**FORUM PLOT* Spark of Calamity

[demin]

Ammon has already rallied the army, relaying the Empress' orders and strategies. The Emperor had been observing Shinkou's advancing army, at first not noticing that Lacrimosa had at last joined him at the head of Giaku's gathered forces. He spied the ranks of Shinkou for their general, seeing nothing until he had caught a winged shadow flitting across the ground. Immediately, his black eyes looked to the sky, seeing what had to be the leader of Shinkou's army barking orders and rallying cries to her soldiers. Ammon looked back to his own army, noticing his Empress had joined him. Then, she sounded the call to arms, a howl that seemed to be both felt and heard by all within earshot. Ammon felt her call reverberate through him. It was all he could do to hold himself back from fighting all of Shinkou by himself, the lust for battle enveloping him whole. Giaku needed him, Lacrimosa needed him. He couldn't do something so foolish that would certainly mean his death.

The Emperor stood beside his mate, waiting for the order that would send them all into battle, snarling and gnashing his teeth at the advancing armies of Shinkou.

[Aveilthé]

With a pang in her heart, the Empress had heard the Alpha in the enemy lines clamor with the rest. Privately, she did not want to be in a battle. Did she fear for her life? She was taught not to, that to sacrifice your body in battle was honorable and desirable among many soldiers. But with her young mind, she knew that she had many years before her. Somehow they were starting to vanish before her eyes.

Closing the world around her, she could hear only hear her breath in time with her heart. She was surprised to hear it pattering slowly. She looked on, her apprehensive young eyes peering at each of the lives she, Ammon, and their army had the potential to take away.

Was it so hard to ask for peace? Perhaps. Shinkou looked relentless, and proved as much in the battle in the sky lead by the fierce Goth.

"Ready, Giaku!" she called out. "Ready teeth, claw, and spirit! This is your time for glory! Let us end this madness once and for all and show them that we are worthy of a place in this world!"

With this final uplifting battle-cry unleashed upon the warriors, Lacrimosa set off, first starting in a trot, aware of the scores of feet-pounding upon the earth behind her. Now their hearts and marching paws beat as one, their pointed fangs glinting in the half-light of Valo's great eye. Lacrimosa began to pick up speed, her tongue flopping around her gums. Blue horns and scales shimmered as her feet burst into brilliant blue flames. Shinkou was only yards away now. Any moment, their clash would be heard around the world.

With Ammon and Aunt Phobia at her side, and all those she loved dearly willing to die with her, she felt her heart swell with great love and pride. Knowing this, the afterlife did not look too bad.

[Addykins]

He watched as the two forces collided with eachother. Aerial attacks from both sides sent dozens of wolves falling from the sky. Keen eyes sought out his mother and cousin. They were side by side, his mother protected under her shield and Lacrimosa being protected by the vary same. Suddenly a roaring snarl fixed his attention on an incoming aerial wolf. Somehow a few wolves escaped the melee of aerial attacks and had pressed forth to the towers. His own roar accompanied thiers as his dark wings took root on his shoulders and his glossy fur moved with the air created by the big beating wings. He pushed off from the ledge of the towers and swooped down into a current of air. Shooting behind the wolves he turned sharply, grasping a hand out to grab one wolf by the leg. An eerie mist had floated onto the spot, seeming to hover around the four canines. Thanatos was impervious to his own magic and could not feel the fear and death upon his neck.

The others could and the one in his hand-like paw screeched as the feeling of death closed around the group. Thanatos grinned at the struggling wolf, beating his wings uselessly against the tendrils of dark that curled out from Thanatos and grasped onto the muddy brown wolf. The wolf had intricate markings of deep white and wherever the markings were the tendrils wrapped to cover them up. Suddenly the wolf howled in pain as the tendrils squeezed the life from it. A tendril wrapped around its throat and squeezed, breaking its neck and cutting of the air supply. Thanatos dropped the dead wolf, turning to see a ball of fire rushing to him. He hissed as the flame grew close making it uncomfortable to breath. He threw his shadow wall up, blocking the heat and saving his fur from singing further. One wolf dove to his right, rushing to smash into the Druin from the underside. Parting his maw slightly Thanatos's eyes seemed to swirl even more, the dark orb forming at his maw.

