VK - Nygozy, Kai, Wolfram, Griffinhart, Alistair and Zevran

This display of weather startled Nygozy and she was about to make the call to the others to seek safety in the woods but Kai got hold of her pony and then onto it and steered her away from Wolfram. That was when the Elf showed up and picked Wolfram up like a bag of twigs.

"Dammit." She said as Kai kept her back, "Because all races have a few or more who like to chatter it up and never think there would be an organism tougher listening in. Unfortunately, in this case, I am just as guilty" Nygozy answered then noticed Rakot and Ostef showing up and rushing into battle.

"Rakot, Ostef, back off! Kraven, let Wolfram down!" The dwarf called as she nudged Palindrome to get closer, "You are not helping anything by reacting in such anger."

Then things became more confusing as Kassina showed up as an eagle and changed into a bear, "Kassina!" This was when she finally jumped off Palindrome and ran forward, trying to get between the bear and the two men, "She's one of ours! Don't attack the bear!"

The duo halted as the beast appeared infront of them

"Well, thats a bear....bears are delicious."

"We can't think about food right now, Ostef. It doesn't seem like its going to get out of our way. I got a nice adrenaline buzz going already, would not want to loose it."

"Rakot, Ostef, back off! Kraven, let Wolfram down! You are not helping anything by reacting in such anger."

Nygozy's words angered the berserker even more, he could feel his rage beginning to take over.

"THIS THING ATTACKED ONE OF YOUR OWN! YET YOU HESITATE KILLING IT! YOU SHAME YOURSELF WARDEN! I WILL DO WHAT MUST BE DONE!"

Rakot activated the enchantment on his weapon, magical flames enveloped the blade.

"OFFENSIVE ONE! SET!...."

Rakot screamed and Ostef fell to one knee, digging his shield into the ground.

"KILL!!!"

Rakot sprinted, then jumped forward, pushing off of Ostef's back and leaping high into the air. He swung his weapon, the Ataash, at the bear as he descended with tremendous speed, putting his whole weight behind the swing.

"She's one of ours! Don't attack the bear!"

Rakot heard the Commander's cry just as he was leaping, but as his rage took over his determination did not weaken.

Kassina heard the Commander's shouts and saw the attack coming just in time. The flying human's weapon went through air as the bear dissapeared. In its place was a small brown rabbit hopping quickly away into the grass.

A moment later a pissed off looking blond elven woman seemed to appear from the grass with her daggers drawn. She stood two steps infront of the Commander, still determined to protect her from these madmen.

"Kraven...your hurting your cause. Hurt me all you like, you'll never be accepted by anyone like that."

"I do not require the acceptance of humans; nor would I want it. I already have the acceptance of the other Elvhenan Keepers, that is all that I require." Kraven sneered as he let the mage drop to the ground.

He glared down at him, "You should count yourself lucky that I did not place my hand against your aging flesh."

"Your words are one of the reason why the Shemlen disgust me. You will not hear the voice of diplomacy. You are scared to lose your slaves, as you are far too weak without them."

"The only voice you will listen to is that of force. If you will not give me my people, then I will take them and may the lands run red with the blood of vermin like you."

Kraven glanced behind him for a moment; long enough to see the two horsemen ride up and be blocked by a large black bear; threatening to devour them.

Kraven looked around him, his eyes catching those of Nygozy. The clouds disappeared as the rage within him calmed.

He leaned close to the mage, "If it weren't for the protection of your commander, I would tear the demon from within you. However you would not survive my process."

The assassin showed up in front of the young shape shifter, both of his short swords out and ready as he took a battle stance.

"You had best listen to the commander. Kassina is one of ours and therefore under my protection as well."

Kai watched, momentarily shocked as chaos boiled around him. Pissed off mages, raging berserkers, lighting, bears, and here was his little Hero running straight for the heart of it. Damn but she made his job a challange. He grinned at the challenge and vaulted off the horse, running after her.

