[Flashback] Black Wings (Solo)

[Aello]

Summer 17, 509 AV It was another sunny day. The golden colored rays of Syna's celestial orb radiated from its vast being, down to earth. Spreading in every which direction as the white blanket of snow which covered the ground reflected its kisses back up, towards the sky. As Aello walked through its expanse, she produced low, crunching noises, as she forced the snow to pack together, and sink into the hard earth. As she breathed, tiny tendrils of silver swirled around her trembling pink lips, her reddened nose. Her cape, and her long brown hair whipped wildly around her, with each subtle breath Zulrav provided, stirring the air. In her hands, she held her father's old bow. Her fingers trembling around the wooden frame, with the cold bite of the air. The three middle fingers of her right hand, however, stung, as they eased the bowstring back. As it sank into her flesh, causing it to redden, as she hugged the single peacock feather fletched arrow she had nocked earlier in the day. Aello was prepared now, as she held the bow down, aiming at the space just in front of her step. Should anything come to get her, out in the wastes, just past the line of the city, she'd be ready for it. Although, despite the warmer weather than the city had been receiving of late, no one seemed to be about. Everything was quiet. Everything seemed still, causing the girl to feel somewhat uneasy, yet strangely confident that she was more than safe at the same time. Thus, causing the girl to ease her body along, slowly, through the bed of snow and whistling winds. For a long time, everything remained as it was, completely silent. Still. Aello seemed entirely alone. It seemed then, that the dark shadow which appeared over her head materialized out of thin air. At first, the girl was puzzled by it, thinking the shadow far too small, something that merely covered the length of her eyes, to be anything to fear. But as it grew, covering even greater portions of her body, she began to grow worried. At first, Aello thought it may have been a bird, but as she looked up, and noticed its large bat wings, the dark fur that covered its form, Aello knew it was far worse. As it sank in the sky, inching closer and closer to her, the girl realized that whatever it was, it was about her size. Maybe a bit larger, with darker hair, and skin, and eyes. And it had claws... which could not be good at all. Somewhat frightened by the unfamiliar sight, Aello took a moment to breath, to concentrate. As she did so, the sound of people screaming came to her. Chains clinking together. Groaning, from what sounded as though they were prisoners. The metallic scent of blood. The sight of sharpened claws dragging across pale, human flesh. Spilling even more blood. The girl's chest lurched as a deep red mist surrounded whatever it was that hovered over her. An aura, denoting a survivalist, and perhaps somewhat cruel, mentality. Aello raised her bow. Her initial instinct had been right, she had to take this thing down, before it got her. As she raised her bow, she inched the bowstring back, even farther past her right ear. She closed her left eye. Perhaps, if she could strike one of the creature's wings, she could bring it down. Once it had fallen from the sky, it should be rendered unconscious, at least temporarily, which would hopefully, provide the girl with enough time to finish it off.

[Aello]

Quickly realizing that her bow was poised in such a way that she would strike the sky, Aello inched it to the right. And then a little more. Finally, as she cast her gaze down the length of her arrow, she came to the realization that she was now in a position to strike the beast's left wing. She inched the bowstring back a little farther, simply to add force, before letting go. The arrow erupted from the string, and shot towards the creature. The string itself was sent into a series of rapid vibrations, which produced a low humming sound as it struck Aello's left arm, between her wrist, and her elbow. That will leave a mark, Aello thought, as she quickly lowered her bow, and reached over her head with her right hand. She plucked another arrow out of her quiver, and strung it onto the bowstring, before lifting her weapon once more, and preparing to fire another shot. It was then that a loud, bestial shriek cut through the air. Causing Aello's muscles to tense, to ripple beneath her flesh as her body froze for a moment, and her eyes grew wide. But, even though the shriek seemed strangely feminine, and Aello found herself startled by the sound, she forced herself to keep moving. To lift the bow higher, to really look at her target. She could see now, that her arrow had imbedded itself in the lower portion of the beast's left wing. The peacock feathers fluttering in the wind, as the Zith flapped her wings repeatedly, trying to keep herself aloft. As Aello pulled the string back, she could see the Zith reaching for the arrow. Curling her claws around it, as she ripped it out of her wing, and shrieked again. Aello could see several drops of blood oozing from the wound, as the Zith tossed the arrow uselessly to the side. It swirled through the air, before landing several paces to her right. Point down, in the snow. Aello didn't bother to follow it with her eyes, however. She didn't have time. She had to weaken the Zith with another of her arrows, if she expected to fair well in the impending fight. Finally, Aello eased her bow to the left, pulling back on the string a little more, and let go. The arrow left the string in a heartbeat, and soared hight, into the sky, before striking the Zith in its right foot, as it brought itself closer to the layer of snow, trying to get at Aello. The beast roared again. "Petching human!" it hissed, as Aello reloaded her bow, and prepared to shoot another. But the beast was already upon her, by the time she had raised it. Swiping at her with its claws as Aello frantically side-stepped. Their hair swaying in the breeze. Their eyes blazing. Aello's pupils dilated as they began the brunt of their battle. OOCSo yes, the creature is a Zith... I needed something new.