Suddenly it burst from him, leaving him panting slightly from the effort. The orb smashed inot the wolf's wing, singing the feathers off. The hole in the wing started to decay, the skin and bone melting away. The wolf screeched but without a wing could do nothing but tumble to the ground. Thanatos had been so engrossed with his fight with the falling dark purple wolf that he failed to notice the green wolf fire another ball at him. This hit him in the hindquarters, sending him spinning back onto the towers ledge. He hissed in pain as the fire burned his hair away and scorched his skin. His shadow shield pressed against him, its cool moving mass putting the fire out and cooling his skin. He had fallen to the concrete top and had rolled over to see the green wolf diving at him. Ignoring his pain he struggled to kick his back feet and move himself out of the way. Suddenly he snarled, whipping around to face the wolf who had landed.

He charged at the green wolf, his maw parted slightly as another orb formed. This one was smaller and as the wolf parted his own maw to let loose fire Thanatos ducked to the side while releasing the orb. The orb smashed into the wolfs face, catching the corner of its eye. It howled with pain as the skin burned, then started to melt away. Its eye began to melt from the corner slowly. The wolf had lifted a paw up and was frantically scratching at its eye, trying to get the burning and melting to stop. Thanatos moved to grab the wolf by the throat, glaring at him. "Damn Shinkou" He hissed as his teeth parted to gouge his jugular out. Thanatos threw him off the side of the tower to fall below. Just then a Giaku wolf ran up from the towers, his panting form stopping before Thanatos. "Thanatos sir, there are more aerial attacks on the way!" He motioned to the left and Thanatos pondered for a moment. "Let them come, find all able bodied wolves able to fly and send them up." He spoke confidently, his youth and arrogance proving useful at the moment. "Then get all civilians in thier rooms, guard them carefully" He spoke as he turned to face the onslaught coming. No way would he let Lacrimosa down. He may have been young but he knew what he was doing.

[Wyndbain]

Amid all the chaos and flurry of wings, Wyndbain tried her best to keep the groups under control, that is as much control as one could maintain in the middle of two opposing forces that hated each others guts. It was her idea that pairs were better than fighting alone, despite the fact that she was on her own, but this was difficult to keep up. Giaku was plowing through their forces as quickly as Shinkou was through theirs.

"Did we make a mistake?" She couldn't help but utter, her confidence wavering when she saw several bodies fall from the ranks in mid-flight. Were they Giaku soldiers or her own? Were they loved ones or enemies? It had been so easy to say she would go to war to defend her home...but could she stand to loose what family she had? In a moment where the fighting around her seemed to ignore her, Wyndbain scanned the ground below, realizing that Giaku's leader was not amongst those of the flying ranks. She had never seen the new Giaku alpha, but from the reports that scouts had sent back, she new that there was a new alpha to lead them.

There was an area in the battle below where he sights passed and she doubled back on it, picking out an odd magical shape surrounded by fighting and warring bodies on the ground. A magical barrier, useful for protecting something important.

Wyndbain folded her wings and dove out of the sky, spreading them again only to pull in the currents of air to surround her body. The invisible winds could not be seen by the naked eye, but the strength of them pushed soldiers out of her way as she fell to the earth in a swift dive while others scrambled to move as the roar of wind could easily be heard over the howls of battle. She remained steady in her flight, aiming for the large Druin she thought may be the new leader of Giaku. Was it so difficult to see who was in command? Even if she was wrong, it would rid her of one more opponent on the field.

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Hey all, sorry for not posting. The past month was awfully busy for me.

Horns hammered, teeth clamored, howls blared like battle trumpets, and soon the fur and flesh of wolves mixed together in a confusing brawl. Lacrimosa found herself in the thick of things, unaware of anything else around her. She was alone, as far as she knew. Where Ammon was, she could no longer see him, neither her aunt or any of her family that charged with her into battle.

