Dragon Goddess’s chosen

Comparison analysis of ???? thief, Akane  to Alex Steele.

 

Strength: Significantly lower

Dexterity: Significantly higher 

Durability: Significantly lower 

Arcane Magic: Exponentially higher

Divine Magic: Slightly higher 

Nature Magic: Moderately higher 

 

Conclusion: ???? thief, Akane is of Major threat to User 

Rage will reduce threat moderately, rage emotional threshold or damage threshold has not been met.

 

Inspect proficiency has increased.

Skills and abilities detected in opponent:

True Sight

Passive Magic detection

“Ooh, interesting, a highborn kitsune,” Azion chuckled as he floated by, disturbing me while I looked over the Threat Analysis. “Not many beyond the Shogunate royal family, wonder why she's away from her homeland.”

‘Please just shut up.’ I forced myself to not look at him and kept my attention on the kitsune. “It's my job to be security here. I think the only agreement we can come to is me letting you leave before you try anything.”

“You sure? Think of all the treasures that rich prick has in that vault of his.” Akane replied then shrugged. “We won't mind if some went missing before we could grab it if it means not having to deal with you or your coatl friend.”

“Bribing me isn't going to work,” I said flatly. Her tails flicked more and she gave a sigh.

“Of course this has to be difficult, he would be lucky enough to hire a dragon that valued honor…”

“Wait… the vault,” I paused and glanced to my left, contemplating abandoning pursuing her to go check that. Before I could make a decision, Akane suddenly blinked into existence where I was looking, a lot closer to me than what she was before. ‘Misty step? Is line of sight still a requirement for that?’

“Hey, don't be getting any ideas now, we're still talking,” she crossed her arms.

“Are we? I don't think we can come to an agreement.” I growled, taking a step closer while aiming to try to intimidate her. 

“We could if you weren't so damn stubborn,” she tilted her head slightly with a slightly bemused look in her eyes. “It's a shame, I would love to work with a dragon.”

“Alex?” Max's voice echoed through the halls and my magic detection flickered around the kitsune as I turned to call down where his voice seemed the loudest.

“Max! This way!” I yelled.

“A member of your group? Sounds like that cute little mutt you were hanging around as a maid,” she taunted, making my temper flare once again that night. 

“Do not call him that!” I snarled as I whipped back around towards her.

“Him? Cute. Quite a reaction too. Is he special to you? What about that elf you were with? If gold isn't working, I'll try this: We can leave them alone if you just don't inter-” I didn't even let her finish. I just released the charge I had built up into a bolt of lightning from my mouth, the crack of thunder leaving my ears ringing a bit. She disappeared in the flash of light and I heard her pained voice laugh behind me. “Negotiations are over I guess.”

‘Fucking Misty Step,’ I growled, glancing back to find her clutching her now-burned shoulder. “You're threatening my mates now! Of course it's over!” 

“Finally, things are getting interesting!” The annoying god chuckled while staying out of my way.

“Mates? You guys actually fool around with normal people?” I ignored her question and Azion's presence and rushed at her, instincts demanding blood for the indirect threat toward Kat and Max. She ducked under the swing of my claws aimed at her mask and her face underneath, much to my frustration, then I felt something get jammed into my side with the sound of metal clinking against scale. I heard a soft curse under her breath as she retreated behind me followed by a spell: “Rapax Capreolos!”

Before I could even question what it did, a thin layer of ooze spread out under me, from which dozens of slimy black tentacles erupted. My skin crawled a bit as several found my legs and wrapped around them tightly. Another snarl escaped me as I kicked and tore at the ones that gripped me and others started striking at me with a flick of the kitsune's hand. Infuriatingly, every time I managed to tear free from some, others already took their place by the time I took a step, all the while enduring the stinging pain when a flailing tendril managed to land a hit where I wasn't armored with scales. Eventually I gave up with my claws and wing talons and gathered up the fluid for my fire in my mouth before spraying it at my feet in a quick burst. I was thankful that my fire resistance reduced the pain of this action from actually burning down to that of getting into a bath of too-hot water. Even my dress showed no signs of burning. The tentacles, however, were not resistant based on the hissing scream of the ooze they were covered in quickly boiling off. Once I was free, I set my sights on the kitsune again, extinguishing remaining flames with my wings and feet as I glared at her.