He snarled as the elven girl appeared from the grass with weapons drawn right infront of the commander. He was met with a return snarl from the girl. He recognized her and saw her rage focused on the two men and so let her be.

He took a few more steps to stand beside Nygozy. "Bet you miss the quiet of Denerim already, don't you Hero?" He said with a wicked grin, enjoying the change from days of watching her do paperwork.

The bear transformed into a rabbit, and lost Rakot's attention. Rakot's gaze and rage immediately focused on Kraven.

"RETURN TO PRIMARY TARGET! OFFENSIVE TWO! SET!"

Ostef lifted his shield out of the ground, and moved his sword arm to the side in striking position.

"KILL!"

Using his shield for cover, Ostef began to quickly circle around the target, attempting to flank it. Rakot grabbed his weapon by its pole with both hands, the flames enveloping the blade sparked up fueled by his rage. Sprinting forward he swung the 'Ataash' at the elven mage.

OOC: There is a drawing of Ataash in Rakot's profile linked in my signature. Its kinda hard to describe what it looks like, so incase you need an idea check it out.

Wolfram cut his arm open using his finer nails and cast blood wound on Rakot and Ostef. "I'm not anything like those two bigoted idiots, regardless of what you say. I don't have anything to do with elves outside of the Wardens. If you want to be talking to someone, talk to Chantry. It was because of their Exalted Marches elves are treated the way they are."

"Restrain those two."

Surprisingly enough, Alistair appeared next to Zevran, sword and shield ready and a serious face.

''When the Warden Commander orders something, Wardens obey. You're a recruit and you're suppossed to be a Grey Warden some day. Start learning to obey, and don't ever question her orders or her decissions''

Then Rakot and Ostef changed their target, and Alistair's eyes went wide.

''Wait! No! Stop right there! Don't attack...!''

Kraven turned from the blood mage as he heard the screams behind him.


"RETURN TO PRIMARY TARGET! OFFENSIVE TWO! SET!"

Ostef lifted his shield out of the ground, and moved his sword arm to the side in striking position.

"KILL!"

Using his shield for cover, Ostef began to quickly circle around the target, attempting to flank it. Rakot grabbed his weapon by its pole with both arms, the flames enveloping the blade sparked up fueled by his rage. Sprinting forward he swung the 'Ataash' at the elven mage.

Kraven moved with such blinding speed that all that could be seen was a dark mist moving about.

He side stepped the attack easily and swung around behind Rakot. He thrust his arms out sending a pulse of invisible force into him; sending the warrior flying towards Ostef.

Ostef froze in place as the blood wound spell took over. The young warrior's shield and sword dropped out of his hands and fell to the ground as the pain drowned his mind. Rakot however, was already in full rage, and the added pain only sped up his swing.

Then invisible force lifted him off the ground, Rakot span around in the air and slammed the blade of his weapon into the soil, stopping his forward motion, he then pushed off the ground with his feet, leaping and swinging at his target once again.

"Stop you idiot!"

He began casting blood control. If anything can stop him, outside of death, this has to be it. He put all of his strength behind it. He focused his power and began feeling weaker. If he could stop Rakot's berserker rage, hopefully there would be no more fighting this day.

Then invisible force lifted him off the ground, Rakot span around in the air and slammed the blade of his weapon into the soil, stopping his forward motion, he then pushed off the ground with his feet, leaping and swinging at his target once again.

Kraven could only shake his head as the berserker came around for another attack.

The mighty elf lifted his hands into the air; the earth swirled up. enveloping Rakot.

Kraven took a step towards the pillar of stone; looking it up and down, smiling at the only part of Rakot that was still visible, his head.

He stared into the eyes of the warrior, "STOP!!"

"I will only warn you once; Struggle and the stone will tighten until it crushes every bone in your body."