Her clean, innocent fangs flashed, not yet knowing the taste of death. Virgin horns were ready as she continued charging, having not met with a wolf yet. That was when she felt something hard collide into her... a Shinkou beast, howling in pain as she felt something warm and wet trickle down her forehead. In shock, she skid to a halt, trying to thrash the carcass of the dead wolf from her horns. The body slid from her horns and flew in a bloody arch, falling with a heavy thud on another wolf; who knew if he was a member of Shinkou or Giaku. Lacrimosa thrashed her head, trying to pry the blood off before it stained her crown. This made the Empress foolishly vulnerable to any desiring to attack her now.

[Felypsa]

From the depths of Giaku, the demonic beast known as Stormwing, or the Dark Soldier, plowed his way through the minions. As vile-looking as his enemies, if not more so, Stormwing—known in his gentler form in Shinkou and Akeru as Goth—bore down a black curved tail with a venom-dripping blade, slashed at foes with extended white-hot claws, and snarled and bit with elongated fangs that also had the fatal sting of poison in them. He stomped on his hind legs, a biped, and his dragonlike wings flared out, allowing him to escape a tight space if need be—though usually he just battered his way through.

There was just enough of the Beta Goth in the Dark Soldier’s mind to differentiate friend from foe. And when he saw the cavalry of Allied fighters headed their way—led by the pure white Wyndbain—he gave a mighty roar and started to make his way over there. His battle-berserk mind told him to hack his way through anyone who attempted to oppose him. He was, in that mind contorted by bloodlust, unstoppable.

In the sudden chaos, Auster lost sight of his brother and mother, Thanatos and Phobia. Pausing to take a breath, he closed his eyes. The bicolored wolf felt wind whip past him, guiding him to his family. He began to run in that direction and found Lacri. “Cousin—” he began, but saw her shaking herself. His head darted one way as he saw an enemy wolf try to attack her. With a cry, the stalwart wolf launched himself against the attacker, knocking him down. Auster fell back to Lacrimosa’s side. “Let me stay by you,” he murmured, looking around. The cold wind began to stir and, at Auster’s command, started to swirl around himself and his royal cousin. The hurricane was small and would only be discouraging at best—it was not a shield that could effectively keep out attackers. But it would whip rocks and dirt into their faces. It would make it difficult to approach. But Auster and Lacri would remain safe inside, for now.

[demin]

Ammon had quickly become separated from his Empress in the confusion as the lines of both armies collided with one another. He had killed only once before out of self defense, and even then he found it an abhorrent thing to do, and found the idea of killing dozens in one day sickening. Still, he would defend his home to the best of his abilities and slay all who threatened it. Being nearly twice as large as the non-demonic wolves of Shinkou and Akeru, Ammon easily threw aside many challengers with his goat-like horns. He heard skulls crack, bones snap, and felt the sickening warmth of blood splash across his face. The Emperor halted his charge, noticing that Shinkou's front lines had began to buckle and move back. The Ohm chased after one of the more cowardly Shinkou wolves, letting loose a burst of fire as black as night from his muzzle. The magical flames engulfed his target, the poor wolf screaming and rolling to and fro on the ground attempting to extinguish the flames to no avail. The flames licked at his flesh, burning it away with a sizzling noise until flesh revealed muscle, and muscle revealed bones which were burned clean. The smell of burnt fur and flesh was nauseating, nearly making the emperor wretch.

The flames dissipated after each ounce of flesh and muscle were burned away, leaving only the skeleton of the creature on the ground. Ammon abhorred using such attacks, and yet some small part of him, tucked deep away in his mind, enjoyed causing such suffering and agony that the flames brought to their victim, something dark and malevolent that cackled as Ammon watched the Shinkouian in his death throes. He suddenly wanted to fight, wanted to tear and rend flesh with his fangs. He surveyed the field, quickly noticing a large winged, tail-bladed creature charging through the Giaku ranks. Ammon broke into a run toward the creature, bowling over anything that stood in his way, be they Giaku or Shinkou troops. After a minute of working his way through the field of troops the creature was within reach of his magical attacks. Ammon let loose a stream of the black flames toward the creature, attempting to kill the horrific being as quickly as he had finished off the cowardly Shinkouian.