“More than one breath…” She mused, putting even more distance between us while keeping an obsidian black shortsword pointed in my direction. “Aren't you full of surprises…”

“Oh I think I can pull out some others,” I growled and I felt some of the leftover napalm drip from my mouth as I strolled after her. I need an opening, lunging won't work with how fast she is…’

“I have some too~ pretty good at conjuration~” she gave an innocent head tilt before raising her free hand as the magic detection flashed around her again. “Phantasma Occisor.”

‘Dammit, what now?’

“Alex?” Max's voice called out again, a lot less echo-y than last time. I immediately glanced back to see him at the end of the hall.

“Max! Get back! She's cast-” I started to warn, then a hauntingly familiar roar of an engine made my heart sink. I looked back ahead and my fears were confirmed: she somehow summoned an American pickup truck in the hallway, with a blood splatter across the grill. “How…?”

Despite being driverless, the truck revved and lurched forward, sending a wave of panic through me. I quickly turned and rushed to my boyfriend, the engine roaring behind me again. Thankfully the tires couldn't seem to get an initial grip on the polished marble floors and I got a head start down the hall, only barely though. As soon as I reached him, I scooped my confused-looking boyfriend up in my arms and ducked into the hall to the right, knowing that there was no way for the vehicle to make a turn when it was already such a tight fit.

“Not again, won't let it happen again…” I whined into his neck, pressing my back against the wall and letting myself slide down to the floor. My heart was pounding painfully as if it was trying to escape my chest along with a splitting headache wracking my mind that I paid little mind as the truck suddenly flew past. I threw up my wings for the inevitable debris of it slamming into the wall. It never came though. No boom of an impact. No spray of shrapnel. Nothing. I lowered my wings again only to confirm that the two-ton vehicle was nowhere in sight. 

“T-too tight…” Max gasped and I quickly loosened my grip.

“Sorry!” I quickly apologized, already feeling relieved tears roll down my cheeks as my heart continued to pound in my chest. “T-there was a truck… i-it was going to run me over and hit you…” he gave me a confused look and sat up a little more.

“What are you talking about…? You just started running at me… nothing was behind you… Just that fox-lady… who is she? ... What's a truck?”

“Wait… nothing…?” I frowned.

“That didn't kill you, did it, dragon? I would be disappointed if it did," Akane taunted. “Never thought I'd see one of you run like that. What did you see?” the relief I felt burned away with rage replacing it. It wasn't real, Max was never in danger of what killed me…

“That was a fucking illusion?!” I roared back at her.

 

Emotional Threshold Greatly Exceeded, Rage condition met. Activating skill.

 

Warning! Remove Equipment gifted by mate, change will be stalled when gift restricts further growth.

Override and destroy gifted equipment?

 

“Shit.” I growled, quickly reaching up and undoing my necklace as it and my dress grew tight. It clattered to the ground next to me just as my body started changing away from humanoid. The hall quickly shrank and I quickly found my feet touching the opposite wall and my horn grazing the ceiling. To my surprise, I never heard fabric tearing and instead, I discovered the dress was replaced with decorative golden bracers with blue crystal inlays covering both of my forearms and on my digitigrade feet between my ankles and toes. 

“A-Alex…?” Max shyly said, snapping me out of my examination of the shiny decorations and reminding me where I was. Somehow he managed to stay firmly on my stomach throughout my transformation and was now staring up at me in slight awe. “Y-you ok?”

“Fine, a bit pissed about that trick though…” I grumbled before peeking out to the hallway the illusionary truck chased me down. Akane was still at the other end but apparently the sight of my snout spoked her a bit as she jumped out of her smug, relaxed stance back into a ready stance with her weapon and open hand pointed my way. Annoyingly, Azion was also still down there, lazily floating about with a stupid, amused expression plastered on his face.

“Finally revealing the real you?” The kitsune called down, already recovered and with a cool, even tone. I gave a snort before charging up and releasing another bolt of lightning at her. This time, the bolt only managed to travel halfway before curving off-course into a metal candle holder on the wall. The metal fixture was left glowing and deformed from the strike but it still spooked my actual target enough that she blinked further back in the hall.

“Of course that didn't work.” I growled then had to duck back as she sent a barrage of Magic Missile darts my way. Half of them stuck the corner and the remaining sailed around it. I immediately curled around Max, shielding him from the spell and taking the impacts against my wings and scales instead of risking him getting hurt. “Agh… they still sting…You ok…?”

