RP:Further Preparations and a Saurian Ambush
Part of the Grey Blight Arc
Faux Twilight Cavern
Satoshi, wreathed in writhing flames of an unearthly pale blue, balances in a one-armed handstand upon a pillar of ice jutting up from the lake's black waters. Sweat trickles down the typically cool and collected fox's forehead and her features are pinched in an expression of effort, determined not to break her concentration or lose her balance, the Azure Flames fading in and out of luminescence with every stray thought. Circling around her in fluttering arcs is Ko'tar, the white lyrebird singing praise and encouragement--and threatening to topple Satoshi with his distractions--while the unseen voice of the cavern's residential spirit gives curt pointers to correct each waver of the kit's resolve. Apparently everyone is trying to break Satoshi with lessons.
Svilfon was wandering back to the library from somewhere deep in the frozen wasteland; there was a cherry whistle on his lips that echoes around him which is broken every so often by him bursting into a wicked grin. Well, an excited/wicked grin. It had taken a few days, but he is sure it will work, and should prove interesting. As he nears the cavern, his whistle would eerily whisper around it long before he pokes his head through to see what was going on. When he spies the upside down handstanding Satoshi, with her dancing azure flames, oh how he wanted to test his own fire against those, and Ko'tar, the wizard shrugs to himself, before turning around, sticking the point of his hat into the snow, before pushing himself up in to a headstand. Its long point is all he needs for balance, and from his upside down spot he'd say, not too loudly, "Lady icicle."
Satoshi falters, the Cold Fire surrounding her paling to mere wisps with the lapse, as she looks toward the familiar voice. Despite the strain she manages a smile for the upside-down wizard and begins to carefully lower herself down and back to her feet while ignoring the exasperated sounds of her intangible teacher. "Pointy Hat, hullo~," is hailed, Satoshi shaking herself off to banish flames and knotted muscles alike before a whistle urges the frozen pillar to lower itself down to water level. Another tune, and a series of icy stepping stones create a pathway to guide the kit and her birdish companion back to shore where she can approach Svilfon properly. "Are you taking lessons with the spirit too, then~?"
Svilfon returns the snow queen's grin with one of his own, before the wizard flails for a little while; his hat so sunk into the ground he cannot pull himself out. With a grunt and a cursed, "Sven's balls!", the wizard manages to extract himself from the snow, only to unceremoniously land face down in it. With a grin hidden in white, the deceased wizard gets himself to his feet and shakes off the snow; it takes almost no effort to get it off his new robes, and with little more than a thought and a slight head shake all the snow comes off his hat. With another grin and a hat-tip to the snow queen, the wizard speaks again, "No, no, queen of snow and ice." His grin turns a little more wicked, "I was looking for you... I have made us something!" He nods enthusiastically. "Something to practice in!" He looks her over, "If you're not too tired to come dance with me, of course." He winks, then.
Satoshi furtively wipes her brow upon a sleeve before giving a nod. "A dance will work well after that warm-up." Ko'tar settles upon her shoulder then with a chirrup of greeting for the wizard, Satoshi absently reaching up to stroke the feathers of the bird's chest. She might have looked more perturbed at Svilfon's grin and comment were into not for the soothing presence of the katana-turned-lyrebird, but instead she merely returns the wicked expression with a devious one of her own. "Let's see what the demon's brewed for us today eh, Ko'tar~?"
Svilfon chirps a greeting right back at Ko'tar, before speaking, "I know a parrot who would love you!" He flashes Satie's sword-turned-bird a bright grin, then nods his head to the snow queen, "Ah, lady icicle, it's nothing too devious!" He grins, "Just something I heard whispers of. Come." He turns as extends his arm towards the entrance, "It's in the wastelands... I thought if I messed it up at least out there it'd only melt a small part of Frostmaw!" He snickers.
Satoshi follows after Svilfon, but not before quietly commenting to Ko'tar, "And melt me, most likely." The lyrebird simply croons soothingly, certain the wizard would do no such thing. Oh, how trusting and naive that sword of Virtue can be.
