The Legend of Thak'ream }{ (All welcome. :))

[Vexxus]

(Just a few notes before I begin...one, you'll want to read my new bio... unlimitedfrp.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bios&action=display&thread=1811&page=1 as this is where the story will begin. Vexxus has just been transformed. If you wish to join, go ahead. I appreciate people using at least good grammar; it doesn't have to be perfect, but at least logical. )


Cold. Searing tongues of cold fire burning through my skin. Fire? Cold fire? That's the only way to describe it. I am engulfed. I am dying....am I? I hope so. If I had to live like this the rest of my life I would rather die. Unless this ends, I will kill myself to end it...

As Vexxus lay in the puddle of fresh blood streaming from her own body, convulsing from the pain, she slowly slipped into unconsciousness. Except for the occasional spasm of pain, she was out for hours during the transformation. Meanwhile, without her knowledge, the Ka'mar took and reforged her sword, replacing it while she was still unconscious. With it, she would learn techniques that she could use as a demon, and it would serve as a device which the Ka'mar could use to summon her. From watching her throughout the tests, they had learned that the blade was something she would never part with.

After the transformation was complete and the blade stored back at her side, the Ka'mar allowed Vexxus' body to fade back into the real world, though it would always have a stronger connection to the shadow realm from then on.

Her body lay on the cool ground, the cracked earth was stained red by her blood, but soaked it up, and turned brown as it dried. Her cloak remained red, and her horns still dripped blood even when the sun had dried out the top half of them. Her crimson tail lay in a matching puddle, the blood still drying but pooling around her, still red where it touched her flesh.

[Summerchika]

Politics. The word hung on her mind, almost a curse. She hated politics, especially the ones in which she was entangled. But it was her grandfather's (the 's) political manipulations that had allowed her to go on this... journey, as he had politely called it. For this, Elphame was grateful. Though she was in more danger in this area--this being the mountainous shadow tribe's territory--she was also given a purposeful respite, without having to hide away. Her grandfather was a genius.

And so, it was with a small smile on her lips that she traveled from shadow to shadow, as swift as the wind, away from the small contingent of warriors assigned to aid her in the given assignment. They had just set up camp within the deep shadows of a cave in the side of the large, once volcanic mountain. Though the sun was not high enough in the sky to be a terrible threat to shadow warriors, they had been traveling without rest for days to get here, and even the best of them were tattered. However fast and efficient traveling by the shadows could be, they had still had to cross almost the entire width of the land to arrive at their volcanic destination.

But Elphame, though exhaustion tugged at her, craved the time alone within the shadows of the mountains. The soothing mountains--for they had always been soothing to her, despite the dangerous animal life residing within the terrain--had always called to her soul, though she knew not why. And she had never been to the very top of a mountain before. As a shadow being, it was nigh impossible for her to do so at any time of the day or night. However, this particular mountain--had the humans called it Blaze Mountain?--held more groves and shadows at its top than most because of its volcanic structure.

A mischievous grin grew on her face as she anticipated the feeling she would get at being so high above the world, and so enticingly close to the burning sun. The danger excited her almost as much as being so elevated thrilled her.

As Elphame neared the peak, making sure she continued to climb up the shadowed western side of the cliffs, a giddy laugh almost escaped her. Never had she felt more free! And she would have this freedom for a while yet, for her loyal shadows were making a thick and bundled appearance where her "resting" body had been before she had given the contingent the slip. With any luck, the ruse would give her a few hours alone on the top of the world.

Slowing now, Elphame carefully followed choice shadows around the rim of the dead volcano to the deeper shadows further in. It was a precarious climb, but she knew it would be well worth it. Stopping in an acceptably sized shadow, Elphame took a deep breath, expecting to smell thin, fresh air. Choking, Elphame cringed and crinkled her nose as the smell of blood that pervaded the cracked mountain top reached her.

Following the darkened earth with her eyes, Elphame set sight on a very crimson scene. Edging closer, Elphame's eyes narrowed as she took in the alarming amount of drying blood, the red horns and tail, and the pale complexion of the woman that lay on the ground before her. Whatever this woman was, it seemed as if she was newly made, as evidence by the still wet blood near the base of her horns.

"Hey." Elphame said in a low, but commanding voice. She could not bring herself to touch the being, not because of a queasiness toward blood, but because the stranger was... well, strange. Stranger than Elphame herself, and that was saying a lot, from either a human's or a shadow being's perspective.