“Y-yeah… ears hurt though…” He mumbled, “Can you warn me next time…? That was really loud…”

“Oh… the lightning…?” he nodded a little and I nuzzled him apologetically. “Sorry… It's a lot louder inside…”

“Giving up already?” Akane called down, drawing a growl out of me as my attention snapped back to her.

“That little…” I gently wrapped my tail around Max and moved him off of me before carefully rolling onto my feet. “She's going to pay for almost hurting you…” I growled a bit as I hit the ceiling again. ‘Agh… no fucking wonder Saerrei hates being inside…’ 

“W-wait…” my boyfriend said as he quickly got in front of me as I took a step. “Isn't it a little weird…? It's… it's almost like she's trying to make you angry…Why would someone want to fight an angry dragon…?” I paused, glancing over him at the kitsune.

“... Tell the others. We need to check the vault” I said flatly. He gave another nod then as magic detection lit up around him, he suddenly sank to the ground clutching his head as gave a pained, surprised cry. I snarled and glared back at my opponent.

“Can’t let your little boy-toy call for help either~” she taunted and I quickly dashed around Max after her, caution going out the window now that she hurt him.

“Alex! Wait!” He yelled after me but I was already committed to punishing her.

“Duplicata fallacia,” she casted just as I lept at her, splitting herself into three identical copies. I went sailing through one of them and sliding across the floor behind it, claws scraping across the floor as I tried to slow myself. I roared in frustration and charged again as soon as I got traction with my eyes set on one of two remaining copies. I lunged at her, mouth open, only to snap at empty space. 

“Fuck!” I growled and whipped towards the other one, only to see her raise her hand and recite another spell.

“Acidum imbre,” an orb of greenish liquid condensed in front of her hand before exploding out towards me. I barely had enough time to shield my face with my arm, taking the odd attack there and across the side of my neck that I didn't manage to cover. The result of her attack wasn't readily apparent, I even was able to toss her down the hall with a swing of my tail as the liquid soaked down between my scales. It was itchy for a few moments, then it started to burn as if I had scalding water dumped wherever the liquid touched. I roared again and shook myself off, but barely got any out from under my scales and only got a few drops sizzling on the membrane of my wings. 

“Fucking Acid!” I snarled and traced where I threw her to find that she was already standing back up in the middle of the intersection of two halls, right by where the alcohol god stayed observing all of this.

“Oh so you do have a weak-”

“Glacies quassat!” Max yelled before a large shard of ice shattered against the ceiling above her, raining shrapnel down towards her. I caught sight of one impaling her arm before she blinked out of sight. Azion gave away where she went, though, with a subtle head nod toward the center hall perpendicular to the one Max and I were in. Ignoring the burning on my neck and arm, I rushed to the intersection. I caught sight of her at the other end only briefly before she waved her hand and suddenly a new wall of stone burst up from below cutting us off from her.

“Agh! Dammit!” I growled then looked around, trying to orient myself in the house and path find a way to track her down around the obstruction. 

“What's wrong…?” Max asked, rushing up to me. 

“She went that way but put up a wall,” I snorted and motioned down where she went with my head. My boyfriend glanced that way then looked back at me with a concerned expression.

“Alex… there's nothing there…”

“You got to be fucking kidding me…” I growled 

“I was wondering why you didn't chase after her,” Azion pestered and I glared at him.

“Why didn't you say anything?!” He smiled and shrugged.

“... There's nothing there either… Are you ok?” Max pressed, moving in front of me again. “What did she spray you with…? Poison?”

“That time it's Azion.” I huffed and looked away. “I think she got me with Acid Spray or something… probably just burned me… I don't think it's making me see things… Agh! Whatever, we need to catch up!”

“H-hold on lemme- eep!” I cut him off by wrapping my tail under his arms and lifting him onto my back, right in front of my wings. “Alex! W-warn me before doing that!” 

“Sorry, but we have to move,” I replied and he gave another yelp and clung to my neck as I set off after Akane. I braced as I approached the stone wall, ready for it to be real, but thankfully my boyfriend and the god that was following along were both right about it just being an illusion and I passed right through it. 

‘Ok, she mentioned the vault … so maybe she went that way…’ I thought to myself as I reached the point I last saw the Kitsune and skidded around the corner to go that way. Max stayed quiet while I carried him, only shyly petting my neck a little. It was odd, being pet like an animal, but his touch helped calm my nerves and focus on trying to form a plan on how to deal with the apparent illusionist. 