Piled Bodies
Svilfon trudges through the snow with the queen of ice, chatting amicably as he does, "I don't really know if this will work, but I heard he does it, so damnit!- I figured I'd try." As they make their way through the howling landscape of Frostmaw, the wizard again can't help but grin. He loved this desolate wasteland; a frigid, unwelcoming land that speaks to his stubborn heart. There was no give here; the strong survive in this land, the weak die... or become food. Probably both, considering who he's walking beside. As they long clear the City of War, the wizard grows a little more excited, moreso when they come across a wide open expanse of snow, which the vampire spent many hours clearing of bodies.. There were a lot... and not a drop of drinkable blood on them. How rude. He lets out a little huff as he remembers, a rather Kirien-esque gesture, before stopping in his tracks and admiring his work. There, carved upon the snow and ice, is a huge magical circle. It's lines would grate on the eyes of those who practice arcane arts, for it is by its very nature a contradiction of that. Symbols and lines clash against each other, and in the centre of it is a huge pile of what looks like weapons. Resting on its edge is two sets of armour; loosely enchanted, not that it will matter; one is practical and a little rough, the other is finely made and almost elegant. Svil knows Satoshi doesn't do ugly, it seems even for practice he was ready for this. "Here... queen.. is what I made." He whispers a word, causing a small sphere of fire to burn into existence. With a casual gesture he hurls it into the tapestry of magic, where it instantly dissolves from life; the insidious weavings of his engraved spell stealing the magic instantly. "I don't know if it'll work on you, in truth... But in there no magic can be cast... Let's see if you fight without your ice as well as you do with it!"
Svilfon dropped 2 enchanted breastplate.
Svilfon dropped 2 enchanted-chain leggings.
Svilfon dropped 1 black saber.
Svilfon dropped 1 bloodied mace.
Svilfon dropped 1 spiked flail.
Svilfon dropped 1 katana.
Svilfon dropped 1 jeweled dagger.
Svilfon dropped 1 jagged-long sword.
Svilfon dropped 1 falchion.
Svilfon dropped 1 crude axe.
Svilfon dropped 1 crude crossbow.
Svilfon dropped 1 twin daggers.
Svilfon dropped 1 wooden spear.
Svilfon dropped 1 black-oak stave.
Svilfon dropped 1 bloodlust dagger.
Satoshi is instantly put ill at ease upon sighting the circle and its corrupted designs. Oh, this is certainly devil's work right here. Just looking at it grates against her very core, sending a shudder down her spine that's exacerbated by the brief display put on by Svilfon. "You -are- a demon, making an abomination like that. But I'll play, wizard~." Smirking in twisted delight, the magus strides forward and raises her hand for Ko'tar to perch upon. A kiss is pressed to the Virtuous entity's feathers before she murmurs, "You won't do here. I mean to fight, not defend. Go~." An unhappy chirrup comes from the lyrebird then as it fades from view, and with its vanishing Satoshi whirls around to face Svilfon, still grinning. Resting in the hand that formerly held Ko'tar is now the darkly gleaming haft of Asorial as the glacial scythe crackles into existence, frost building and spreading to create the weapon before its serpentine blade snaps into sight with a violent burst of black ice. Steps backwards are taken to bring Satoshi within the circle's confines, and although a tremble courses through her from whiskers to tails at the foul sensation, she stands firm and prepared. These are lessons she's faced numerous times, challenges presented by Kasyr and Cuki alike to force her from the comfort zones of being a devoted caster, for the sake of surviving.