Repeating herself, Elphame said more loudly, "Hey!" Keeping her distance, well within the security of her shadows, Elphame sniffed in annoyance, and then regretted it instantly as the thick smell engulfed her senses.

Not that she really cared about the stranger's well being, but she was curious as to why the woman lay in literally the middle of nowhere in a pile of blood, without sign of a previous struggle. She commanded the shadows beneath the woman to gently prod at the scarlet woman, wondering if she was even conscious at all.

((OOC: Yeah, I know it's lengthy. Sorry :/ Please bear with me; I like to have reasons for my characters to be where they are, and Elphame's reason was pretty far fetched to begin with haha))

[Vexxus]

The comforting folds of oblivion began to recede from Vexxus' consciousness...she was not sure if she would ever be free from their dark seduction. They had offered her comfort for the last few hours, and in their arms she could not feel the strange new form, nor the pain that had come with it. She was simply herself.

But perhaps too soon, it was as if something was dragging her up, through the dark silky layers of a dream, through the strangely comforting realm, to the surface, where her new body lay. As her eyes opened, it seemed as everything was doused in blood, blurred, spinning in and out of focus...Suddenly the throbbing pain hit her once again, and she cried out, eyes opening widely in a frenzied gaze, taking in the world around her. "Hey!" The call resounded in her mind.

Her right hand almost gouged at the earth as she lifted her torso, pain searing through her muscles as she did so. Her head had a weight she was not yet familiar with, so it bobbed awkwardly, tilting toward the sky before she brought it down to survey the ground around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a patch of black, as an ebony ink blot on a crimson page. She barely made out a pair of stark blue eyes staring out from it, when she winced again from the throbbing at the back of her head. Propping herself up on her left elbow, her hand, dried with blood, reached up to the source. Four long horns...Vexxus wasn't even sure what she was at the moment. Her senses were even sharper than they were before, and her body still seemed somewhat humanistic...

As she looked on, her vision began to acquire each color one at a time. There were sparse trees with patches of green, the brown and red earth below her, and those shadows....the shadows.

Her gaze went to the ebony blot. Again she saw the piercing eyes, but she also saw a form hidden among the shadows. Whatever she herself was, this being probably didn't know either. "Hey!" Again she remembered the call. Was it coming from them? Even so, how should she reply?

Not knowing what to say, she instead continued to look in that direction, as a sort of silent acknowledgement.

[Summerchika]

An eyebrow raised as Elphame watched the horned woman get used to the extra weight on her head. She was most definitely new to her... form.

When the woman looked her way for a second time, in recognition of Elphame's presence, she slowly stepped forward into the penumbra shadows at the edge of her own darker ones. She would probably be only partially visible to the woman, not wanting to get too close to the distasteful light. But she had no idea how sensitive the woman's eyes were. Humans wouldn't have been able to see much inside the full shadows, but another being entirely...? She did not know.

Silence stretched out between the two women for a time. Then, not believing what she was saying, Elphame broke the silence. "Do you... uh... need assistance?" she asked, though the inflection barely merited the classification. The words sounded dull and awkward, even to her ears.

What was she doing, offering help to a complete stranger? It wasn't that she was scared--she could defend herself easily. She just usually didn't care about other people, least of all strangers. But she had offered, and she wouldn't take it back. Her pride as a Shadow being of the royal family wouldn't allow it.

As long as the woman stayed in the sunlight, though, Elphame wouldn't be of assistance anyway. The woman's own shadow and the cracks in the ground that gave way to small shadows were the only things Elphame had to work with in the current situation.

She gave a half smile on her grim face as the shadows beneath her skin coiled like snakes, the excitement from being so close to the sun still manifest in them.

[Vexxus]

Vexxus blinked a couple times, focusing her vision in the shadows. It seemed as though she were still partially in the shadow realm...as she got used to her new eyes, she could see everything, even in the shadows, as plainly as anything in a well-lit room. The figure was that of a woman, but definitely not a human.

"Do you... uh... need assistance?"

The words sounded awkward and unnatural, but Vexxus did not have time to analyze the reason behind them.

"I..." Her throat burned as her voice came out, different than it used to be...but still bearing a small resemblance to her own. She cleared her throat. "..I'm not sure..." she shook her head, then regretted it as her vision spun. With unwavering resolve, and a determined shove, she pushed herself up onto her feet. Standing, she hung her head and stared at the ground at her feet a moment, waves of vertigo slowly fading.

