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Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 1491352" data-attributes="member: 812">"This on an empty stomach."Shan tied off the cable she'd been hauling on and yanked out her sword just as the plunging dragon reached her.There was a reptilian shriek, a loud curse and a sharp bang. Wei-Yong leaned over the edge of the teetering elevator platform to see what had happened."Shan? Shan, are you okay?"The dragon sped along the canyon floor and rose up, climbing up through the still air a few hundred yards from the elevator where Wei-Yong, Li Fa, Ming-Wa and Guang Li kept their balance."Oh, yeah, I'm great. I think I got him. Tough bugger."Shan got to her feet and waved her sword over her head."Come on back! We'll put you on the barbecue, lizard!"Ming-Wa winced as the dragon, metallic scales gleaming as it rose high enough to catch the afternoon sun, turned abruptly and dove back towards them, screeching as it came."Hey, Shan? Quit inviting it back, okay?""Don't worry, I'm on my way."Tong Shan leapt for the rickety ladder that rose next to the elevator scaffold and began climbing with quick motions. Even in her armour, Shan's powerful arms and legs drove her upward speedily. She watched over her shoulder as the beast came swooping down again."Climb faster, Shan."Li Fa brandished her staff, hoping that Ming-Wa would be able to hit it again with her powerful telepathic abilities. She heard the younger woman whispering a prayer to the Goddess, felt that strange electric shiver pass through her as Ming-Wa's power manifested itself.Again the dragon shrieked and turned in on itself, writhing in the air as it coiled and uncoiled like an earthworm poked with a stick. It did not fall this time, however, and Fa could see the creature regaining control over itself. In a second it would be upon them.Shan reached the level of the elevator platform, eighty feet above the canyon floor. The wooden platform hung swaying from massive cables, its nearest edge more than two arm-spans away. Shan flexed her legs and took a deep breath and with an explosive yell, hurled herself across the gap.Wei-Yong saw her friend preparing to jump and realised the distance Shan was trying to cross. It was too far. Far, far too far."Shan, no! Don't -- "Wei-Yong cried out in horror as her friend sprang from the ladder and stretched out with her big hands.And missed.And dropped out of sight. Eighty feet above the ground."This one's going to hurt."*****Back along the trail the Angels had followed on their way up to the entrance to the canyon Lang-xia-gu, a strangely sinuous figure lounged in the shadow of six tall birch trees.Maliss spent every waking moment he could tending to his longbow. It was a gorgeous weapon, filigreed and polished so that it gleamed even in starlight. It had been made for him long, long ago, by a crazed sorcerer with a talent for pain. He called it Nervewrack. Those unlucky enough to receive an arrow from Nervewrack usually collapsed in agony -- if the arrow hadn't killed them outright, of course.He and the Caedmonish mercenaries he'd gathered for this mission waited the report of success from their lead party. Expecting a quick report of success, they began to worry as time dragged on. Maliss gestured to Burogerk."Go see what's happened. Where's Alrughf?"The big barbarian nodded and slipped quietly up the hill. Maliss moved to where he could see the slope more clearly and blinked in surprise as Alrughf, usually a cautious type, came pelting downhill in obvious panic. Burogerk met him and the two returned to the grove where Maliss waited."Well? Where's Gurken?"Alrughf shook his head, panting with the exertion of the run."Dead. Gurken's dead."Maliss frowned."What happened? Did the spell fail?""No, sir. The spell worked fine. You saw him, he turned into a dragon. That was no problem. It's these girls. They can do things. They're... I don't know what they are.""What do you mean?""At least one of them, sir, possesses powers... Like the Hinsuan Mystics. Powers of the Dream Worlds, sir, like yourself."Alrughf thankfully drank a long swallow from Burogerk's waterskin. After a gasp, he continued."As Gurken approached they caused him to experience pain. Twice he came at them, and twice he was paralysed with pain. I heard him screaming. I felt the power unleash itself.""They have a psion among them. Good to know this now. How did Gurken die?""I saw his body ripple with some kind of crashing, invisible blow. He screamed again and plunged into the canyon. One of them, the girl we seek, saw me and I ran.""What did she do during the battle?""Nothing, sir. She screamed. She tried to catch the woman who fell.""A woman fell? Is one of them dead?""I don't know, sir. I only saw one of them, the big one with the sword, try to jump and miss and fall. It was very high up. She's got to be dead."*****"I've got to be dead.""You're not dead," Shan heard Li Fa tell her, "You're just... not well.""Carry me.""Shan, all four of us couldn't carry you. Can you stand?"The big woman groaned. Her fall had been a crazy series of bounces and uncontrolled skids down the crumbling cliff face, crashing into guy cables and thumping painfully off beams and supports to finally end up face down on the loose shale of the canyon floor.Not more than a few steps from where she lay, the dragon sprawled in a similar posture, unmoving. Though much more solidly embedded in the ground. Seeing it there gave Shan a burst of energy and she pushed herself upright. She pulled her big two-handed sword out of the sheath on her back, took a wobbly step towards the dead beast and with a terrible shriek, cut off its head.Li Fa nodded her approval and dragged the head over to the elevator platform. With a grunt, she heaved the reptilian thing onto the platform. It landed with a splat that made Shan grin."Barbecue."</blockquote>

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