[Aello]

The Zith kept on inching closer and closer to Aello, raising its arms, before thrusting them towards her. Extending her claws in an attempt to sever the ties of Aello's clothes, to break her skin. To spill her blood. As Aello kept on dodging, she inched the string of her bow back, wondering if it was worth it, trying to shoot at close range. And yet, she knew inside of herself, as her heart hammered, and sweat trickled down her brow, despite the cold, that it was. After all, if she did nothing, she would die at the hands of some strange beast, long before she had gotten the chance to grow old. Aello raised the bow a little higher, as the Zith changed her offensive stance up. Trying for her with a roundhouse kick, as opposed to a series of rapid-firing fury swipes. Even with the use of her magic, Aello had been caught off guard, and the beast easily landed a hit on her right hip. The area stung now, as the creature drew her leg away, causing Aello to wince as she stumbled a few steps back. Refusing to give into the pain, to show that it existed, until the fight was over. Aello raised the bow even higher, and inched the string back, not bothering to aim before she let go. The arrow shot from the string, and landed in the center of the Zith's chest. It was hard to tell though, just how much damage she had done, for although the arrow sank into the beast's dark flesh, and drew a bit of blood, she failed to shriek or cry out in pain, as she had done the other times Aello had made her mark. Although, she realized the Zith was gritting her teeth, as much as she, for neither seemed to be gaining any ground. And as they kept on swiping and side-stepping, they were growing tired. Sweaty. Warm. Something would have to change if this fight was ever to end. Perhaps then, it would be best if Aello tried to use one of her arrows as though it were a spear. If the Zith had claws, why couldn't she wield a sort of short spear? At the thought, Aello dropped her right hand from the string, and let left hand drag the bow to her side. Slowly, she eased her right hand over her shoulder, and drew another arrow from her quiver. She kept one eye on the Zith, as she continued to back out of the way, while she adjusted the arrow. By the time she was done, she held the shaft at its center, as her fingers wound around its length. As though they were snakes hugging a tree. The Zith sneered. "What's that going to do little girl?" she asked. "Hopefully kill you," came Aello's reply, as she side-stepped to the right, to avoid the Zith's latest attack. The Zith sneered again. "That pointy stick won't kill me." Aello simply smiled as she watched the Zith's aura flare, as though it were a fire. As she kept on dodging, and at times, was struck by the Zith's legs, Aello was certain she could hear footsteps. They seemed to be getting louder. But as she failed to make any headway, Aello was certain that it was merely her imagination. Until she saw a flash of silver cut across her vision. Felt a surge of warm blood across her skin, as the Zith's head fell from its mount, into the snow. Spraying it pink as it rolled around, and the body crumpled beneath it. "You ok?" it was a man's voice. Aello nodded, as she caught sight of her savior. "Fine... just a bit bruised," she replied as the man sheathed his sword. "The name's Jaerith," he said. "Aello." "What are you doing out here, fighting a Zith?" he asked. Aello shrugged, as she turned her magic off, with a moment of holding her eyes closed. "It would have attacked me... tried to kill me had I not tried to kill it first." She paused, "just a bit of bad luck I suppose." Jaerith nodded. "You were lucky I was here to save you," he said, as he went off to retrieve Aello's arrows and hand them to her. Aello took them, and returned them to the quiver with the others after wiping some of the blood off in the snow, and drying them on her cape. "Thank you," Aello whispered, as the wind whipped her hair off her shoulders. "Just doing my job," the Icewatch member replied, as he placed his hand on the small of Aello's back, and began to lead her into the city. "Why don't we get you back to the Whitevines. Surely, you'd like the healers to have a look at you, then perhaps, we can bother the Winterflames for something warm to eat." He flashed her a warm smile. "Ok," Aello whispered, as they walked away from the Zith's corpse, and back towards Avanthal. OOCSorry this post is a bit jumbly and rushed.

[Mutt]

*Clears throat* Congratulations! XP Award! Sorry, I didn't make my fancy frame yet Experience: Short Bow - 3xp Auristics - 2xp Tactics - 2xp Evasion - 2xp Lore: Icewatch just saved my rear. How Zith hunt. Bowstring tattoos suck. This is my first grading thread, so if you see anything I can improve on, or if I missed anything, shoot me a PM!