Suddenly, she felt a strange impulse...somehow she knew a phrase, a spell, that would grant her the strength she needed.

"Alak'ren aughel." The whisper came out without much thought, and suddenly, her eyes began to turn black. Dark wisps of shadow surrounded her, floating over her skin like dull black flames. It seemed to eat away the dried blood, repaired tears and worn spots in her clothes, healed all of her aching bones and muscles, and left her with a sense of overwhelming power. The scarlet returned to her eyes, and she looked at the strange being once again.

"I...guess not." She gazed at her hands, now clean and pale. "But I have information you may want...." looking closer, now that she had a clear mind, she could tell that the stranger possessed shadow magic as well. Anyone who could enter the shadow realm needed to know about the gate.

No doubt I probably look...different... She swung her tail, now realizing that she had one. That's definitely different.

[Summerchika]

"..I'm not sure..." Yeah, Elphame knew the feeling. She was completely out of her element here. At least she wasn't chatting it up with a human. If the rest of the warriors discovered their warrior princess cavorting with a human, as she had caught Tu'ane doing not too long ago, it would not go over well, to say the least.

The strange words set unease into Elphame's gut as she strained her ears to catch the meaning of them. But what the strange words effectuated interested her more.

Shadows seemingly appeared in response to the whispered spell, despite the blazing sun above. Elphame's head twitched side ways as her chin rose--a quirk of hers that signaled that her intrigued mind worked furiously. It was an odd, bird-like gesture that had actually incited fear in some before, though why it had done so still remained unknown to Elphame. She herself would probably be inclined to laugh if she had seen it on anyone else.

If she could summon shadows beneath the sun, as this woman had just done, it would give her great prowess among her people--much needed prowess over the politicians to be sure. She reached out with her mind to examine the summoned shadows, but she could not feel them, or rather they did not feel like the shadows she knew so well. What was more, the shadows seemed to heal the woman as they flew around her, making blood disappear into nothingness.

As much as she was intrigued, she was more wary and uneasy as she began to understand more about these odd shadows.

Before the shadows disappeared, Elphame locked eyes with the woman's eyes, which were turning from black to scarlet. Elphame's own eyes narrowed at the woman's last words.

Something I want indeed... she thought to herself about the shadows the woman had manipulated.

Despite her serious demeanor, she could not help the amused smile that stole upon her lips with the swinging of the woman's tail. It looked oddly funny in combination with the horns.

Dismissing her temporary amusement, she said, "Information? Of what kind?" Wariness laced her commanding voice, along with a bit of annoyance. Her brief solitary respite wouldn't be happening after all. Though it might be worth the information offered.

Elphame crossed her arms and moved deeper into the more comfortable shadows. It seemed as if the woman saw her perfectly fine within the blanketing shadows, and so there was no reason to risk the penumbra in order to communicate.

[Vexxus]

As the woman's voice rang out in a chuckle, Vexxus could not help but notice a peculiar darkness to it. A darkness akin to something she had heard before...but couldn't put a finger on it. She realized that her tail was the source of humor, and smiled a bit herself. The voice spoke again, inquiring about the information.

"Information about...how this happened to me." Vexxus flexed her hand and watched her long fingers extend outward. Then she looked back up at the woman. "No doubt," she looked back toward the place where she lay only minutes ago. "You probably wondered how I ended up this way. With these." She gestured to her horns and tail.

She didn't really know why she was telling this woman so much....but somehow she felt that if she was a part of the shadows, she needed to know.

"It might be a long story...let me introduce myself." Vexxus walked slowly towards the woman, making sure she did not intimidate her into attacking or fleeing. "I am Vexxusaria. Most call me Vexxus." She gave a small bow of her head, to show she had no intention of being a threat.

Though her appearance was demon-like to say the least, there was a gentleness and air of wisdom about her. She could sense that this woman could be more dangerous than she appeared, and would do what she could to make sure she was not considered an enemy. A danger can be much more dangerous if you're the target.

[Summerchika]

At the woman's openness, Elphame's curiosity peaked, though it did not show. Her body language said the exact opposite in fact. She grew stiff, her eyes darkened, and when the woman--Vexxusaria--bowed her head, Elphame twitched her head again in unease. The only indication of her curiosity was the shadows beneath her skin that now twisted in anticipation.