That is, until Hargreave's oldest daughter appeared in the middle of the air with a bright flash of Magic detection going off and further complicating the night. My claws made an ear-piercing screech across the floor as I locked up my legs in front of me, hitting my head on the ceiling in the process, all to avoid running into the girl. She let out a yelp and curled up on the floor as I came skidding to a stop just inches from her.

“D-don't, I-i didn't mean to…” she whimpered, trembling as she stayed curled up, clutching something to her chest.

“Asuna? What happened?” I gently prodded.

“L-Lexi?!” her head popped up, revealing a cut across her cheek. Her eyes went wide as soon as they focused on me. 

“Yep… it's me… What happened…?” I repeated. “We're chasing after someone… every second we-”

“N-no, the ballroom! Y-you have to get b-back there! A b–bunch of people burst in a-and…” she trailed off, trembling more.

“...Max… you're seeing her too… she's not an Illusion, right…?”

“I-i would've said something if you were talking to air…” he murmured before he slid off and moved to her side to start comforting her.

“Real as I am~” Azion chimed in and I cast a quick glare at him before circling around Asuna.

“Is it really you though?”

“W-what…?” the girl stammered. My boyfriend also gave me a confused look. I sighed and, on a whim, quickly used Inspect on her.

 

Asuna Hargreave 

Half Inugami Noble

 

Stats:

Strength: ???

Dexterity:???

Durability: 15

Arcane: 40

Divine:???

Nature:22

__________

Abilities:

Wild Magic surge

????

 

‘Ok… Inspect says it's her… any way to confirm though…?’

 

Scent confirms identity. 

 

‘You could have told me that?! Why didn't you when I ran into Akane the first time?!’ I became annoyingly aware of my tongue flicking out on its own every few seconds. “Sorry… We're after a kitsune that was disguised as Caitlyn…” I shifted my weight a bit while contemplating what I should do.

“Wait… she was the one you were talking about when you said you found her…?” He asked, cocking his head slightly. I nodded and focused back on the girl.

 “Kat and the others… they're handling it right…? We have a whole group in there…”

“O-only the snake lady w-was fighting w-when I had to…” she looked down and clenched her hands into fists. “They d-did something… Father was frozen, t-the Castellanes too…” her eyes widened and she scrambled to her feet “L-Lexi, please… I-I was with Thomas and Nora when my magic…”

“Dammit…” I huffed “Change of plans, we're going to help the others. Asuna, stay close, and listen to me. I don't know where the kitsune is… but I'll do what I can to protect you…” she gave a little nod.  I lowered my head towards her. “Come on, let's get moving.” Another nod before she grabbed my horn and I easily lifted her to her feet. “You can ride on my back if you want…”

“N-no… I'm fine…” she murmured, clutching a necklace with one hand and the other resting on my side.

“If you say so… come on you two…” 

---

Making it back to the ballroom doors only took a minute but knowing the others might be in danger made that minute feel much longer. We didn't speak much the entire walk over, Asuna especially seemed withdrawn but I couldn't blame the girl with what she seemed to have gone through. The silence was only exemplified for me by the god disappearing once again for some reason. 

“... Alex… the door's locked…” Max whispered as he tried the first set of doors as soon as we reached them. I growled in frustration and trotted down to the next set to clumsily try to grab the doorknob of one of them with my claws. Asuna thankfully followed along behind me and took pity on me to try the door herself. She only shook her head when it didn't budge for her either.

“Fuck!” I hissed and glanced back to Max to find him with his ear pressed to the door.

“I don't really hear anything either…”

“Not good… dammit if only Eris was out here with us…” I gave a snort and looked back at the door. It took an embarrassing couple of seconds for a thought to come to me and I turned my gaze back to myself. ‘I'm a 3000 pound dragon… I'm such a dumbass…’ I put one ‘hand’ on the door and shoved hard against it. It didn't work. Instead, a magic shimmer flashed across the door and it somehow barely budged. Not even a creak from strain. “Asuna… does your dad have magic locks…?”

“N-not that I know of…”

“Shit. Max is Arcane Lock a thing? Like the spell…?”

“... I haven't heard of… w-wait I think I saw it in a spellbook before!” He answered. 

‘Fucking miracle D&D has the same names for spells as this world…’ “Ok… I think the doors have it on them…” I glanced at Asuna again “How likely is it that there's anyone by the doors…?”