His blood was already boiling within his veins, and now he could feel as someone attempted to control it through magic. The berserker did not care, the pain was simply fuel for his rage, sending a river of adrenaline into his body. His muscles tightened, his skin turned red from the strain on his body.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!"

He roared, and it seemed as though the ground itself trembled. But his strength grew, his determination became stronger with each passing second, he pushed off the ground again and with his attack.

The ground enveloped him, tearing at his flesh.

"STOP!!"

"I will only warn you once; Struggle and the stone will tighten until it crushes every bone in your body."

Rakot spit in the direction of the elf, and stared at him with eyes full of hatred. An animal is fiercest then its cornered. Rakot's muscles tightened once again, another surge of adrenaline fueling his strength. As his every muscle screamed in pain, he used his shoulders to push aside the stone, wet with his own blood, and slipped out of his prison. Landing on the ground hands forward, he jumped up once again, thrusting his weapon in yet another attack.

"Bet you miss the quiet of Denerim already, don't you Hero?"

"Not at all." The hero admitted then walked into the fray, dodging under the blood magic as she did so. There was a lot of action and everyone moving about quickly but Nygozy did not mind this. She moved quickly, slipping from one spot to the next until she got close to Rakot.

Kraven had stuck him into stone then Rakot forced himself out of it. At this point she threw a bottle of sleep potion onto the ground in front of the berserker and melted away into the shadows as the smoke billowed up at the man.

Before anything else could happen she moved to beside Kraven and looked up at him with a frown, "Ready to talk?"

The smoke filled his nostrils and the berserker suddenly became drowzy, he stumbled backwards as if drunk, and then thrust his weapon into the ground, propping himself up against it.

"Sodding shit....I'll shake this off and get back to it....you knife eared bastard better not go anywhere...."

His speech was slurred as finally his head lowered and his eyes closed. They then opened, immediately as he lifted his head. Then they closed once again....and opened, and closed once again, and opened. The berserker continued to struggle with the effects of the potion.

"....ya pile of nug droppings."

Wolfram didn't get to see if Nygozy's potion worked. The effort he put into stopping Rakot had used up a lot of blood, more than he would normally need to expend. Despite their combined efforts, Rakot was still mobile and Wolfram fell to his knees. His vision began to fade and before he knew it he passed out.

''Josie! By the Maker's sake, don't...!'' Alistair yelled hen he saw Nygozy stepping just in the middle of the bloody mess that Kraven, Ostef, Rakot and Wolfram were having, deathly worried for her. It wasn't that he didn't trust the dwarven Commander, but he couldn't help it. She was capable, and strong in her very own way, but there were a crazy berseker taller than Bowen, a crazy elf that had magical abilities that nobody really knew, a blood mage Warden that was trying to get away with all his body parts and... well, Ostef helping Rakot, of course.

Seeing Rakot struggling and trying to fight the sleeping potion, Alistair shook his head in disbelief and looked at Zevran

''Well, we just need a bard to sing him a lullaby now... I don't remember having such a mess with the old group...''

Rakot slowly broke from his prison of stone; his blood running down the sides of the stone pillar as he broke free.

Large gashes covered his body; his blood flowing freely.

Nygozy appeared out of nowhere and slammed a sleeping potion into the ground in front of the relentless warrior.

Coupled with the power of sleep, three broken ribs, a fractured femur and a crushed left wrist, he finally fell to the ground.

"Ready to talk?" Nygozy asked.

Kraven looked down at the prone Rakot and sneered.

The light in his eyes died down to a dim flicker and his body relaxed from combat.

He turned to face the dwarven woman,"I think that would be best Paragon."

"For goodness sakes." Zevran said as he showed up beside the human who was down on the ground but was still fighting the effects of the sleeping potion, "Did you ease up on the blood thistle on that batch, Nyggy? I thought you had doubled that one. No matter. I have a triple dose for dimwitted dragons. And no, Alistair, it was not this difficult with the old group. We didn't even have to resort to force to stop Sten and Morrigan."

