< Black Island | Ex Pulplogs | Born Again Lizard >
ST With his usual disregard for his own safety or the peace of mind of others, Xar set out instantly after seeing Falling Darkness's ship flee the scene towards the distant isle. Winging his way towards the speck of land where the shadow-borne airship was headed. Strain as he might, the dark craft had a fair lead on him the giant lizard couldn't close the gap. By the time Xar reached the barren, rocky shores of the island, the ship was gone.
ST The rocky, dark-sanded beaches of the island are rugged, uninviting and downright unpleasant to lay eyes upon. In fact, the entire island can be summed up as "ugly". Only a few scraggly forests with twisted, light-blocking treetops are scattered across the dry, desolate landscape. The whole place looks unhealthy and unwholesome.
Xar`Rex glances back over his shoulder to wave a disappointed 'okay' sign to his probably-pissed-off friends, and turns back to the island, unimpressed. He sets his wings and circles above the island curiously, looking for signs of life - or death.
ST Due to the need to negotiate with Oteki and the fact that Xar left before anyone noticed, the Ill Omen is long out of sight behind Xar.
ST On his circles above the island Xar sees a lot of rocks, some scrub, patches of dark forest. There are no buildings or signs of civilization at all.
Xar`Rex sighs heavily, and considers going back to the ship. He widens his circle, scanning the clouds above as well, just in case the dark ship has left any signs.
ST One of those rocks on the beach is looking mighty suspicious to Xar's reptilian brain. It's just sitting there...looking all..suspicious
Xar`Rex thinks 'Aha!' and dives right down to investigate!
Sands "Didn't much expect to be seeing you here, Xar'Rex. Shouldn't you be elsewhere?" From, apparently, nowhere the blond-haired man that Xar met while trapped inside the clockwork sphere under Abundance has appeared. Wearing clothes made from the skin of some kind of large green lizard the musty, reptilian smell of him is almost concealed. In addition to his new clothes the Lunar has gained, or regained? a pair of short, curved swords.
Xar`Rex "Sands? How did you get to this island? The Dark One flew over, and I chased him."
Sands "The Dark One? Haven't seen any Dark Ones around here."
Xar`Rex cocks his head to one side, "You did not see the black ship flying over?"
Sands shakes his head, offering a faint smile as if trying to avoid making it obvious he thinks Xar is mad. "Sure didn't see any black flying ships."
Xar`Rex frowns for a moment, glaring up at the sky, then shrugs a little. "He will be back. I see you have found new swords, and mmm clothing."
Sands "Well, I found the swords first." He gives Xar a wink. "But they are beauties aren't they?"
Xar`Rex "May I see them?"
Sands "They bite."
Xar`Rex "Then I will be careful."
Sands unsheathes one of the swords and shows it to Xar, though he doesn't let the Dragon-King take it from him. The blade glints in the sunlight, showing whorls and spirals of lighter silver within the metal that shift and flow as they're inspected. Quality moonsilver, Xar is fairly sure.
Sands "Where're your friends from Abundance?"
Xar`Rex inspects it without touching it, in deference to Sands, admiring the quality of the workmanship. "Those are beautiful, and deadly, I think." He smiles. "My friends are in the sky, on their way back."
Sands "Back to where? And yeah, they are that!"
Xar`Rex "Brume, I think." He looks around. "You found those *here*?"
Sands "They're leaving you alone then?"
Xar`Rex shrugs, "Not for long. I am going to go back and meet them soon."
Sands In a move faster then Xar can follow, the lean-bodied Lunar is gone, replaced by a vast serpent with golden scales. A vast hood flares from the serpent as its mouth opens wide, fangs dripping! The reptilian face is unrecognizable as Sands but for his bright blue eyes. The smell of rotted leaves and old skin is overpowering. Unlike most serpents, Sands has two inhumanly flexible arms sprouting from the muscular "torso" of his snake-man shape.
Stryck "Sands?" he steps back from the monstrous shape. "What are you doing?"
Sands As Xar is registering the transformation of the Lunar, the golden creature's coils snap around him, squeezing his breath away!!
Stryck gasps, shifting his body to solid stone, as he brings his fists together, bashing the coils away from his body. "Sands, stop, we are friends!"
Sands darts forward, his fangs flashing in the harsh sunlight as they seek to pierce Xar's scaly skin and fill him with venom.
Xar`Rex flaps his wings once, propelling him violently backwards and away from the fangs. "I do not wish to hurt you!" he shouts.
Sands hisses angrily at Xar, eyeing him for a moment before uncoiling in a lightning-fast strike, snapping and snapping and biting again!
Xar`Rex leaps backwards again, this time beating his wings rapidly and rising into the air to avoid the snake.
Sands strikes true, this time! As Xar is leaping into the air the serpent's fangs catch him and easily sink through his armor and even through his stone skin, sending their vicious poisons deep into the Dragon-King. The third strike just misses as Xar struggles to tear away and lift himself free. But as the venom spreads through him, Xar falls back to the ground in agony.
Xar`Rex hisses in pain, cradling his wounded side. He suffuses himself in flame, hoping to cauterize the poison from his wounds "Why are you doing this?" he asks through clenched fangs. "I helped you escape!"
Sands hisses laughter as his golden scales become tinged in red and black and the sign of the crescent moon glows upon his brow. "Past is past, Xar. I've the future to look to." Knowing his prey vulnerable, Sands coils around Xar slowly, smothering the flames in his magically protected scales.
Sands Instead of biting off Xar's head the giant serpent-creature's jaws swing wide open, wider then Xar would have though possible. In a few seconds of chomping and intense swallowing, Xar is being crammed down the exceedingly foul-smelling gullet of his former jailmate.
Xar`Rex struggles, but his shock, and the pain of his wounds are too much. The world goes dark. And wet and smooshy.
Sands burps.
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