Svilfon is beyond feeling any kind of shame around the snow queen now. He casually pulls off his robes, folds them nicely, before struggling into his set of armour. "A fine weapon, lady icicle," is all he says about her sword, before he flashes her a bright grin; with friends like them, who really needs enemies. "Do as you will." He hops about getting on his leggings, before going through some stretches Cornelius taught him. Before the human met his rather unfortunate fate at the hands of that sinister drow, Kuzial, the dandy had taught Svil some of the finer points of melee fighting. Not that Svil really listened, but it was time to put that spent gold to the test. He walks over the lines of his cast spell; he doesn't really feel any different from before, other than a faint feeling something is... wrong... off... almost disgusting. But with a shrug he walks up to the pile of weapons and selects a rather long spear. He makes some prodding gestures with it at Satoshi. "This will do for now, lady icicle. We know that bug has a staff of all weapons, so let's see how you fare against them!" With that rather friendly, but altogether venerable battle cry, the wizard leaps towards the snow queen and begins to put his spear through a series of rapid stabs, aimed at everywhere but her face. He's not ready for -that- explosion of rage just yet, were he to mark her most favorite possession. In the distance a very quiet noise is heard, sounding rather like a roar. But whether or not it has anything to do with the wizard, or the plans for this day... who knows. He certainly pays it no mind.
Satoshi is grateful in those coming moments for Asorial's boon, the soulbound scythe near weightless within her grasp and thus allowing her movements that would otherwise be cumbersome or impossible with her one-handed grip. Vampiric agility set to backwards dancing steps and the wide flat of Asorial's blade provides the protection Satoshi needs in deflecting Svilfon's barrage of jabs, save for a handful of strikes that slip past her not-quite-perfect defense to score long gashes along sides, ribs, arm, and even a deep cut to her thigh. Hissing at the stinging pain, the kit reverses her retreat abruptly and presses the attack, Asorial singing its sibilant song as it lashes out in a trio of swipes, eager to pay blood in blood. The first two slashes are violent arcs sweeping horizontally back and forth across the wizard's torso before Satoshi's grip shifts, sending Asorial screaming skyward in a vertical streak meant to rend Svilfon from groin to collarbone, or at the very least draw some ear-splitting screeches where metal armor meets frozen blade and give the man pause--and Satoshi an opening, perhaps, to send the scythe's pointed butt jutting forward to catch him in the gut.
Svilfon ignores the blood that pours from his friend as his spear strikes her skin. It was practice against the bug they were doing, there would be no compromise. Just as he feels he has the upper hand, the queen shifts her momentum forward, coming in with some vicious slashes that the wizard blocks perfectly... Well, would have were his weapon not made of wood. Asorial easily tears through the weapon, leaving two halves in Svilfon's hand and a gash on his stomach; his armor not strong enough to defeat the sentient weapon. The reverse strike is defended by the wizard dropping beneath it, and when he raises himself up against her final vicious slash he manages to quickstep backwards, causing the weapon's tip to merely grate against his newly acquired breastplate in a show of bright sparks and screaching sound. With a snarl he hurls both ends of his broken weapon at the queen, before sprinting back to the large pile of scattered weapons. He selects the flail and a bullwhip, one held in each hand, before spinning and once again meeting Satoshi with complete disregard for either of their lives. The bullwhip is retracted, before its vicious tip snaps forward at one of her eyes - the strike not accurate, but enough that were she not to move it'd hit her face. Before the wizard swings the flail around his head, leading into a vicious strike at her mid-section, the sharp points set in an ebon sphere seeking to tear through her flesh and mangle her insides...
Satoshi's forward assault comes to an abrupt halt with Svilfon's retreat to the weapon pile, the kit choosing to begin circling him rather than charge after him. The maintained distance grants her the valuable time needed to watch and assess his choice of weapons before they can be brought against her. A fact that allows her to flinch away from the sudden lash of the whip, and while fortunately her face is spared its bite, her left ear is not so lucky as it begins to leak crimson from a notch now torn through the delicate membrane. The pain is minor, but the offense is enough to tip the scales of reason and transform Satoshi from defender to aggressor once more, the kit charging forward then in a blind rage. ...To meet the full-force of the mace. Momentum comes to an abrupt end mid-step as the spikes crunch against Asorial's side and a whining crack comes from Satoshi's right arm as it and the scythe absorb the shock of the blow before she's knocked backwards by the force rippling through her small frame. Hisses and snarls spill from Satoshi as readily as her blood while she tumbles to a stop, miraculously on her feet and already charging forward anew, heedless of injury. Serpentine screeches come from Asorial then as it's dragged along the frozen earth before it's brought forward with a vicious swing. But it isn't the blade itself driving for Svilfon in that moment, rather a condensed arc of raw kinetic energy that shreds the ground as it thunders toward the wizard, quite intent upon slamming into him and crushing his armor with pure force. Satoshi isn't far behind, scythe poised to lash out in a rapid series of slashes and jabs as she strives to slip past the range of whip and mace.