Taking a moment to size up the threat, and the potential information, Elphame took an inventory of the sun and surrounding boulders. If she were to listen to this 'long story,' she had better find a good shadow in which to stay for an undetermined amount of time.

As her eyes wandered over the terrain once more, Elphame inwardly gauged her situation. There was no guarantee that this information of which Vexxus spoke would actually be of use to her. It could end up being a waste of time. In fact, this entire situation felt a little off to her. It was true she had wondered about the odd scene in which she had first found Vexxus. But, to take time away from her solitude she had so looked forward to.... worth it?

Sighing, Elphame spotted the largest and most misshapen bump on the mountain top. It was worth it, and she knew it. And who knows, maybe she would find an unexpected friend. Yeah, right. she snorted to herself. And Tu'ane will one day be . That thought was equally absurd.

"And I am Elphame." she said, giving in to her inward battle, and accepting Vexxus' offer of information. "Some call me Elpha." The words were out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying. Elpha? Only her father and grandfather called her that. And Tu'ane, when he was spiting her. Perhaps it was the sense of ease and kindness that radiated from Vexxus, despite her demonic appearance. Or perhaps it was her earlier openness. Either way, it unnerved Elphame to have said something so... personal.

Distracting herself, and Vexxus from momentary awkwardness, Elphame sighed once more and began to move toward the shadows she had deemed safe. "Well... Vexxus." The word had difficulty leaving her lips as she nodded toward the crimson woman. "It seems that you have an audience." she finished, gesturing at her own person, inviting the telling of her story.

Giving another half smile, she arrived at her intended target with only a little difficulty--the sun was more bright now--and then settled deep into the safer shadows. But she did not allow herself to get comfortable. There was no telling what she would need to be ready for at a moment's notice, with Vexxus around and the temporarily oblivious warriors below.

[Vexxus]

Vexxus watched as the Elphame moved into darker shadows. She wasn't even sure if she would be able to see her if she herself wasn't able to enter the shadow realm.

"I don't want to waste your time. So, I will not put any sweetness upon my words. I know that you have some kind of relation with the shadows...a realm that I know very well. And that is why this information is very important. There is danger near...I can't say specifically where, but there is a gate. If you have studied shadow magic in books, you may have heard it mentioned...the gate of Thak'ream." Vexxus sat, cross-legged on the ground. Her fingers moved over the soft fabric of her cloak, meditating on the familiar feel.

"I did not used to look like this. I had icy blue eyes, white, black, and blue hair, and I did not have horns...nor a tail." She chuckled. "I am part of a race that does not come from this world...but what you might think of as another dimension. But I won't go into that. Shektra are a peaceful race, immortal, and very much in tune with magical practices...though there are many that are forbidden in their world. One of these practices is something my brother did, and that was taking us here, to this dimension. When we arrived, we were in a wasteland. The only person we found there was a Taimm, the whole race of which are all shadow mages. Me, only being five at the time, I did not know the practices of my people. My brother was learning from them, but we were both still growing. The Taimm took us in, and taught us both how to use shadow magics and runes, even forged us each a runeblade. Bandits came and killed him ad my brother when I was 13.

I came to Tamasha, and sought out a few old magicians who still knew the shadows. I already knew how to enter the shadow realm, which they hadn't even done but once or twice. But it was in the shadow realm that I found the gate...." 'Til now, her story had been rather lighthearted. Now her face held a stern look, one of a respectful fear. "Thak'ream is a city...they use their gate to...well, I'm not sure what they use it for, in general, but it turned me into this." She locked eyes with Elphame. "I was locked inside the gate, solving puzzles and passing both physical and mental tasks for eleven years. If I would have stopped, they would have changed me into a mindless chimera, and I would have roamed the mountain killing anything I could find by either fear or fight.

Because I kept pressing on...I turned into this. After each test, something changed. Small changes, big changes, but all leading to this." She searched Elphame's eyes, waiting for her reaction.

"I don't know why you're up here...but if you're part of the shadows...it's not a safe place."

[Summerchika]

It was a story Elphame had agreed to, and it was a story Elphame received. She sat utterly still--even the shadows beneath her skin and those around her were frozen mid-movement, which did not happen often. It was a lot of information to take in all at once, and so it took all of her concentration to process it. Many of the terms were either vaguely familiar, or completely alien, though Vexxus explained most well enough. Still, much of the information lacked context for her, so it made the task a tad more daunting. But Elphame was a quick learner.

