((Aww, no Battlefield Perchers?))

Aeris saw them too, the giant flock moving at a substantial speed toward them. She knew they probably wouldn't make it in time, and that the hostiles were most likely weak undead.

She shouted up to Wind's head, "Wind, Try and get as steady as you can, level, below them, I'll do the rest." Aeris really hadn't had a plan yet, except that she'd need to cast a spell. Quickly going through her mind, she settled with a spell she had used to entertain young children at the magic academy. The range wasn't so good, but it could hit enough targets to down a good portion of the ravens, or at least harm them. Aeris really didn't know how reseilant they were, but, knowing undead, she thought for the worst.

((I'll wait till we slow down before I try my megaman style airship rescue))

Charcion jogged up beside Arthus as they walked. "You know we cannot outrun the undead, right? The men are too tired to keep up this pace!" Arthus turned his head and glared at him.

"And you would have me do what?"

"Leave me." Charcion replied. "I have a bone to pick with this necromancer's army."

Arthus shook his head. "Suicide."

((I'll let Kildare finish this conversation.))

Wind did not need Aeris to tell her to halt their progress. She knew that even her hide would do nothing to protect her from the fierce, dead aviators of the sky. Her wings are far too delicate, and, punctured too many times, will not take her weight up into the skies anymore. What's further, if she risked changing back into human form, her back and shoulder tissue would be lacerated beyond the ability of healing. She angled herself so that she turned a wide circle, in doing so, slowing down and assuming a more stable flight before advancing. She inhaled, her eyes glowing fiery orange before she let loose an unnecessary blast of fire that scorched the air before them.
"<Ashes to ashes, cursed ravens!>" she roared in her draconic tongue.

"Suicide." Arthus shook his head with disbelief at Charcion's words. "Impossible. I will not allow you to go off on a suicide mission just because you feel like avenging your brother's death. Besides, I need you in the quest for the Celestial artifacts." His faced turned grim and serious. "No. Definitely not. We will push on, and if they come, we'll meet them head on and beat them back in the same way we did. Unless....." Then he paused as he looked at Charcion with an amused expression. "Unless....you have an alternative?"

Aeris kept her grip with her right hand while using her left to unsling her staff. Tearing the strap off, she handed it to Shuren, "Tie this to my leg, and find something to anchor it on." not knowing if he understood or not, it was still a better plan.

Carefully standing up, in a wide stance, Aeris hoped to keep her balance long enough to cast a single spell. Getting a good view of the maximum number of ravens, Aeris began her spell. Without being close to the ground, it took a bit longer than she expected to summon the mana for the spell, but it allowed to ravens to get well within range. Twirling her staff, Aeris fired. "Ortano! Fordiguma Ezikiel!" (Issac's Torrential Missle Storm)

Several blue bolts, each about the size of a fist, launched from Aeris' staff. There were around 20 bolts in total, each targeting a seperate raven. The cleric still didn't know if her little Arcane trickery would be strong enough to halt their advance, she could only pray as the missles lazily arced toward their targets.

OOC: If I was a bit out with the spell effect, please tell me.

The bolts strike true, making blue energy crackle around them and setting their moulting plumage ablaze. But they are only a few amongst hundreds and they still fly even as the flames creep over their rotting bodies. The gorecrows haven't even flinched. They have felt no pain - they can't feel pain. Making horrible cawing cries they swoop closer and prepare to attack, looking to focus upon the vulnerable wing-membrane, eyes and the passengers riding upon Wind's back.

Shuren holds on to one of the spines on Wind's back while holding the strip in the same hand. With his free arm he leans done and ties it to on of the spines. Trying to do the same thing himself he unravels the banding wrapped around one of his forearms, the strip being as long as a short rope. He awkwardly ties it around his waist, made awkward by his haste and the wind and also slips it around another spine. The gorecrows come ever closer.

Seeing that Aeris' spell failed, Wind spun around abruptly, nearly unseating her passengers. She circled tightly, inhaling deeply. Deep within her, her dragon furnace built up, until she will release at her wish.
White-hot flames, tinged with the slightest blue, erupted from her mouth. Spirits of the air, aid me, she prayed, and they answered, clustering around her flame and throwing in the oxygen to fuel her explosive fire.
If all else fails, I will have to burrow into the ground, she thought wryly even as she aimed her spreading fire about her, the elementals aiding in fanning her flame around her like a protective, fire bubble. Two elementals wrapped themselves around her passengers to protect and cool them from the harmful heat of her fire bubble.