[Wyndbain]

Was this really the leader of Giaku? Could her instincts about the enemy before her be wrong? Wyndbain's hesitated in her flight path, the winds sweeping around her body whistled to a calmer current and her descent slowed. A body was thrown into her side and snapped her out of confusion and with a flap of her wings Wyndbain's vigor was revived. Whether or not she was Giaku's new alpha, killing her would simply add one more to the count of soldiers her pack would have to face.

Her iris drew into itself and disappeared within the milky blue glow as determination fueled her fury. She was sick of Giaku. Sick of this conflict. She wanted her family to be safe, her pack, her home. To bring an end to this endless struggle, she would dive down into the hell hole below her and face a creature she loathed more than any demon from her nightmares.

The winds around her swirled and the roaring current drowned out the noise of those it passed as Wyndbain shot towards the large black druin, distracted as she was and thrashing her head about in a way that would have made the alpha laugh. Though her voice, like trapped beneath a thin veil of glass, easily punctured her arid shell caused the fur to stand up along the necks of those who heard her.

"YOU WILL NOT HAVE OUR HOME!"

[Aveilthé]

Blinded by the deep crimson of her enemy's blood, she blinked several times before the fluid hardened and dried like a bizarre, amorphous mask on her face. She saw her cousin rush to her side, and with a giant leap of her heart, was thankful to have him by her side now. Swiftly nodding, she looked to the other enemies. The cries of pain and death weighed heavily in her heart as she saw them all, trying to pick out which ones were her enemy.

That was when she saw something brilliant and white, almost like a descending light, come straight towards her.

She could make out the voice, even through the raucous noises emitting from every facet of the earth. It was a voice she'll certainly never forget. Such bitterness and anger seethed through every syllable of the words the Alpha of Shinkou uttered. Feeling panic consume her, she twisted her entire body, every hair on her body raised, making her look oddly menacing even though fear became prominent in her bright, white eyes.

Claws dug into the earth as she braced for impact. She was far too inexperienced to think ahead... it was her first real battle after all.

[Felypsa]

He beheld his alpha, like a white beacon of rage, as she barrelled down against her enemies. A savage grin crossed the monster’s face. He started to march on his hind legs toward her, to create a circle of destruction. But that was when he felt the heat. Almost unreal, it sizzled and crackled in the air. The Dark Soldier whipped around, his elongated claws lashing out in midair to protect himself. The black flames of Ammon’s attack seared down the heated sharpened nails, engulfing his front leg. Stormwing bellowed out in pain as he retracted his arm, the fur singed off, the heat boiling his skin beneath it. But what was really boiling now was his blood. Those fierce golden eyes sparked like fire as they sought out his attacker.

He beheld the Ohm…dark, seemingly crippled, but with bravado in his stance. The Dark Soldier snorted. Ignoring the pain of his burnt foreleg, he charged toward the insolent assailant, his bladed tail whipping out, fast as a cobra’s strike. If the tip would sink in, Ammon might be poisoned. Otherwise, he might risk being knocked over by the flat of the blade. Then again, he might prove to be even quicker than all that. Either way, the berserk Beta was ready to duel. May the best wolf win…he cackled in his head, cocky in his insane power.

[demin]

He saw the flames make contact with the monstrosity's forepaw, heard the sizzling as they consumed fur and flesh, and smelt the distinctive odor of burning skin. He thought that would have been the end of it, that the flames would have consumed every inch of skin and muscle until only the bones remained, but the behemoth never fell, and instead turned to face him. The creature's insanity was obvious, its eyes being those of a crazed beast. Ammon froze for a second in surprise as his opponent charged him, and even a second on the battlefield could prove costly. He attempted to dodge the bladed-tail, but that one second had ended up costing him. The blade barely missed skewering him, but the flat of the blade connected with his muzzle and knocked him from his feet. Ammon scrambled back up onto all fours, spawning the same black flames from before around each of his paws. He then leaped forward, slashing out with his right paw as Goth neared, hoping to connect with his muzzle.