The assassin leaned over and took out a bottle, shook it up then held it under Rakot's face. Smoke billowed out right towards his nostrils and Zevran just waited for the inevitable.

Kassina shadowed Nygozy into the fray as did the other blond elf, her bodyguard. As the giant crazy human was finally contained and falling asleep Kassina noticed the human mage collapse. She ran over to his limp form and crouched down to examine him. She was temporarily conflicted as to what to do about him. He had obviously done something bad to make Kraven so angry, and yet he had tried to help stop the two crazy humans who tried to attack her and then Kraven.

Kassina could smell that he was a warden and decided to help him. She slowly ran her hands over his body with her hands closed, trying to determine his injury. There was nothing wrong with him that made sense to her, but something in the back of her mind knew what to do. Slowly the magic worked its way out of her hands and into his body helping to stabalize and strengthen him.

After a few minutes she lifted her head and looked toward the Commander. "He need... need... mage blue drink. He use much energy, much blood."

Kassina looked at the downed berserker but knew right away he was far beyond her healing abilities. "Kassina go get dark garden elf. Fix dumb human." Suddenly the eagle replaced the elf once more and took to the sky, winging down the line.

((Gone here: https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/t305p30-vk-maadox-shade-tatsoo-ianto-jezarine-royce-and-gunnar#5222))

After falling down, Rakot opened his eyes once again and slowly got up. His rage and mental strength made it possible for him to resist the wounds and continue to fight off the effects of the sleeping potion. He propped himself up against his weapon once again.

"RAAAARRRRRGGHHHH!!!!"

He tried to take a step forward, but stumbled backwards instead, grabbing on to the pole of his weapon just before he fell. He continued to stand there, continuously nodding his head as his consciousness kept fading in and out.

"Just...a bit...more....need...to...shake....this off."

The horse trotted over to the others and Jezarine hopped off as soon as it stopped then rushed over to where she saw blood. Everyone was in the way at first so she could not see who was hurt or how but once she squeezed between them she saw Rakot and stopped dead in her tracks.

For a moment she was startled but then her healing instincts drove her forward to Rakot's side. She put her hands on his shoulders and stepped in front of him, kneeling and looking up at his face, "You silly human. What did you do to hurt yourself this badly?"

Gently she dealt with his pain and started knitting the muscles and bones, vessels and veins, skin and every other part which was torn or broken. It was taking time but she did not wish to rush a healing especially when it was this extensive.

Her mind was on her work as she was removing all toxins from Rakot's system and not realizing that there were sleep potions on him for a reason, "There we go, Rakot. It will be sore for a few days but you're almost as good as new. Except those new scars but heck, women like those don't they?" She joked to keep herself from becoming nervous around him and hoping he wouldn't be mean.

Kassina ran beside Jezarine's horse, the dropped book in her hand. She watched as the dark elf began the healing and then turned to the human still on the horse. He made her wary but he seemed to be the dark elf's mate as far as she could tell so he had to be okay.

She walked up to the horse and pulled on the man's pantleg. "Need blue mage drink. Know where get? Other silly human need." She said and pointed toward Wolfram.

He was acutely aware of the sounds of chaos and discord occurring behind him. The sudden lightning storm wasn't particularly subtle, either.

But what he found at the stalled head of the caravan... displeased him. Immensely. He buried the fury underneath an impenetrable layer of cold dispassion though, and assessed the situation with the same calculating objectivity as he would a battlefield - because really, that's what this whole mess was. A great big battlefield that he had no place on.

She had appointed Griffinhart an advisor of hers, and he had words for the Warden-Commander, but they could wait, for now, until he had the privacy of her ears and the ears of whomever else she decided to trust - though, all things considered, they were not the most trustworthy of sorts.

For now, he had to be objective. There was a far more pressing issue at hand - the caravan was not moving. "Commander. The caravan has stalled. We are a sitting target."