We're Going On A Weredragon Hunt (Tiir and Brenton)

[Quetzal]

Ri'Shei had hardly had the chance to spend any time at home in Uru'Baen before she had been sent out again on another mission for them. At least she wasn't alone. A Dragon Spirit was a tough opponent, after all. The spartan stood over seven foot tall which made it rather difficult to find a horse, but they'd found a mountainous grey stallion that served her well. They'd had to leave them in a village on the outskirts of the Spine, however. The mountains were tough enough for horses on the best of days, but they couldn't take the paths for fear of being discovered by their target.

Arathale was his name. The man was old and a weredragon. Ri'Shei knew better than to underestimate him. Good thing her companion was known for his skill in tracking down magic users. There was still the sheer strength of the man to overcome, but that would give them some advantage. She herself knew a thing or two about magic, and planned on using it to support her twin swords in battle.

Before it could come to a fight, they actually needed to find the guy first. He'd been seen around Teirm recently so the Spine was a good place to start searching as to get anywhere from that town you'd have to cut through the mountains. At the very least they gave a good view. Ri'Shei turned to Tiir, wherever he was. "I still can't see any sign of him. I don't want to expose us and risk alerting him to our presence, but we may have to climb higher to open ground and get a good look around. You have any ideas?" he was supposed to be good at hunting magic users, perhaps he had something up his sleeve.

[Tiir]

Lieutenant Tiir was walking a few paces ahead of Ri'Shei. He was much shorter than her, but that didn't seem to bother him. He had said nothing of it, if anything he seemed proud and full of himself to the point he looked down on his companion seeing himself as superior. He did that to most everyone though so it wasn't really a surprise. He hadn't spoken to her much during their journey here but when spoken to he would reply to her as was the case now. He hesitated a step looking back at her and waiting for her to close the distance of a few paces apart so they could talk. He smiled almost knowingly. "I can detect the presence of magic quite easily. You for example, I can feel your magic. But yours isn't the only magic here, I can feel another, quite powerful, quite delicious and it's more powerful than yours. I don't know if it is our target but there is something here and it doesn't feel far," he said. It wasn't uncommon for him to speak of magic in similar terms used on food like 'delicious.' He was a bit of a cannibal consuming all the magic in his enemies and using it to fuel him. He couldn't use magic himself but he could use someone's magic against them.

"Arathale, if it is him, he won't be easy to get. Since I'm assigned to help you, you should know this. It does me no harm to be hit with magic, actually it helps me if I am hit," he said.

[sorry it's short I need to go.]

[Brenton]

Arathale was inside a house when he felt some sixth sense telling him to move but his shirt was still dirty with blood. With a sigh, he pulled his armor on over bare torso and grabbed a cloak made of thick wool that he put on over the armor. Arathale pulled his boots on and looked around the house one last time before he grabbed a large coin purse that was full. Once again he was being chased or tracked for whatever reason. Quickly Arathale pulled his hood up and walked outside to the horse stables where a sturdy but fast bay charger was waiting. Quickly he swung into the saddle and looked around to find a route. It looked like a look out spot was two miles away but it was a good place to be seen. Arathale shrugged and touched his heels to the horse's flanks to send it galloping out toward a secret path. After living for so long, he knew many routes and this was one the Empire knew nothing about. He might have been good but the charger had to gallop by only fifty yards behind Ri'Shei.

[Quetzal]

Ri'Shei had been briefed about Tiir's abilities, so she knew he could absorb magic. It was useful he could sense magic, too. His being able to sense her own power made her make a note not to get on his bad side. He could hunt her down easily. Working together, they would soon scout out this Dragon Spirit and then the fun would begin. Chasing, capturing, questioning. The Empire hadn't expected them to be able to bring him back to Uru'Baen, otherwise they would have sent more people out, but if they could they would drag him down to the nearest town and get the Empire guards there to help them bring him before Galbatorix. A Dragon Spirit on their side would be just the boost they needed.