OOC: If the gorecrows come close, the fire will scorch their feathers and make them flightless. VERY hot fire.

OOC: Please duly note that the battle is FAR from over if you managed to kill the bloody birds....:D

((Humor time))

Aeris wasn't suprised it didn't work too well. she was in range for plan b now, however. Drawing her holy symbol, she almost begged the tiny undead auras to challenge her.

Wind jolted to the right, unleashing her flames. Aeris flew left, lost her footing, but was saved by a dull, Ka-Snap! as her anchor went taut. However, now, she was hanging 3 feet under the dragon's left wing, dangling upside down, watching the gorecrows approach. She raised he holy symbol, and began to turn the undead, "In the name of Lathander, I..." JOLT! Aeris almost looses her grip, holy symbol being barely caught by the silver chain she wears it around. "Just go back to hell, Damnit!" She just screams, finishing the turning attempt.

((That should still work, as fightening as being turned by a pissed off cleric dangling helplessly off the side of a dragon could be.))

OOC: I'm afraid that flocks of undead birds are scarier and thus they aren't affected. That's logic that is.

The gorecrows barely slow down, some dark force bolstering them against the botched turning. They don't slow down for the flames either, some of them simply plunging straight through Wind's fiery aura while the others circle. Their feathers burst into flame but they don't seem to care, swooping in and attakcing with bony claws and sharp beaks. Alread the ones that had been burnt before by Aeris's spell are beginning to stagger through the air but those that lose their flight simply try to cling on and peck. They focus on Shurne and Aeris while others try to rake at Wind's wings and some fly up to her head and try to go for the eyes. Shuren tries to beat the flaming gorecrows away with his one free hand but is hampered by his precarious perch and the suicidual, single-minded nature of the birds' attacks. It is a bizarre and terrible sight, a dragon wreathed in white-hot flames attacked by burning ravens while more circle.

Things aren't much better for the main force of the knights. Nezurahl has unleashed a new weapon against them. Floating eerily through the trees spectral figures approach, cloaked in darkness and fear. They literally pass thorugh the trees, surrounded by an aura of chill malice. One of the scouting knights strikes at one, attempting to hold it off so his companion can escape and warn the knights, but his blade passes straight through it, causing nothing more than a faint ripple in its form. It stretches out one hand, passing straight through his armour and its touch chills his heart. The spectres silently float past his corpse. They are few in number but they do not need to be numerous for they wield terror and no mundane blade can harm them.

There was fear, and then there was terror. Wind felt the tiny pinpricks of pain rain down on her wings, and knew that there would be hell to come. One of her passengers has been unseated, and the other is clinging on helplessly. She knew that she would have to try a risky move.
:Friends! Burn her anchor!: she commanded, and the elementals obeyed, sending a stream of burning fire down and severing the rope that held Aeris. In a split second, Aeris was independently airborne.
But in that equal split second, yelling a "<Hold on tight!>" the great dragon body spun dizzingly around 360 degrees. Her right claw stretched out and snatched Aeris from her plunge, holding her firmly but gently. Those gorecrows that purchased a grip on her webbed membrane were torn off, and those that tried to grapple onto her slippery scales scrabbled helplessly and fell.
Pain rippled across her wings, as the torn strips of her wings flapped in the breeze, though there was enough to keep them airborn. Her fire shield held, her draconic body tolerant to the unbearable heat. She continued her dizzy rolling, throwing off the gorecrows even as they attempted to latch on and attack. If this doesn't work, then I'm going to have to go earth-bound, she thought desperately.

OOC: Tell me, how strong are those back spines?

It is perhaps inevitable that with such spinning and whirling that something would go wrong. Shurne's grasp slips as Wind rolls over and is entirely upside down. He is flung off but the rope jerks him short. He clings at the rope desperately but it slips down, not tied to the Wind's back tightly enough. He falls through the fiery aura, the air elemental still warding him form the flames. Wind tries desperately to grab at him with a claw but fails. Shuren falls downwards, panicked as the ground rushes up towards him.

OOC: Not strong enough it seems.

((And now, my plan B goes to Shuren. I really hope Aeris dosen't fall now.))