Svilfon feels the sickening force of his weapon drive into Satoshi's side, after his whip added a nick to her ear. He cannot stop the gulp of fear as he watches her turn more violently feral than before, and begin her own ruthless charge. The oncoming wave of kinetic force is met with a ringing curse, which is cut short by the brutal meeting of armour, wizard and surging power. The armour cracks, but the sound is drowned out by the wizard's ribs breaking beneath it. With a groan he coughs out a torrent of blood, before shaking his head and looking up at his coming opponent. Her scythe is sent through that dizzying array of slashes and jabs, and by more luck than skill does Svilfon evade a fair few, deflect some with his weapons and only add a couple of new vicious trenches to his wounded body. He is stepping ever backwards, the movement agony as his body grinds against itself, but his retreat is not wholly without purpose. It brings him back closer to the pile of weapons, and there it is he makes his stand. His flail is swing underhanded, before being released at her body - the whip's violent 'snap' accompanying this as he strikes it at the hand holding Asorial. Regardless of his success, the wizard drops himself backwards onto the ground, releasing his hold on the braided bullwhip. His free hands grasp for the ebon stock of the crude crossbow, and without much aiming required the wizard lifts it and fires the weapon directly at Satoshi's midsection. With casual disregard the weapon is discarded over his shoulder, before he rolls onto the black-oak staff and surges to his feet with it in hand. He is about to leap into the attack when a horrific roar resounds out over the mountains, the sound filled with vicious hatred and primal rage. Svil lets out a slight wince as he feels his mangled body shuddering beneath him, and eyes his coterie mate's fate... Perhaps the final surprise this day would prove to much... No! He silently screams. It's Satie and Svil - they've survived each other this long, they would survive what is coming, too...
Satoshi's Asorial-fueled anger grants her little in the way of thoughts on defense, and so it's merely with a grunt of pain that her right arm endures another slam from the released mace, bloody shards of ice tumbling from her sleeve shortly afterwards. Her other hand is caught by the whip in turn, Asorial immediately lashing out to twist itself within the cord so that Satoshi can give a violent heave meant to disarm the wizard... except he's already let go of the whip, causing her to stumble backwards from the uninhibited exertion of force. It's while flailing Asorial about to disentangle the braided whip that the crossbow is leveled at her and fired, and it's both her rapid movements and the archery weapon's poor construct that spares Satoshi a direct skewering. Once more her useless arm suffers a fate intended for other parts of the magus' body, the ring of breaking ice loud and clear when the bolt buries itself into the joint of arm and shoulder. Although Satoshi feels no pain from the long dead limb, the force of the shot still sends her reeling backwards where she stumbles, shakes her head, and begins to draw herself in to renew her assault upon the wizard.... up until the thunderous roar shakes the very ground they stand upon, a sound mixed with rage, triumph, and a hunter's bloodlust. Satoshi knows the sound of a dragon and swiftly she turns accusing eyes on Svilfon. "What did you bring?!"