“I-I don't know… um I-i think they were trying to get people away from them though…” she shrugged, nervously rubbing her arm with ears drooping.

“Ok, Ok… good” I gently nudged her away from the door with my snout. “I'm going to try something ok? Just stay back.”

“U-um… ok…?” Once she was clear, I turned around and tried a mule-kick against the door. Infuriatingly, it still only bowed in slightly and it felt like I was kicking a solid tree.

“Agh! Stupid thing!” I growled and electricity popped inside of my mouth, giving me another idea. “Both of you get back.”

“I-I don't think lightning is gonna do m-much to a door…” Max pointed out.

“True…” I paused for a moment. “But what about both…? I have fire too… I've only done it once but both of them together…” his eyes widened as he seemed to remember. 

“T-that kobold you hit…” 

“W-what are you talking about?” She questioned.

“T-that was as bad or worse than a Fireball t-though…  W-what if it … um works too well?”

“I'm open to suggestions but we don't have a lot of time…” I sighed then growled and kicked the door again, hoping that would do it but it only had the same result. Asuna murmured  something and I turned back towards her. “What was that…?”

“T-the windows… outside… Father w-won’t be happy but…” she repeated softly.

“... It would be easy to go through a window… Well he's going to have to deal with it. Let's go. Both of you, on. now.” I lowered myself to the floor as I gave the order and they followed without question, Max first then Asuna behind him. 

As soon as they were settled, I took off but at a slightly slower pace than before to avoid another situation where I couldn't stop quickly again. Even at the slower pace, it took barely any time to reach the front door with thankfully no interruptions. I was not surprised to see that the lock was not engaged when we finally reached it, it was probably how these thieves got in with Akane's help. Despite being unlocked, I still needed help from Max to turn the doorknob so we could pass through without me knocking one of those doors down. 

‘Lot less cramped out here…’ I sighed with a brief stretch of my wings when I got the room to do so before continuing my brisk pace back to the ballroom from the outside. As I moved, I noticed a worrying lack of movement along the walls where guards should be. A couple scenarios of why they were gone played out in my head: they were in on this heist, they were taken out… or a combo of the two. I put those thoughts off to the side as I rounded the corner of the manor to the stretch of lawn illuminated by the lights shining from the dining and ball rooms. I paused there, unsure how dark the area was to people with normal vision but also not wanting to be seen too early.

“What's going on…?” Asuna whispered.

“Just… thinking… don't want to be seen yet,” I responded, stalking back closer to the outer wall and keeping low like a large cat as I put us behind some shrubbery that was only as high as Max's shoulders if he wasn't on my back. From this hiding place, I scanned over two rooms we were after. I focused on the ballroom first, there were numerous people in cloaks and leather armor similar to Akane and cloth face coverings taking various positions throughout. Some were keeping most of the guests corralled up against the wall with the windows using small hand crossbows. Others were mid-shakedown of those guests for valuables. There were also a few wielding crystal-tipped staves by small groups of people frozen in place as if they were in the middle of a fight, where I spotted most of the Nords, Eris, Adrian, and Lord Hargreave. All of them were occasionally casting nervous glances towards the doors I was banging on a couple minutes ago. Kat and Nicolas were the next ones of our group I caught sight of next to each other, and probably would have missed them if it weren't for her white hair and her act of subtly waving her hand back and forth behind her back with it to the window. She glanced over her shoulder at one point and I felt the sudden pressure in my head from her re-establishing connection.

‘There you are!’ She exclaimed, somehow being telepathically loud. ‘What happened?!’

‘I think I ran into their leader… a kitsune, she somehow cut Max and me off with a spell…’

‘Shit, didn't think that was possible…Whatever You need to get in the dining room now. Miyuki went that way with the Daimyo, his wife and all the children. Help them first then come in here. Hurry!’   This made me cast my attention to the windows of the next room right away. There I saw Miyuki surrounded by four thieves against the back wall with bolts in her arm and down across her tail and vines securing her there, one acting as a gag. At the other end of the room, three thieves had Asuna's grandparents and basically all of the noble children in attendance cornered up by the windows with the Daimyo himself standing his ground in front with his cane. Something about seeing those kids in trouble drove part of my instincts into a frenzy, even though I only knew two of them and barely at that.

