Minds Edge Madness in its sweetest form's blog: "Stuffz"

With a hateful, vicious snarl, the werewolf let out a threatening howl, and hatefully stared Zasch down. The creature's eyes betrayed it's underlying intelligence, but Zasch had never had the intentions of underestimating the dangerous creature.

"Alais," Zasch shouted into his familiar's mind, "warn me if the wolves should return."

Without waiting for Zasch to make the first move the lycanthrope lunged forward, snapping it's jaw for Zasch's throat. Zasch jumped back a step, avoiding the attack, and shifted to his left and took a step back, luring the creature to move where Zasch had just been, and to catch Zasch's attack in it's arm. With a howl of pure agony, the werewolf, stumbled back, and Zasch pressed the advantage.

The Khopesh's blade began to glow red, devouring a small bit of Zasch's energy, using it to fuel a bitter attack. As the blade struck a glancing blow on the lycanthrope's tough hide, the blade of Zasch's khopesh turned pitch black, the foul magic from the blow sapping the beast of it's strength and weakening it enough to hinder the strength of it's own attacks.

On the duel went, Zasch maintaining the upperhand against the monster. Zasch had the skill advantage, but without a silvered weapon, the duel would undoubtedly be long. They exchanged blow after blow, Zasch evading, or turning aside the monster's strikes, the creature trusting in its thick hide and natural regeneration to keep pace against the far more experienced shadar-kai.

Zasch struck out violently and suddenly, leaving a deep blow that would scar the beast despite it's regeneration across it's muzzle, and Zasch allowing a small portion of his magic to enter the wound and mark it as his target. A flurry of blows rained down on Zasch, and the werewolf finally managed to slip through his defenses, landing a serious wound across his shoulder.

Forcing himself to remain calm, Zasch activated the inherrant power of his Shadar-kai heritage. In the blink of an eye he could make out the Shadow Plane, and then he wass torrently returned to the Material Plane, a strong distance away his opponent. He glared venomously at the beast, and it howled and started intowards him. Alais suddenly blinked in front of the creature to buy Zasch a few moments to recover.

The beast almost struck her, but suddenly Alais blinked away from the creature, halving the distance between her and Zasch. Zasch in turn struck the creature with his magical bond, teleporting the creature another short ways back. The sudden change in position caused the creature to stagger in confusion as it attempted to regain it's balance, staggering slowly towards Zasch.

"Are you alright?" Alais questioned, concern evident in the Wisp's voice.

Zasch nodded, and watched the oncoming creature, "Thank you my friend."

As the creature closed the distance Zasch's blade again glowed red, feeding on his energy to feed his attack, and as the blade struck the beast home, blue tendrils of magic flowed from the wound into Zasch's wound, healing his wound. The werewolf stumbled back, no longer certain if it could stand against it's opponent alone. It began to seek a way out of it's current predicament, stepping back and putting a small distance between it and Zasch.

Calling upon his magic again, Zasch swung his blade, the magic echoed through in the wide slash, blasting stalagmites to dust, and sending the werewolf howling angrily, the magical onslaught of sound causing it to cover it's ears in pain. As the beast pulled its clawed hands from its ears. Zasch could make out the dark red liquid dripping from them.

Walking calmly forward, Zasch raised his empty free hand, and summoned forth his magic. A gauntlet of arcane energy stretched forth, and began to crush the werewolf in it's grasp, holding it locked into place. Using the free moment, Zasch checked his wound, satisfied that it was healed, he turned back to the werewolf as it struggled, locked into place and unable to escape.

"This is for all the innocents you have slain," Zasch started in, preparing to deliver the coup de grace, and finish the beast permanently.

"Zasch, this isn't the creature," Alais cried out suddenly.

So shocked by her sudden shout, Zasch staggered to a halt, holding the beast in his violet gaze, "How can you be so certain?"

In such disbelief, Zasch hadn't even bothered to communicate with his familiar in their arcane language, and the werewolf looked up, curious about the exchange taking place between the two. Zasch turned back to the beast, knowing he didn't have long.

"Ask it Zasch. If it is innocent, it has no reason to continue fighting you."

Hesitantly Zasch pointed his blade at the beast, making certain the werewolf's attention was fully on him, "I have some questions for you. However, you'll need to leave your hybrid form in order for us to converse."

Watching Zasch, and seeming to understand, the creature began to writhe in the agony of transformation, bones shortening, claws shrinking to finger and toe nails. After several minutes of bones snapping, joints popping, the werewolf had taken on its human form, and was lying prone on the dirt floor struggling to catch her breath.

Her! Zasch thought in shock. He'd thought it'd been a man back before taking her hybrid werewolf form, and so intent on slaying his enemy, he hadn't even noticed the more agile femine shape that stood against him. Respectfully, Zasch walked towards her, and removed his cloak, tossing it over her naked body.

The lycanthrope wrapped it around her naked body, giving him a blushing and thankful smile, but kept her wary eyes on the blade in Zasch's hand, "Ask your questions and leave my territory, or I'll tear out your throat with my teeth human!"

Her threat was half bluster, half serious. Her wounds had fully recovered, even the scar Zasch though wouldn't heal was gone. If they fought again so immediately, Zasch wasn't all to certain about the outcome. Zasch pointed her to a corner of the cave with his blade, and she obediently obeyed, and sat quietly, glaring at him.

Alais blinked down over Zasch's shoulder, and seemed to study the woman before them with as much curiosity as Zasch, but it was Zasch he spoke, "You have been murdering farmers."

The woman snarled and nearly leapt at Zach, but the raising of his sword tip between her and him halted her, and she snarled again, "I don't kill humans, and nor does my pack!"

Zasch spared a curious glance at Alais, "Why do you agree with this monster?"

Alais responded telepathically, "This cave is days away from the farm Zasch. What reason would she and her pack have to travel so far? And look at how barren the cave is of bones, they look as if they struggle for what food they get, why leave the livestock slain and littered around the farms?"

As Zasch thought about it, he couldn't help but find himself agreeing more and more with the Wisp's logic, and he turned his gaze back to the werewolf, "Then what is killing them?"

She looked up at him, sadness in her eyes, "The same monster that killed half of my pack."

"You went to the farm seeking vengeance against the creature, and instead found the place decimated?"

She nodded, and Zasch spat a bitter curse of anger and disgust, "The townspeople don't even know what's killing them then. They've been blaming this werewolf, and they have no idea that she has nothing to do with it."

Alais blinked around, giving no acusation towards Zasch. After a moment, her whisper came into his ears, "The rest of the pack has returned."

Zasch looked at the werewolf with a threatening glare, and she shook her head, "They will not harm you."

"What can you tell me of this creature?" Zasch asked, sheathing his khopesh back behind his back.

"It is very big, with a single horn on the right side of it's head, adorned with spiked jewels, and spikes running down its spines, and covered in fur. It's mouth is covered with dagger sharp teeth."

Zasch looked over at Alais, "I'll find out."

With a sudden blink, the Wisp vanished through the planes, leaving Zasch alone with the werewolf. The creature was familiar, he knew that withut a doubt it had to be some form of demon, and that didn't bode well, but it would explain the mindless butchery. It meant he may have to change his tactics to hunt down the creature however.

The woman looked over at her pack, the three surviving wolves were watching Zasch bitterly, and she let out a bark that let them know all was well. The three walked back into the chamber, leaving their pack leader, and the intruder to themselves. Zasch watched the trio of wolves, and spared a sidelong glance at the woman.

"Have a name?"

"I took the name Lupa," she answered him calmly, daring to rise to her feet.