She hear hooves thudding against the soft earth faintly somewhere behind her. Tiir had said Arathale was close by. This could be him. Glancing over at him, she pointed in the direction the hooves had come from. It was moving fast, so they would have to act quickly and try ambushing him from ahead of where he was. The tall woman scrambled up a tree with elven agility, looking out down a path she had never heard about. It wasn't much of a path, but the earth was worn away and no tall plants grew so she could tell it was used. The hooves were louder now, nearer.

Before long the horse was in sight, a man fitting Arathale's description on its back. Ri'Shei readied herself like a cat about to pounce and leapt with good timing, aiming to tackle Arathale off his horse. Should she miss, a spartan leaping out a tree was still likely to get his attention. She hadn't waited to see what Tiir planned.

[Tiir]

Tiir felt the source of magic coming nearer. Either this was their target or another powerful person. He nodded when Ri'Shei had pointed at the faint sound of a horse. Instead of hiding he just moved to the side of the path to wait. The horse sounded in a rush, the rider was not taking precautions to cover his tracks or make sure the path was clear ahead if he was moving at that pace. So there really was no need to hide, just make sure he didn't get run over by the horse. As the horse came into view and he could make out the details of the rider, he realized it was whom they were after. Perfect.

As Ri'Shei pounced at the rider, Tiir went for the horse. Slashing at it's neck to cut the windpipe and kill it. It wasn't to prevent Arathale from using the horse but to draw the bit of energy the horse had. The energy would give Tiir more strength as he channeled it into that use.

[Brenton]

It was almost instinct that told Arathale to jump forward when he did and flee. As his body left the saddle, Arathale was already shifting into a dragon and disappearing into the sky where no one could see him. Now he would have to find another safe house to flee to. Instantly Ristvak'baen came to mind so the dragon spirit flew at top speeds toward the safe house hidden in the stone. Soon it came into view and Arathale flew straight at a wall halfway up that was impossible to reach without flight or magic. Only a dragon's eye could pick out the flicker anyhow to show the hidden entrance on on one side. The other side was hidden behind rock outcrops. Probably the safest place that he could be at the moment. Arathale entered and immediately slid a boulder over the entrance.

[Quetzal]

Ri'Shei had known fleeing was a possibility, but had hoped the Dragon Spirit would have at least put up a little but of a fight before flying away like this. "Coward," she spat, knowing it was actually more sensible for him to just not bother fighting them, but she was annoyed at the creature. When he flew up into the sky, she could still see him and so he didn't disappear - after all, it didn't take her that long to climb a tree and she had both eyes and the ability to look upwards. She saw him flying off in the direction of what was known to her as the Utgard mountain. Shouting a few spells after him, some might manage to hurt him but he was out of range before long. A couple of fireballs were shot at him for good measure. Was he planning on hiding from them? She jumped down a few branches at a time and landed next to Tiir.

"Looks like he's flying for the Utgard mountain. Can't believe a Dragon Spirit, supposedly a creature of great power, would be so scared by a spartan and a human they'd try to hide. Maybe he is a coward after all," she said, seething with anger. They'd let him escape their grip, and now they would have to start again. "It'd take days to reach on horseback, and we can't use magic to get us there or we risk being too tired to fight. At least he might have cornered himself for us," she told her companion.

[Tiir]

Tiir wasn't too surprised when the man transformed into a dragon, though he'd never seen such a thing in person. So surprised, no. Impressed, yes. He waited as Ri'Shei surveyed from the tree tops. "Maybe he knows what I can do," he said when his companion mentioned him fleeing instead of fighting. "It is a bit odd, either we just surprised him, or he knows what we are up to," he said. "Use magic? I can't really help you there, only thing we can do is keep in pursuit. To bad we can't get any reinforcements of a dragon or rider to fly us there," he said starting to walk following the scent of the dragon spirit's magic more than knowing the area. It was hard to miss such a powerful being. As for magic, he could cast any himself, he could re-form and re-direct magic used against him but he had no magic of his own. He wasn't sure how they would reach Ristvak'baen unless Ri'Shei's magic could get them up there.