After a moment of silence while she began to gather her thoughts, Elphame leaned onto her raised knee, resting her chin upon a fist. She let her breath whoosh out in a "huh" sound. It was a fairly tall tale she was told. But Vexxus' eyes held no lies or amusement, and so Elphame had no choice but to accept it as truth.

"I suppose a.. this," she gestured to the woman's tail and horns, which Elphame was coming to envy, "is a much better alternative to a chimera." The last word Elphame did not use often, but she knew its meaning well. "And after eleven years... Hell, I say well done." If the blood had been any indication, the continuous transformation had been painful, to say the least. That, Elphame did not envy.

Sitting up and forward, Elphame smiled, albeit a little tightly, at Vexxus. "You were right, though. I did want this information. Thank you very much for sharing." Once she was back at court, she'd inform the herself of what Vexxus had told her. This gate... it would become a political nightmare that Elphame did not want to become entangled in.

"I will tell you something in return." Elphame took a deep breath, shifting her eyes to the receding shadows to her right. Looking back to Vexxus, she spoke more quickly, but evenly. "I am a... shadow being--scathé, if you will. The people of our race are not simply part of the shadows, we are the shadows, in a manner of speaking, and are masters of the simple ones.

"However, this gate of which you speak... I have never heard its name, though I am very well-read. I suspect the reason for this is because I am of the shadows of the forests. The shadows of these mountains are our rivals, at best. Our knowledge is not shared between the tribes, and has not been for eons. And so you see, this information is most valuable. This tribal rivalry is also the reason--" Elphame paused here, taking another breath of rest--her exhaustion was taking a stronger hold of her now that she was still, and she was talking more than she had planned.

"It is also the reason," she continued, "that this place is a danger to me to begin with. If I am found here, trespassing, as it were, I would most likely become a prisoner of war. That is, if they could defeat me, which I highly doubt could happen." She grinned at that, almost laughing, as she shared this with Vexxus.

She said I, but she was not alone. If she had been, she would not have been nearly as arrogant. Though she and the accompanying warriors were tired, they were the finest of the finest, which is why they were sent on this mission. They would be able to fight their way out of most any situation, and they would enjoy it thoroughly.

"In short," though she had already talked long enough, "thank you very much for the warning. I will take due precaution, but I must stay for the time being."

Getting up to stretch the fatigue of the long journey from her limbs, Elphame found she actually trusted and admired Vexxus after briefly learning of the woman's trying past. She had trusted and admired many warriors of the scathé, but this was different. Vexxus was not of her people, and therefore there were no expectations to meet, no social boundaries to jump over. Could it be she actually liked talking with Vexxus? As a person she had just barely met? Huh.

((OOC: Oops, it turned out long again. I blame the loratab. Sorry!))

[Vexxus]

((OOC: It's fine, I enjoy reading long responses ^-^))

Vexxus listened to Elphame's explanation of her race. So there were more like her...this notion was intriguing. She had not known about whole races that lived in the shadows; though it could be something that was not apparent to her previously, because she was always either wholly in the real world or in the shadow realm. Perhaps these beings lived partway between them...as she now did herself...and perhaps, she could even learn something from them, if given the chance.

Not wanting to assume, she did not request to know more. She had told the necessary information, and Elphame had told what she wished to share. She did find the woman intriguing. She was mysterious, brave, and obviously very intelligent.

Vexxus was not sure where to go at the moment, having been gone for so long, but she did have a curiosity as to how her powers had been affected by her transformation. Wherever she went, she would wait until she was alone...in case something...unexpected happened.

"I have no doubt you must have good reason to be here, if you already know there are dangers." Vexxus glanced around at the landscape. Dangers indeed...the place did not look safe in the first place, but it seemed as though something loomed, just out of sight. Like that feeling that something's coming, when you don't see it. Her brow furrowed; something was not quite right.

"Do you...feel that?" The air was thick, and suddenly the shadow they sat in seemed to grow quickly.

It feels like.....no....we couldn't still be in range of the gate...would they...? Send out a...Chimera?

[Summerchika]

Giving a short nod, Elphame was glad Vexxus did not inquire further into the matter. With that out of the way, Elphame quickly thought of questions to ask Vexxus, mostly about her powers and how she had been able to summon strange shadows under the brightness of the sun. However, these questions were to wait, or perhaps they would not even need to be asked at all.