Svilfon can't help but flash Satoshi a bright grin; bloodied fangs shown in the frigid Frostmaw air. "Practice! You know the bug has these, too." He snaps his gaze up at the sky, and there, in all its sinister glory, is a rather large, and altogether pissed off grey dragon. The wizard grins across at his friend, "Satie, meet Ishataulak." The wizard points upwards, before beginning to step backwards, the pain of his wounds stubbonly ignored. "I borrowed something of hers... I think she wants to kill me." With another chuckle the wizard drops the staff and picks up a broadsword and the black shield. "Do I look like a knight, queen of frost and snow?" He seems altogether too casual as the saurian beast above lets out a mighty roar and begins to circle down at the two, its claws and fangs bared. "No cheating and leaving the circle~." With a final wink at his friend, the wizard begins to run to the other side of the wide tapestry of magic, yelling as he does, "Oi, you lizard brained worm! I stole your gold, fried your eggs and ate them for breakfast! And now she is going to kill you! How you like them apples!?" The reply is a roar so loud it blows the wizard from his feet. He flails like an upside down turtle for a while, before once again grinning at the queen of ice and snow. "He will not wait until you're fit and strong to appear... Let's see how durable we are, aye?" Some of his words are lost as the dragon crashes into the circle, between the two coterie mates. The wizard can in fact break his anti-magic spell easily enough, if it is required. But there's no need to tell the lady icicle that. Isha's viciously spiked tail is sent swinging at Satoshi in a wide arc, while her clawed hands and vicious teeth snap towards the foolish wizard...
Satoshi, were she anyone else, might have quailed at the newly presented saurian challenge. But this is Satoshi Azakhaer, Queen of the Frost Giants, the One Lesson Lady, and stubborn wife of Ashen, fellow dragon-hunter. If their blood wasn't deadly to her, she'd eat dragons for breakfast. And the growing smirk on Satoshi's face now reads along the lines of "It's breakfast time~." With a whistle of glee the bleeding vampire begins to bounce on the balls of her feet, prepared to face the dragon when it lands, and paying little attention to Svilfon's words. Ishataulak's impact is met with a light hop from Satoshi to maintain her footing, and eagerly she faces the oncoming tail of spikes, a deadly maneuver she's faced countless times. With a grace fitting a fox, Satoshi dashes forward, juts Asorial out, and--using the scythe as an improvised pole-vault--launches herself above the swinging tail. Another flick of the scythe sends its curved edge out to snake around one of the passing spikes, halting Satoshi's forward momentum and yanking her down upon the extra limb in a crouch. Scaling Dragons 101, complete. With a beast as large and thickly scaled as Ishataulak, Satoshi doubts she'll feel the smallish kit scurrying up the length of her spine. At least initially, until what starts out as a small jab at the base of her tail grows into a lancing streak of pain where Asorial's being dragged over her back, its preternaturally keen edge cleaving through layers of rocky hide to kiss the tender flesh beneath. Satoshi has every intention of cutting a fine line from tail to base of scale as she rushes along Ishataulak's length in an attempt to reach the top of her spiny, half-melted skull.
Svilfon spends a brief moment very much enjoying Satoshi's smirk. This was the queen of Frostmaw he enjoyed spending his time with! But his brief admiration is cut short by the mangled face of the grey dragon snapping her jaws at the man, while her claws slash in from either side. He feels like a knight of old, all armoured with a sword and a shield. So instead of some sneaky wizard trick he yells out, "For the queen!" It seemed to make sense at the time, and he charges forward, right at her mouth. His weapon is swung in an entirely ineffectual slash at her teethbut the force of the blow isn't even enough to chip the tooth it hits. And he is saved from the death of her snapping jaws when her first claw strikes against his shield, sending him sprawling across the snow like a rag doll. "Sven's balls.." Is all he can manage, before dragging himself to his feet. But lucky for him, his steadfast ally has begun her wicked run up the dragon's back, Asorial carving through scales and stealing Ishataulak's attention. The gigantic grey snaps out its wings and thrusts them down, sending her rapidly into the sky. Her mangled mouth opens into a triumphant roar of rage and joy, before the saurian beast snaps one of her wings tightly onto her back, causing her to spin upside down, before her other wing finds place beside its partner, hoping to have incarcerated the snow queen within the limbs long enough for her attack to crush her... For upside down with tucked wings, the dragon is very rapidly falling from her small height; all her monsterous weight ready to squish Satoshi, so the dragon can return to destroying the foolish vampire who stole her egg and slayed her mate...