[Brenton]

Arathale sat down and opened a chest he had put in the mountain long ago that had thick steel bands surrounding the wood with a large padlock keeping it closed. Instantly the man pulled a silk shirt on with a cotton over shirt and then a leather vest with loops covering that. On that he pulled on steel shoulder guards, a chain shirt, steel breast plate, and steel bracers. Quickly he put on steel greaves and large steel boots before slipping a half helm on his head. Over his back went two broadswords, a shield, and a woolen red cape. As fast as possible he slipped two maces in his belt as well as a hammer with a leather strap and two leaf bladed daggers.

A muttered spell made Arathale broader in the chest and shoulder with larger muscles but shorter by a good head. His face became darkly suntanned with a scar on his left jawline. His hair got bleach blonde with a full beard and he looked distinctly Surdan with a little dwarf in his veins. Quickly Arathale walked to a hole in the floor and slid down a stone pole. He walked out of a cave and mounted a horse to ride for Surda at a normal canter.

[Quetzal]

Ri'Shei knew that her magic would never get them to Ristvak'baen before the dragon spirit realised their pursuit was slow and left them in the dust. They would have to go on horseback, chasing after the strong trace of magic Tiir was picking up. The horses were back in the village they had set off from, thankfully not too far. Reaching out with her mind, it was a strain but she felt their familiar minds easily enough. It wasn't hard to convince the beasts to find them. It took a while for the horses to pick their way through the rocky paths and tightly packed trees, but finally her huge grey stallion and Tiir's horse appeared. She smiled at the sight, swinging herself into the saddle.

"Best we find an easier path or try leaving the Spine while on horseback. It's tough for a horse to walk here, but outside the mountains we can ride towards the weredragon as swiftly as the horses can manage," she told her companion. She herself did not know precisely where their target was, so it was up to Tiir to plan their route.

[Tiir]

"Thanks," Tiir said as he saw the horses coming their way, the only reason they would come was if Ri'shei had told them too. He knew enough about her to know she could do this much. His horse was smaller than hers but still was pretty good for endurance. He said nothing for a moment. "We'd best hurry, I can sense the trace of the magic but if we get to far I won't be able to pick up the trail. And finding a shorter way through these mountains will take to long," he said turning his horse and whipping the reins to spur the horse to a faster pace but not quite a full run. It would take some time to backtrack and find an easier route after their prey. For the time being he could feel the trace of the dragonspirit's magic and knew the general direction he'd gone, but if they took too long he'd loose the trail.

[Brenton]

Why was it that every time he found safety someone attacked and caused havoc for him in this time? So far, Ashendale and Nelfarion had attacked when he was in Du Weldenvarden and now the Empire was on his trail. With rumors of a soldier who hunted magic users, Arathale knew this disguise wouldn't last long so he would have to get to safety quickly. First stop, Du Weldenvarden where maybe the elves would aid him or he could go to ground in Ellesmera. With that in mind, he spurred the horse to a full gallop and fed energy to the mount constantly. The wind whipped his face and Arathale sank into his meditative state, searching for enemies for a mile in every direction.

[Quetzal]

Ri'Shei knew that as with any trail Arathale's wouldn't last forever, so urged her horse to match the speed of Tiir's. The dragon spirit would have a head start on them from his flight; probably several days' ride ahead. That would not do. They needed to somehow draw him back towards them rather than away. He wouldn't go anywhere he thought they might he lurking for him if he had any sense, so they would have to move off first. She rode as fast as she dared, the steep slopes, rocks and tangled undergrowth making it potentially hazardous for the horses' legs.

"He could be days ahead of us. We'll lose him unless we find a way of traveling much faster. We could try forcing him to change course, though. If you can make an educated guess at where he's heading based on his trail, we could try sending word ahead to lay a trap and force him to head down to meet us," she suggested. She refused to let this be anything but a victory for the Empire.