[Addykins]

The battle was a mess, wolves dying every where and it tore her apart to see such blood and gore inflicted. Her shield kept her safe and away as she physically pushed wolves aside with her pulsing gold shield. Her marks were glowing such a deep and brilliant red that it made her look dangerous without her really being dangerous. Once, her shield faltered and she found herself facing a growling wolf. She panted, her body shaking with fear and determination as she stared down the enemy wolf. Just as she was about to battle for the first time another wolf slipped in and attacked, an old friend from the slave pit. Phobia was surprised and before she had a chance to ask she spotted Lacri. She gasped as her shield shot back up and she pushed her way back through the crazed battle.

Just as she reached her son and niece she saw the Alpha of Shinkou shoot down towards Lacri. Wynbains shout made Phobia cringe slightly, but when she saw Lacri freeze Phobia could only think of one thing. Pushing her body forward she planted herself between the oncoming Wynbain and her niece, her shield shooting up as Phobia stared at the female filled with such rage. Would the Alpha recognize her from her brief stay at Shinkou? Perhaps not, but now was not the time to ask. Now was the time to protect her family, just as Wynbain was doing.

[Wyndbain]

An obstacle now blocked her path as Wyndbain could see the transparent form of a shield protecting her target. She no longer cared if this was indeed the alpha of Giaku, she simply wanted this druin dead and anything trying to stop her would become her target as well. Falling like a stone, though guiding her path with wings half away, half pulled into her sides, she adjusted her dive only a fraction of an inch.

The winds she pulled around her became more sinister as they moved toward her muzzle, visible to anyone who bothered to look as white blades of air that screamed when the fast currents moved across them. Wyndbain was not going to stop her fall, even if it meant slamming headlong into the shield that blocked her way. If it wasn't important, why protect? Protect? A laughable word for Giaku solders. What had they to protect?

This was it. She couldn't stop herself. The momentum was carrying her too fast. The shield, if it held, may break her blades and she would die, crushed against a transparent wall of magic, then again, she had seen some wolves survive worse. Then there was also the possibility that her blades woulf break the protective shell. At that point, the only thing to stop her fall would be the ground...or perhaps, the more enticing thought...a giaku soldier...even the commander herself. At this point in her dive, Wyndbain really had no control over the situation. Her eyes remained open and cold, furiously glaring down her enemies as she dove and there was a split second of silence as the solid blades of wind finally touched the protective shield that stood between her and her enemies.

[Aveilthé]

Everything was in a blur; Lacri could no longer keep up. She shifted her eyes to every corner, knowing full well that the Alpha of Shinkou was bearing down on her like a meteorite falling from the sky. That was when Phobia leaped out in front of her, and Lacrimosa cried out to her, yelling, "NO! AUNT PHOBIA, NO, GET OUT OF THE WAY! THIS IS NOT YOUR FIGHT!"

And in the midst of her cry, she saw the great monster that was Goth, and her mate Ammon, charging at each other... she saw the swing of Goth's mighty tail...

Lacrimosa felt numb and helpless. She merely stood there, frozen, unable to think clearly. The thought of losing both her aunt and her mate at the same time was far too much for her...

[Felypsa]

With some satisfaction, the beast watched as Ammon fell to one side. But the Ohm still had some fight in him it seemed. With a roar of a growl, the Stormwing stepped back, using his tail as balance on the ground, bracing himself for the inevitable pounce. His opponent leaped at him with flaming paws, and the Stormwing crossed his forelegs in front of him, bearing the full attack. The fire leaped down, searing his fur, and a rumble started through the beast’s chest. His eyes flashed piercing yellow, but he leaned forward, a savage grin on his maw, saliva dripping down from his fangs.

“It burns,” he hissed. “I like it.”

Then he snapped his head forward, jaws opening wide to snap down on Ammon’s head, intending to crush, to poison, to destroy.

His mother came out of nowhere. Auster had been doing his best to protect Lacri from other Shinkou soldiers who were trying to get at her, but he had failed to notice the one greatest threat heading toward them. Until Phobia was in front of them, her shield up around the empress. Auster shot his head toward her and then beheld the alpha flying toward them. The winds surrounding Lacri ceased as Auster leaped to stand beside his mother, both in front of their empress. Once again he conjured up his own defense, though the magical effort it was taking was wearing on him. The hurricane the spun around the three of them now was weaker than it had been before, but he hoped it was just enough of an added defense to keep his mother’s more solid shield intact.