Satoshi finds herself trapped beneath a wing, well aware of the dragon's intentions by the initial flight taken and the sudden shift in gravity, but the magus has no intentions of staying where Ishataulak has put her. Asorial crackles as it glaciates, spreading into the lengthy form of a zanbato even as its exotic edge pierces the delicate lining of the dragon's wing. Three rapid cuts and Satoshi has hacked a hole through the leathern net large enough for her to scramble out of--Asorial clamped between her teeth--while watching the earth rapidly approach and doing all she can to ignore the acidic burning where dragon blood has dripped upon her flesh. Small as she is, the kit might as well be a flea to the Gray, and that's exactly what she intends to be as she wedges herself between two stoney plates of scale on the dragon's side, where she can ride out the impact with minimal harm and wait for Ishataulak to right herself. She's relying on a dragon's pride in its strength in this moment, using the Gray's certainty that the little 'gnat' has been properly squished and focus can be returned to the knightly wizard. Once attention is diverted, Satoshi will wriggle from her cramped hiding place, return Asorial to her hand, and renew her harassment of the saurian monster by means of a neck-scaling to bring her to the base of the dragon's broad skull. Situated there, Satoshi intends to see if Asorial's seven feet of length can't be used to pierce through a dragon's thick neck--curious just what sort of damage such a thing could inflict, if a vein, airway, or breath-weapon-sac is found.
Svilfon winces as he watches the dragon smash into the ground with enough force to shake it beneath his feet. For a moment he's sure Satoshi has been squished, and this causes his own ire to rise to a level higher than even Ishataulak's own. He screams a wordless cry, sounding like the wizardly knight he is so portraying, before running directly at the beast. He spins the weapon so he's holding it like a dagger, before hurling it with all his strength at the dragon's remaining cat-like eye. Without pause he bends down by his pile of weapons, well, what's left of them, and picks up the jagged sword. Looking like a large knife, he's sure it'll carve her into pieces. Feet thud across snow, but his charge is somewhat in vain. For lady icicle's plan has worked well; the dragon's arrogance enough that it doesn't even realize the queen has scaled around its neck and prepared herself for the odious strike. So when the mangled jaw opens and she prepares to loose her breath weapon, it doesn't quite go back to plan. Asorial spears through her neck, into the large source of her petrification breath. From her open mouth comes an explosion of the sinister liquid. It doesn't spray in a fine accurate arc at the charging Svilfon; it flows down her own face, coming out in a splurt, sealing her horrific half-healed wounds in the stone-like mixture. It means nothing to the dragon, it acts like little more than further armor. But for the snow queen, with her sword buried into the dragon, it could well prove hazardous. If she withdrew the blade, a torrent of the liquid would follow in its wake, but if she remains she will be coated in the insidious stuff. Svilfon, by this stage, has leaped up, his shield used as brief protection from any stray liquid, ready to slash his blade at the face of the dragon with all his force in another rather inadequate attack...
Satoshi's blade remains embedded within the dragon's neck through prudent caution. Not because of the unknown backlash of petrifying liquid that lurks beneath, but the very likely spurting of acidic blood that would follow the removal of Asorial. She's burnt badly enough without being hit by a flood of the toxic liquid. And so Satoshi is left clinging to her sword for dear life as the dragon's head whips back and forth, the oozing gray liquid flowing faster and spewing outward with each violent jerk, peppering the cringing kit. Satoshi's jacket and hat take the worst of the droplets, making the articles of clothing heavier but sparing her skin a stony makeover--save for a spray that washes over her left arm, turning what flesh remains rock hard. Hissing in surprise at the petrifying skin, Satoshi's grip upon Asorial releases and she plunges for the ground in a freefall. Wounds scream in protest when she twists midair to plant her feet against Ishataulak's forearm and shove off, turning a fall into a leap that results in a somersault landing and skidding halt behind the charging Svilfon. Satoshi stumbles back to her feet then and turns in time to watch the dragon rear her head back like a snake preparing to strike, petrified jaws parted, before her mass of teeth descend upon the wizard with only a roar preceding the incoming landslide of a bite.