Vexxus had sensed the disturbance before she had, but now that Vexxus said something, Elphame forced herself to still, listening to the shadows of the mountain. What she felt more than heard was ominous at best.

"I do." Elphame responded, even as the shadows around her bucked in alarm. The particular shadow she and Vexxus occupied widened unnaturally as if make room for the heavy void that overwhelmed Elphame's shadowy senses.

Recoiling, Elphame's eyes darted around her, and then found Vexxus' own eyes. The expression in them did not fill Elphame with confidence. There would be a fight, it seemed.

At this realization, Elphame's body pulsed with adrenaline, preparing itself for a battle. Though the enemy was unknown and more than a little unsettling, a grin spread across her face in anticipation. Her own personal shadows riled in readiness to be of efficient use.

On top of her battle-ready excitement, it seemed as if Elphame would get to witness Vexxus' power in action, which thrilled her even more.

"Vexxus, I cannot leave the shadows. This you must know if we are to--" Elphame's hurried words were cut off by a deafening roar that shook even the ground they stood on. What in all the--?

Elphame's eyes once more searched the shadows to find the foe. Even with her eyes, she was finding it difficult to locate that unrecognizable presence. Her eyes snagged on the tiniest oddity in her shadows, and then stayed there, trying to make out something that had not existed there only moments before.

From within the deep darkness of shadows that even a shadow being's eyes could not penetrate, there appeared a pair of bloody, glowing eyes that chilled even Elphame's hardened blood.

Perversely, the grin on Elphame's face only widened. "I hope that's not a friend of yours, Vexxusaria?"

((ooc: sorry for the long wait))

[Vexxus]

Elphame's words about not being able to leave the shadows stuck in Vexxusaria's mind. They seemed to important to forget, and kept nagging at her even though she tried to focus on identifying the type of enemy they were dealing with.

Out of a shadow rose the body; the eyes so strikingly crimson. The sun revealed little, reflecting off of the crooked menagerie of small, sharp teeth jutting from its' jaw, and barely outlining the form of a head in the shadows as it emerged. For a moment Vexxus thought it resembled a bear, but it was much bigger...and as it came, she changed her mind. It was nothing like any natural living creature.

"I hope that's not a friend of yours, Vexxusaria?" Elphame asked. Indeed, it could have been, for all she knew. But in her mind, she definitely was not on its' side. Her own increasingly devious smile grew.

"I hope so too."

Suddenly, a burning instinct seemed to take over her mind, her body seared with anticipation. As if it were an instinct, she began to shift forms. Wait...whatif I... The thought of something going wrong, if she was a monster, did not have long to interrupt the change. Even so, it could not stop it. Her skin faded to a deep red, her hands and feet took the shape of draconic claws, and a pair of wings emerged from her shoulders. Her eyes glowed almost the same red as the beast, flattening into snakelike slits, and her teeth grew sharp like fangs. Dull translucent scales covered her shoulders, back, chest, and upper legs, like a sort of protective mail. Her tail grew longer, and hornlike spikes jutted out from it.

She was a beast herself...but as the creature launched itself towards them, she did not use the same approach. Instead, she summoned the growing shadows beneath her, swirling up her arms and gathering in her hands, they writhed and breathed as grimly as the body of the chimera. Her lips muttered strange words. Stretching her hands out, she released the shadows, and a flood of tiny four-legged black creatures emerged, and flowed forth as she channeled the power.

A chilling laugh erupted from within her, as the creatures launched themselves at the beast, tiny rows of sharp black teeth tearing at its' flesh. The attack would at least distract and occupy it for a while, but it did not seem completely hindered.

Vexxus let down her hands and turned to Elphame, wondering what sort of powers she possessed.

"Your turn." She smiled, revealing her large, sharp canines.

[Summerchika]

Elphame watched the transformation and sequential battle with quiet intrigue, despite her adrenaline enhanced state. Again, Vexxusaria grew shadows--or that was what it looked like from her perspective--to launch at the truly ugly beast. As the shadow figurines did their work, Elphame studied the red bestial Vexxusaria. Though her new appearance would undoubtedly have frightened a human, the transformed Vexxus only inspired envy within Elphame. To have scales, wings, vicious talons and razor canines... to grow shadows... Though only an impossible dream, the image brought a smile to her face.