“Off. Now. I'm going in. Asuna stay hidden. Max wait before you follow,” I growled softly and my mate and the girl silently slid off my back. 

As soon as I couldn't feel them on me, I jumped up and over the hedge then sprinted at the manor. I threw myself at the windows at full force, eyes clenched shut and wings tight against my body as I crashed through, the resulting cacophony of shattering glass nearly covered up the sound of surprised yelps and screams from the room's occupants. Ignoring the numerous cuts I could feel scattered across the webbing of my wings, I lunged at the closest pair of stunned thieves, batting one across the floor with a swipe of my claws and clamping my maw around the other's neck, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth immediately, before tossing him after the first. 

“They are under my protection.” I snarled at the remaining thief on this side as I put myself between him and the group he and his friends were after. To my surprise, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground, his hand crossbow clattering to the floor and sending the bolt into the wooden trim of the wall.

“About time, dragon!” Daimyo Miyasaki scolded before going into a light coughing fit.

 “Sorry. I was after the leader. She tricked me into following her.” I replied flatly and spat out the blood of the second thief as I watched the remaining four scramble and aim their crossbows at me.

“L-Lexi?” Nora's voice squeaked.

“Yep it's me, sorry if I scared you…” I made sure not to look back at them. I just killed two people in front of them and the last thing I needed to do was show them my blood-soaked face. “Daimyo, Lady, I'll take care of-” I was interrupted by a volley of bolts, most bouncing harmlessly off the scales of my arm, neck and hip, but one cut through the webbing of my wing and made me hiss in pain. “Agh! I'll handle them, get the kids outside.” I growled and quickly flipped a table up on its edge to provide cover for the group before charging at the remaining thieves.

“I'm not out of the fight yet I-” the old samurai called after but was cut off. I paid little attention as I was pelted with another four bolts. This time one was lucky to find its way between a few scales on my bicep and nearly made me trip. I powered through, though, and pounced on the closest of my opponents, crushing her under my weight and scattering the other three. The sound of snapping bones made me feel sick but I had to forget about it as one tried to slide under me with a shortsword. I put a stop to that by grabbing him with my tail and raising him into the air before snapping at his throat.

“Regumin fulminis!” Miyuki shouted before a lance of yellow energy shot past me and nailed one of the remaining two by the doors to the ballroom and slamming him into the wall. Unfortunately the last one managed to slip through that set of doors at the same time. I sighed, spat out more blood and glanced back at her to find that she was starting to be able to free herself from the vines with a golden glaive that manifested out of thin air.

“You ok…?” 

“Fine.” She answered simply as she worked on removing the bolts from her body. “Killing comes easy to you I see…”

“... I… I don't like it…” I winced and looked away as I dropped the body.

“Don't feel guilty, a few of these animals wanted to grab the children for ransom money…” there was some venom in her words, also apparently enraged at this group.

‘Miyuki, did Alex get to you? We need you both now. They're panicking now and Azion…’ Kat broadcasted right before a bright flash appeared in the gaps in the door. ‘Is back…Just get in here now!”

“Shit.” I growled and quickly pried the bolt out of my arm with my mouth. “I'm going ahead, join when you can…” I paused as a mob suddenly came through the doors, surprising me enough to start charging up my lightning but then I noticed the colorful formal wear of the frightened guests. I quickly changed gears and roared orders to them: “Window! Now! Help the rest of the children out first!” 

The crowd quickly diverted to where I was pointing with a wing, it was hard to tell if they were actually listening or just running from me too. I impatiently waited for a gap between people to squeeze myself through, only to find myself in the chaos that was the other room. Injured guests were scattered all around, along with a couple thieves. Nicolas somehow had his wings again (probably something to do with the smug-looking god meandering by him) as he used the same spell as Miyuki to fight. Kat was in the process of looting a crossbow and quiver off one of the downed thieves and I knew she'd be joining in shortly. 

With them accounted for, I set my sights on the staff-wielder closest to Adrian and Eris, figuring that staff or the user had something to do with them being frozen. I bounded over, enduring more shots from crossbows, and one hit from a bolt of fire from a different mage thief from across the room, and bit the center of my target's staff. I very quickly learned that splitting the weapon in two broke the spell as Eris came out of nowhere with a punch to the mage's jaw and dropped him right there.

“Fuck! Ow!” She pulled back, shaking her hand but managed to flash a grin at me. “Hi! Joining the party again?”

