dru beamed at them, and sent one hurling down at its former owner. The blade sunk deeply into the man's chest, making him stumble and fall to the ground. The crocodile was lunging at now desperately fleeing pirates, biting at some, smacking others with its tail. It left behind it a wake of bodies. The pirates were beginning to get brave again, however, because some of them began to carefully approach the rampaging reptile, swords ready. The cloud of vapor dissipated, revealing several nearly comatose pirates. [i]The leader isn't there, thought Dru wildly. Where is he?[/i] As if in answer to her unspoken question, the rope ladder was jerked downward at her feet. Smiling savagely, Dru dropped her bow, and pulled her rapier. She poised herself above the trap door, and exchanged nods with Di'Fier. They would wait. There was another roar of enraged pain from the bear, and then there was silence. Four throwing axes came over the sides of the tower again, but this time, their owners were more lucky. Two of sank into Di'Fier, and two into Shesara. Shesara gasped, and ducked down out of sight. She began to chant over herself, causing some of her wounds to knit themselves closed. There was a cheer of victory as some of the pirates were actually able to wound the crocodile, cut short by it getting in another bite on one of their number. While they were waiting for the leader to make his ascent, Di'Fier began chanting. Thick webs appeared beneath the tower, trapping those pirates that were hiding beneath to escape the fire arrows. The leader vaulted over the side of the tower, instead of coming up through the trapdoor. Dru blinked in momentary surprise, but recovered quickly. She leapt towards him, her rapier singing out twice, rapidly. Both times her blade struck true. Di'Fier stepped forward, and with a blade that steamed from frost hitting the humid tropical air, struck the leader in the chest. Confused and surprised at quickly and seriously he had been injured, the pirate leader lunged towards Di'Fier blindly, striking out at nothing but air with his sword. Shesara, singing, pulled her sword and thrust it through the leader's stomach. Dru moved in again, striking at him twice, though only hitting once. Di'Fier followed up with several bolts of magical energy, which struck him unerringly in the chest. The leader, perhaps still unable to take the women seriously enough, struck out at Di'Fier, his blade finally hitting him. The action, however, was enough to make him drop from the exertion on his heavily abused body. "Dammit," said Dru. "There's two arrows left." She snatched one up, and plunged it into the burning pitch. "Might as well use it" she grumbled, sending it towards one of the pirates, wounding him. More bolts of magical energy flew from Di'Fier's fingertips, killing one more pirate and seriously wounding another. Out in the water, Benares moved the boat out of sight. He started to move back to the shoreline, and when he got close enough, began to anxiously take stock of what had happened. There were pirate bodies strewn carelessly all over the camp. Only one pirate was still caught in the webbing, and was loudly protesting when his companions set fire to strands. He couldn't see the crocodile anymore, so it had probably been defeated. It seemed that there were only a few pirates left standing. [i]We just might win this,[/i] he thought. And then he saw Dru balancing precariously on the railing of the watchtower. [i]What is she doing?![/i] And then he heard her battle cry, and saw her leap over the edge. His heart in his throat, he watched, and saw her land, feet first, onto one very surprised pirate. He crumbled under the sudden weight, and did not stir again. Dru half-rolled off of him, and moved out of the way of the other axes and swords. He saw Di'Fier balancing on railing as well. The wizard then steadied himself, and sent several more magical bolts down into some of the enemy, before leaping down at them. He landed poorly, though, clearly hurting himself on the hard ground. Benares winced. Shesara, upon seeing Di'Fier hurt himself, grabbed onto the rope that she and Dru had rigged up before the fight. She slid down it, letting it carry her over the hedge and away from the fight. She kept singing, though, hoping that her voice would continue to buoy her companions. [i]The fight is almost over,[/i] she thought to herself. [i]What a song this will make![/i] A pirate, deciding that the prone Di'Fier was a good target, hit him an axe, the blade sinking into his currently unprotected leg. Di'Fier responded by sending more magical energy bolts into his opponent and one other pirate, and then rolled to his feet. Shesara leapt back through the hedge, her sword ready. There were two pirates left, who didn't seem to realize that they were outnumbered now. One of them stepped up to attack Di'Fier, but Dru moved in at his flank, sending her rapier into his kidney. The pirate sank to the ground, blood bubbling out of his wound. Di'Fier sank to one knee, knowing that he couldn't continue much longer. He cast the glowing bolts of magical energy into the last standing pirate, and the collapsed to the ground. The pirate fell beside him, breathing his last. "All they had on them were just armor and their weapons," said Dru in disgust, dropping the last of the bodies into a pile. "We [i]would[/i] kill the world's poorest pirates. Maybe the huts will have some loot?" "There's always the storage cave," said Shesara, comforting her. Dru slipped on the magical ring that they had pulled from the leader's charred body. "I wonder," she murmured. "Di'Fier, you said you saw that guy walking on water?" He nodded. She stepped out into the water carefully, and grinned broadly at her companions when she stayed on top of its surface. "I can walk on water! I can walk to Tanaroa! I can walk to [i]Freeport![/i]" [/QUOTE]

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