Aeris was just thinking about which burst spell would most likely ward off the gorecrows, however, she was finding it quite difficult to do anything while being unhooked, spun, and subsequently snatched. It was not a plesant experience. forcibly jerking her staff around into position within the dragon's loose grip, Aeris tries to initiate a spell when...

Shuren passes through her view. Well, generally that wouldn't have been a problem, had he not been flailing around, falling many hundred feet. He was still in range, but not for long. "I was really hoping I wouldn't need this." Aeris thinks, getting a good bead on him with her casting implement. "Decendus Nox!" (Feather Fall) she whispers, firing the enhancement spell in Shuren's direction, hoping it gets to him without fail.

((That way you can either slowly drop to the ground, and be eaten by gorecrows, or you can land at a gentle 306 miles per hour. Your decision))

Wind hated when things go wrong. She sent a frantic message to the warding elemental protecting Shuren from the flames, telling it to hide within his aura, and act as a beacon if he was ever found alive. She was still pretty worried about the persistent gorecrows that dropped from above. She couldn't go on rolling. It's making even HER dizzy.
Bah! Now is a good time to switch to my last resort, she thought regretfully. Checking she had a good grip on Aeris, she plunged downward, after Shuren, faster than a burning gorecrow could plummet.

Meanwhile, Charcion turned his back to Arthus. "Yes I have a plan... but first... I must help the others..." His inhuman eyesight told him what was hidden from Arthus and the rest of the demon hunters. He saw Wind, and Shuren, and the Gorecrows.

"Let's try this out..." he thought to himself. He closed his eyes and searched out Notikas within his own soul. "Help me brother, we must do something...". He felt a grim acknowledgement from Notikas and smiled. "Arthus." Charcion called. When he felt the demonhunter reach his side he spoke. "Meet me... say... half a league south of the Elven settlement. There is a clearing. I shall be there.".

He felt Arthus nod and continue ushering the men to the settlement. "And let us pray this works..." muttered Charcion. He jumped up into a tree and concentrated, drawing on his brothers power. He felt small rocks rise and shatter from the force of will. "AIEDAIL NIA KIALISA! " he yelled as his hand drew level with Shurens falling form. A disc of light shot from his palm and stopped under Shuren, as Charcion stumbled from the will taken from a mere platform... Now the birds.. Charcion thought, as he grimaced and drew his power again, feeling the undead almost upon him..

Arthus wanted to ask what Charcion was up to, but decided against and just went on with the rest of the army towards their intended destination - partly because that the undead were already behind their heels. Arthus could hear some of shouts and cries of battle just at the flank of the army, indicating that at least some of the undead had caught up with them. He had to do something.

Arthus immediately stopped short and plunged his sword tip first into the ground. And then, drawing upon his inner energy reserves, he focused them into his hand a drew a mystic symbol on the ground. And with that, he muttered a quick magical incantation before pulling up his sword to leave again. Even as the sword left the ground and his feet began to move, he already felt the rise of tingling divine energy in his surroundings. Silently, Arthus hoped that the spell had worked, and it will temporarily protect them from the undead......

OOC: It's a form of shield to ward off spirits and undead. Any undead being who comes to close to Arthus' army will find himself blocked by a wall of pure divine energy.

OOC: waiting for phoenix to reply.

(( I was waiting on Arhra, oops.))

Aeris felt Wind's claws grip her a bit more tightly, and it was certainly uncomforable being held onto by a significantly large dragon. She couldn't cast any spells, but the gorecrows would have a hard time getting to her also. She held on and prayed that Wind could think of something that wouldn't lead to disaster. Wind pulled into a steep dive, the negative G-forces pulling on Aeris' stomach. She tried as hard as she could to not black out.

((Can't do anything... Grappled by a Dragon.))

Of course, there was a factor that no-one had considered. How could Charcion have travelled many leagues in just the blink of an eye, appearing just in time to help defend Shuren from the gorecrows. Some agency was at work here but whether it was benign or malevolent remained to be seen.