“You can say t-" I responded but had to move to block a bolt of fire from hitting her, or the still recovering Adrian or Lord Hargreave with my body. “-hat…” I grabbed the half of the staff that had the crystal head and handed it to her to use as a mace.

“Alex. Where are my children and my wife?” The lord asked hastily.

“Kids should be safe outside, I haven't seen your wife. Her parents are with your two youngest…” I answered, quickly distracted however, as I spotted a thief take aim at Kat with a crossbow. Seeing my other mate in danger like that made my vision go red. Running on autopilot, my body used the charge I started earlier and added my fire breath seamlessly to form a growing purple ball of crackling plasma.

“Alex! Incoming!” Adrian warned but it was too late. A large mass slammed into me and made me send the plasma through the window to detonate in the sky beyond the keep's walls as I was shoved across the floor. I twisted away from this new threat and quickly turned around to face it, an absolutely massive beastfolk at least 12 feet tall with large, round, brown-furred ears poking out from their hood and their entire body glowing from some sort of magic.

“Boss says it's time to go! Grab what you got and out the front!” She barked at the others and I quickly recognized the gruff voice.

“Shenzi…” I growled, already working on building more of a charge to fry her.

“Oh you know me?” She cackled, drawing her khopesh, which was also enlarged. Connecting the two, I scanned around for who gave her enchantment… and settled on a second cloaked beastfolk with magic detection going off around him at the now-open doors I was trying to get through earlier. The small black ears and orange and black striped tail foiled his attempt of hiding his identity as well.

“I am getting tired of running into you and Meti over there…” ‘Kat? You ok?’

“Wait, that's you, Red?” She tore the cloth covering her maw to reveal a malicious grin. “I'm going to enjoy this.”

‘I'm fine, it missed me,’ my mate replied.

‘Good…Get the others, kill the tiger, I'll-’ Shenzi charged me again as I was giving directions, slamming her shoulder into me and pushing me up and back towards the wall of windows. I roared and slashed at her back with both my claws and wing talons. She had about the same idea and I soon felt a sharp pain in my right side, under where scales should be. Within a few moments, I found myself tossed back outside and I quickly scrambled to my feet again.

“Alex!” Max's voice yelped nearby as I stared down the gnoll as she wiped the bloodied tip of her weapon on her sleeve.

“Get everyone to the back garden!” I ordered, taking my eyes off my opponent for a second. All the guests stayed there with dumbfounded expressions as they stared at me. “Now!” Roaring at them finally got them moving, Max hesitated though but urgent cracking of glass stole my attention again towards the gnoll as she vaulted over the low wall and into the yard with us. 

I met her in the middle this time, clawing across her stomach as I sank my teeth into the bracer of the arm holding the sword. I felt her retaliation in the form of blunt pain blossoming across my stomach, the side of my neck, my left side, wherever and anywhere she could land a strike or kick. Furious from this pain, I let my mouth fill with the natural napalm before releasing her arm and spraying the liquid up it towards her face. She recoiled back immediately and tore her flaming sleeve and cloak off.

“Gonna mount your fucking head on a wall, Red.” She growled, pointing her blade at me.

“Radius Flammae!” Four orange rays struck her side in sequence and she quickly whipped around towards my boyfriend.

“You can join her, runt!” With that threat I lunged at her again, biting down on the bicep of her off hand and clawing through her armor to get at her torso. The gnoll roared and I soon felt and heard something metal hit the scales on my left thigh a few times before a sharp, searing pain spread out from there. I quickly shoved her away again but it made the pain spread as several scales clattered to the ground followed by the feeling of warm liquid flowing down between the others still on me. She had another infuriating grin across her muzzle as she spun the hooked sword around. I growled more and started to circle around her, aiming to put myself between her and my mate but slowed by this new injury.

“Max! Go! Now!” I roared without looking back at him. At the same time, I started to charge up my lightning.

“You're hurt!” He protested.

“Don't care, go!” There was a whine then he defiantly shouted:

“Vis Fragor!” A purple orb similar to my plasma breath shot past me and blew up against our enemy's shoulder, burning that point and sending her stumbling backwards a couple steps. I pressed this slight advantage and released my charge at her as well. She gave a pained roar as I made a couple limping bounds her way before lunging for her throat. Unfortunately, she recovered much faster than I thought she would and grabbed my own throat with one hand and I felt the edge of her blade press against my unprotected stomach with the other.