"Your turn." Bestial-Vexxusaria said, the high of battle apparent in her voice. And Elphame was only too eager to join.

Eyes back to the being who had brought the party, Elphame took an automatic inventory of the chimera's obvious strengths and weaknesses. While Vexxus' shadows kept it preoccupied, Elphame took action. From within the folds of her scathé she drew a gift from her grandfather for the trip: a rather decorated scepter that survived the long ago warring ages between the then united shadow tribes and light-carrying humans. And yet, despite its rarity and legendary light-eating purpose, Elphame had only one base use for it: a brazen distraction.

As Vexxus' conjured beasts began to withdraw, Elphame advanced, drawing fast arcs and whirling stabs to put up a front. Making direct eye contact with the chimera's glowing red eyes, Elphame threw the challenge at the beast. That's it. Bring it home. Elphame thought, lifting her chin and jerking it to the right in an effort to infuriate the chimera further.

It worked well. As all beasts are apt to do, it lunged toward her with a fierce roar that shook the loose rocks on the ground. Its bulky footfalls pounded the earth in a fast rhythm, sending reverberations through her bones. If she were any of the other shadow people her age, she would have been terrified. As it were, however, she only felt satisfaction. She had won.

With only a few yards left between her and the chimera, Elphame gave the order. The scathé tendrils that had, by her earlier routine order, snaked around the beast's neck and extremities reared and bucked with the force of Elphame's formidable mental strength. But it seemed she had miscalculated the opposing party's strength--Vexxus' shadow animals had done more damage than Elphame had anticipated. The chimera flew too far backward, its path headed unavoidably for the sunlight.

With swift precision and with the ornate weapon still in her grip, Elphame severed the connection between her and the personal scathé that was still entangled around the beast's physique. The separation burned as if she had been skinned alive, but it was still a better fate than being exposed under the fiery sun.

The chimera's body landed with a hard thud that sent the dusty dirt flying upward in puffs. Sizzling noises rose from the body, originating from the shadow infused blood that had once been a part of Elphame. Replacing the weaponry distraction within what was left of her scathé, Elphame stood upright, a hand running through the tangles of her hair.

"Hum," she made a sound in the back of her throat, and glanced apologetically at Vexxusaria. "I would check myself to see if it's dead, however... well." she stopped, shrugging her shoulders uncomfortably and gesturing toward the sun.

If the opponent had been a normal animal, Elphame would have been certain of its death--the force of the whiplash wold have snapped any ordinary animal's neck. But it wasn't an ordinary animal, and she hadn't heard the familiar snap, so she was unsure at best.

[Vexxus]

As she watched, Vexxus was impressed at Elphame's unique approach to taunting-as well as ensnaring-the beast. It was a curious power, the ability to channel one's mental strength into a physical weapon.

Nodding understandingly, Vexxus strode cautiously toward the beast, fangs bared and claws at the ready, in case it was in fact still alive. As she came nearer, at about 5 feet away, the beast gave a horrific roar of pain, when sunlight began to take its' toll on the shadow-based being.

Vexxus bent down, bracing herself on the ground with both her hands and feet. Like another instinct taking effect, she opened her mouth, spoke "Alak'ren Inaghau" and began to absorb the remaining energy left within the beast. Once again, the flamelike tendrils extended, this time from the chimera, and flowed about Vexxus. Her claws dug into the earth beneath her, and she felt a surge of energy rush through her body. Once all of it had flowed, all that was left of the monster was a bubbling black pile, a tar-like substance. A shiver ran down her spine as her skin faded back to a pale white, scales lay flat, and wings retracted. Standing slowly, she gazed at her hands once again.

"It's going to take some getting used to..." she muttered to herself, then turned to Elphame.

"Thank you. I hope you will consider me a friend...and know that I would gladly fight alongside you in any dire circumstance." She smiled, then her brow furrowed in thought.

"Would you consider...would the Scathé ever consider allowing a being like me to join them? If anything, I would like to study how you utilize the shadows, for I am somewhat of a halfling comparatively. I may even be of some help, for I can somewhat create what you dwell in," she paused, muttering a spell, and summoning a walkway of darkness, stretching from Elphame's shadows, clear into the sunlight and past herself. The path of shadows remained as she stood. "If you wish, you can try walking in these shadows...though I am not sure if they are the same type of shadows you are accustomed to."