Shuren is stunned, he had been falling to his death. Not even a werewolf's vitality could survive such a fall. But then a spell had slowed him and a second, different spells had caught him. He feels panicked, resting on a disc of of glowing force that seemed as ephemeral as a dream to him. To add to that a blazing dragon surrounded by a flock of undead ravens was hurtling towards him. The fact that the dragon was in fact a polymorphed spirit seer who was his ally helped, but not much. He was no great hero to shrug off such sights. Some of the gorecrows begin to swoop towards him and he wishes he could blast them with magic like the others. Otherwise they quite probably would kill him. Time suddenly seems to slow for him and he is aware of a watching presence. It is not hositle towards him but he can sense it is not turly an ally either. It speaks, its words entering into his mind, You could you know, I could show you. You have potential but it is currently untapped. All I need do is reach out my hand and you could be saved.

Shuren answers back silently, <Then why do you not?>

Because, as for all such things, a price must be paid. And when you must pay it, the cost will be terrible.

<The darkness that threatens to engulf the world must be stopped. If I must pay a price to do it, then so be it.>

The presence seems to have a tinge of regret to it, Once I was young and rash like you, I sometimes miss those days. Your courage impresses me Shuren. Done, the bargain is made.

Shuren feels pain as he feels a spell be placed burning into his mind. Then there is more pain, feeling as though he is being torn apart and molten lava flooding out from the cracks. He arches backwards and gives a cry of agony. But then the mage-lightning strikes out at the gorecrows that are swooping down to murder him, the magic crackling from undead bird to bird, consuming them.

* * *

The force Arthus leads proceeds at a crawl. The spectres are constantly circling, probing the barrier for weakness. Their continued attempts drain at Arthus' energy but the knights dare not move faster for attempting to strongly force the ward upon the undead could cause it to collapse entirely. None of the scouts have returned and Arthus is forced to conclude that none of them remain in the realm of the living. The spectres continue their probing.

Then there it was again. That sudden flash of darkness in the spirit realm. The sudden evil that gathered itself to a point where it could be seen with ethereal sight, then just... disappeared.
Wind found herself hurtling at breakneck speed towards a halted Shuren. She heard a shrill cry of inhuman pain, before she snapped out her wings and threw on her aeral brakes. She shot flame into the air, the force of the blast throwing her body to one side. Even as she fell past Shuren's landing disc, she reached out a clawed hand and swept the stunned werewolf downwards in a gentle but firm grasp. Then, both passengers safely in her claws, and the gorecrows somehow crispified by some unnkown force awakened within the werewolf, she braced herself for the emergency landing.

Charcion stared in amazement as he watched the were-wolf conjure some sort of.... lightning shield. A low groan snapped him back to reality as he glanced down. Upon seeing the undead try and grab his feet, he smiled, knowing this may be his final battle. "And I am already weary..." he muttered, feeling Notikas send him his last amount of power before he faded and rested. Charcion jumped, grabbed onto a low-hanging branch, spun around it and caught the neck of a particularaly large zombie. He gave it a swift twist, snapping its neck. Landing on his feet, Charcion drew his sword and issued a challenge to the army. "Notikas, I think I'll need your help..." he thought. His only thought now was to distract the army, letting Arthus get away, even if it cost him his life....

The shield was beginning to fade.

For every feet they walked, Arthus could feel the aura of protection surrounding his army slowly breaking apart. There were just too many undead for his single spell to hold off. Out from the corner of the eye, Arthus could see every now and then the small shadowy flicker of darkness pass by - the sign of the insubstantial spectre his scouts had reported to him just a few hours ago. According to the reports, these silent wights could not be attacked with any physical weapons, and all those touched by it instantly fell to the ground dead, only to be reanimated as another of the foul undead.

The damned bastards were slowly tearing his army to pieces.

Arthus turned his head to look at the rest of the army. He could see the tired and fearful looks in the eyes, even though they knew that the presence of the shield would keep the undead away from them. But even trusting in that belief proved to be a folly as occasionally an undead would be able to break through the already weakening shield to slay an unsuspecting knight before being forcibly thrown away as the shield renewed once more.

They were still safe for now......but one thing is certain.

They're running out of time.

Aeris thought, as she was being dragged down at an increasing rate by the Wind/Dragon. "Why did I need to do this." she whispered. "What difference does it make? I doubt they even bothered coming after us, except for these ravens." She sighed.

"I've abandoned Arthus and Charcion." she thought, guiltily. "It's not like they cant defend themselves, just... No. I'm doing all I can to help them escape. The only mistake was allowing Wind and Shuren to come with me." She pondered the last statement again for awhile, "If it was just me, alone, that necromancer, whatever is left of him, couldn't resist."

"Damn!" she finished, cursing her luck.