“Enough!” She snarled, her sword starting to cut into me as I struggled and clawed at her wherever I could. “I'm going to gut you, then that runt and maybe that pretty little elf too.”

I roared at her in return and dug my claws through the bracer of the hand grabbing me. She growled more and pain spread out on my stomach as she pressed the blade more.

“Quaerens sagittas!” Max shouted, then the sword suddenly jolted to the side a moment later, lengthening the cut but sending the weapon clattering against the wall.

“You little shit! You’ll ge-”

Whomph

A black blur slammed into her side at high speed and I got thrown with her for several yards, adding more aches as I tumbled. I was left on my back, panting and slightly dizzy for a few moments and listening to a brief struggle even further down the trajectory where Shenzi went with the blur. As my vision straightened out, I saw a figure on the roof of the manor, quickly identifying them as Akane with her bright white tails flicking behind her. She quickly noticed me looking and gave a sarcastic salute before blinking away before I could struggle back to my feet.

“Saved you… again,” Saerrei's voice huffed, slightly pained and making me look over to the source. She was pulling away from Shenzi's body, blood dripping from her mouth and favoring her right front wing slightly as she made her way over. “Are you constantly going to need my help if I join your party?”  

“ Is… that you finally accepting the offer?” I joked softly in the same language, still trying to catch my breath but flinching at the stabbing pain in my side ‘Didn't realize how tired I was…’

 

Blood Loss detected.

 

‘Dammit… explains why the dizziness isn't really going away…’

“I'll have to at this point… you're going to get yourself killed…” She looked away and sat down by me.

“Nick! Anyone! Alex needs help!” Max shouted nearby then I heard him slide up to my side. “Gods… you're bleeding so much u-um…” He looked up at the other dragon. “S-Saerrei… t-thank you so much…”

“... you don't have to thank me… she just owes me more for waking me up with all this noise you all were making… sounded like a storm…”

“S-sorry… um… can you go get h-help though…? O-or do you know how to…”

“Pup, I'm fine… let's just-” I tried to assure him.

“No! You aren't moving!” He whined, putting his hand against my chest to stop me from rolling over even though I easily could have despite that. Saerrei suddenly growled a bit and got up during this and further made me pause.

“Do you know a lamia? Gold scales?” The dragoness asked. I craned my neck around to peek past her and sure enough Rava's chosen was rushing over, weapon drawn towards Saerrei.

“Miyuki! W-wait!” Max quickly popped up and got between the two. “S-she's a friend!”

“You all are really well connected…” The lamia sighed and her glaive disappeared with trace glittery remains floating away.

“C-can you go get Nicolas… please? Alex needs healing…”

“... I can take care of her, don't worry” She quickly slithered over and ‘crouched’ down by me. “I have to touch you to do this, Ok?”

“ ‘s fine, been through it before…” I sighed then winced as she touched near the slash down my thigh.

“Sorry… Remedium,” the pain was quickly numbed away with the spell. I sighed once again and just let her treat my injuries, closing my eyes to rest and get my heart to calm down as much as I could.

“G-guess the party's over…” I laughed a little but flinched from a sharp pain in my side. 

“It's good to see you're feeling good enough to joke… but yes… Katrina, Adrian and Eris handled that last one… the others got away…”

“Shit… Saerrei can you see if-”

“I'm not leaving now.” The dragoness replied, pausing a moment before quickly adding. “N-not that I'm worried or anything. I'm j-just waiting to get treatment too… I hurt my wing in that landing…” I opened an eye towards her to find her looking away once again.

“If you say so… but since you're here, you might as well introduce yourself to the lord… save me the trouble of pestering you to come do that,” I jokingly suggested and only got another huff from the dragoness. “...ugh… there's going to be a lot of explaining to do to him after this…”

“Probably,” Miyuki agreed, finally pulling away. I instinctively tested my leg a little, happy to find no pain there as well as my side. “There's a lot of people injured…”

“Yeah… I saw… whelp… better go face him  before… this form wears off…” I rolled over to my feet and shakily stood up … but needed Saerrei to help stabilize me.

“Alex… rest a bit…” Max suggested.

“I just want to get this over with…”

“Fine… just let me clean you off then… you're all bloody…”

“... go ahead…” I relented, plopping back down on the ground and working on a plan to explain what happened to our employer as he went about using prestidigitation to get me presentable again.