Svilfon gets a faintly comical look on his face as he sees the snow-queen make her elegant leap from the neck of the beast, off its foreleg and onto the ground. He is glad she is alive, and seemingly not too injured, and yet again his respect rises towards her prowess. None of which helps him as he leaps at the cavernous opening of vicious teeth and trailing liquid. But he is Svilfon! He would not back away, even if he could. He swings up his shield, ignoring the horrendous agony of his insides grating against the broken ribs, and using the large object he forces himself into an almost horizontal position. The snapping jaws crash down, the shield, and soon his sword, bracing against the incredible force to stop him being snapped clean in half. But metal is hardly stronger than the power of a rewounded dragon seeking revenge against her mate. As the twin objects begin to break, Svil screams at Satoshi, "Break the crys...." The rest of the words are lost as the jaws snap shut, incarcerating Svilfon in her mouth and crushing against his body. He is deep enough that her teeth do not tear through his skin, and the remnants of his sword, jutting from the top of her mouth, which Svilfon holds onto with all his strength, stops the dragon from hurling back her head and swallowing the foolish wizard whole. What he wanted from Satoshi was the shattering of a shimmering crystal partially hidden in the ice off to the north. It is what incarcerates spent power in the circle, and were it broken, their magicks would return.. He hopes she heard enough, for his grip is breaking, and without means of escape he is going to soon become the most digested wizard in Frostmaw... Or, of course, she could just kill the dragon! - either way, she must be fast, or soon the coterie will be down one of its members...
Satoshi stands still and silent when Ishataulak's jaws snap shut over the wizard, the only parts of her moving being her right hand as it clenches into a first and the black sheep of her tails, writhing in unspoken fury. She's not heard Svilfon's instructions and thus makes no move to break the crystal that will grant her magic back to her, but spells are not of importance to the kit currently, not as the unbridled rage of a blizzard roars into life within her small frame, the falling snows of the battlefield whipped into a whirlwind around her. Pain of wounds, burns, and petrification mean nothing to Satoshi in this moment, blazing azure eyes with liquid amber being turned upon the dragon as lips draw back to bare fangs in a silent snarl. Without call or gesture Asorial manifests before her, the elongated katana swiftly joined by its Virtuous counterpart when Ko'tar sings itself into existence, the pair of blades borne by the frozen winds. "Give me back my wizard," Satoshi growls out in a low voice, the sounds carried by the zephyrs to Ishataulak's ears, drawing the dragon's attention down to the seething foxkin in time to witness swords of Virtue and Ouroboros rocketing for her, intent upon driving themselves through the stone and flesh of her upper throat. Hit or miss, under the kit's focused rage the pair of blades withdraw and attack in a rapid series of unrelenting, calculated strikes meant to shred the Gray's throat either until she roars in pain thus freeing Svilfon, or her throat has been mauled into non-existent, creating an escape route for her trapped covenmate.
Svilfon feels his body being crushed by the dragon's mouth, and thus misses Satoshi's brazen demand and subsequent summoning of her two fine blades. As they go to work on Ishataulak's throat the dragon refuses to open her mouth and cry her defiance. Instead her wounded wings snap out and she surges into the air, Satoshi's blades still working at her throat with vicious intent. The dragon goes as high as she can, which isn't too high, before twisting around and diving directly at the ground. She aims for where Satoshi is in a final act of spite, preparing to drive herself into the earth; the grey quite capable of traveling through earth almost as easily as air, and take with her the foolish wizard. But Satoshi's swords are too potent for this plan, and as Svilfon feels himself being cut by her blades he begins to thrash around, pushing against the bottom of her throat with all her strength. Moments before the dragon strikes the ground and surges into its relative safety, the wizard is given awkward birth. He dives out of the rugged opening, perhaps taking a wound or two from Satoshi's swords, before he hits the ground with horrendous force; without a doubt breaking another of his ribs. He lays there, uncertain of the fate of any of them, though he senses the dragon didn't die as she caved into the ground... Her throat was torn asunder, but the remnants of her petrification breath may just seal the wound before it killed her... if the swords do not carry on their vicious attack... All Svilfon can manage is a gurgling, "Lady icicle..?" Before he relaxes back and contemplates the foolishness of what he did. This causes a smile to form on his lips. Training, wizard style.
Satoshi's blades end their assaults without warning. Perhaps she's seen the wizard drop free, or perhaps she's forsaken saving him in favor of protecting herself. Whichever it is, Ko'tar is dispelled and a scythe-ish Asorial is once more taken hold if in those final moments of the dragon's descent. With a grimace of pain Satoshi leaps skyward to meet the approach mass of scales and rage, Asorial whistling shrilly in her wake as it's brought around in a monstrous swing, once more unleashing that concentrated ripple of energy sent arcing outward at the dragon. What damage it exacts is of no consequence to Satoshi, all she cares about is using the force to cleave a narrow path through Ishataulak's tattered bulk so that the kit's leaping form can follow right behind and effectively pass -through- the throat's torn scales and flesh, rather than be crushed between it and earth. The maneuver will earn her further bones, as passing through decimated flesh generally results in an unhealthy coating of blood, and the abuse of Asorial's ability will drain already waning strength, but at least Satoshi is free of a squishing. ...Even if she tumbles limply along Ishataulak's spine while the dragon dives into the earth, and eventually falls in a heap beside the saurian-dug hole. Here's hoping the wounded dragon has retreated to recover for the time being.
Svilfon misses Satoshi's rather vicious final strike on the dragon, though when the earth has settled and he hears no reply, a touch of worry worms its way onto his face. With a grunt he drags himself to his feet and stumbles to the dust-covered opening the dragon tore into the earth. He peaks over its edge, only to see the swirling remnants of a dragon's tail, before it's vanished far below.. There to wait and heal, until her vengeance, now upon both vampires, could be fully enacted. As Svil spies Satoshi, he doesn't immediately go to her side, instead he Svilfon tips his hat by way of thanks to the beast, ignoring his horrible wounds and the smoking tendrils that come from the splashes of dragon-blood that weaved into the spaces under his destroyed armour, before he wanders over to where she lays. With another groan he drops to his knees beside her and extends his hand, trying to find somewhere that's not a bleeding mess to place it on. "Lady icicle..?" He coughs up some blood, before wiping his free hand across his face. "Next time we'll keep our magic for fighting dragons, I think..." He chuckles, not even sure if she can heal him; but damnit! He had fun this day, and almost dying has become their way of life he enjoys most of all... It is in their nature.
Satoshi flops over onto her back with a groan, unarmed and nearly lacking on a right arm all over again. Little of her coat still looks like a coat, the fabric buried in blood, stone, flesh, or snow, or a sickly mixture of them all in a few choice spots, but at least she is intact--if you don't count the right arm barely hanging on by a few icicles. "Sven's burning balls. Don't. Do. That. AGAIN!" Whether she means the anti-casting circle, the dragon attack, or getting eaten by said dragon, is unknown... but does it really matter?
Svilfon grins as he hears the queen make her demands. He flops down onto the snow beside her. "They're hairy! Not burning. Unless.." He leaves that line of thought quickly and instead chuckles; the obnoxious pain of all his wounds ignored beneath the veils of his joviality. "It was... fun?" He coughs, before shaking his head. "It was the closest I could get to emulating the bug, lady icicle..." Another raking cough comes from the wizard, before he speaks again. "And we survived..." To save himself from probably Satie-death he adds hastily, "And your face didn't take a single scratch! Told you those hats were useful." He grins, before falling silent. He does quietly think it might be time to tone certain lessons down... Then he gives a mental shrug. Never!
Satoshi doesn't bother to move. Lying in the snow serves to sooth her wounds, calm her rage, and bring the frosty kit some comfort. But she does flick her gaze in Svilfon's direction from under the brim of her semi-petrified hat, grinning. "It's as brilliant as you, like I said. As was this lesson." Painful, but useful.
Svilfon returns the hat tip with one of his own, before resuming his laying in the snow. He would move himself later on... For now, rest sounded to good to say no to. "Fit for an ice queen..." He says, somewhat quietly, before shutting his eyes and remaining quiet.