When Time Runs Out

Salone looked from Artemis to Jake, very confused… and then he said
"If I do end up with kids...I'll name the most stubborn one after you. That'll likely be the one that does me in anyway."

Salone turned scarlet again and Penny stared at her hard before she asked, “You’re not pregnant are you?”

“What? No!” She blustered as she followed after Jake looking at the steps with interest.  As soon as they were in the site area, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she growled faintly, unable to help it. Penny’s fingers drifted to her watch, waiting to spin the dial that would encase her form in black scale like armor.  Then Salone saw the man that Jake had first asked her about Baal Hadad, her fingers drifted to her weapons belt and her defective growl deepened. When he looked directly at her with a cold sneer she felt her heart turn cold.
Before she realized it she spat out, “You are no god; you are a man who raised himself to power! A TYRANT!”  

She jumped at her anger reverie when Jake snapped at her, she understood that the fury in his eyes was directed at this other dragon before them.  She shut her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again to sneak a peek at Dragon Yam. That dragon was defiantly no potato.  Her jaw dropped, he was huge!! She squeaked however with the corpses in the water began to clink together, afraid that they were going to animate and attack them.

Penny’s hand was vice like on Salone’s and Artemis’ arms, holding them still, they would only get in the way during this battle.

Artemis just smirked at Jake's response, however her back was to him so he wouldn't see it. She hate to admit but a small part of her was starting to warm up to Jake in some sort of I-hate-your-guts-but-I-like-the-way you-think sort of way. However she would get him back for the tail between her legs comment. But not today. She watched as Jake walked to the center of Stonehenge and after a display which sent chill down he spine the way to the focus site was open. The group followed Jake down into the focus site, everyone was on edge. Penny somehow was covered in some shiny black substance. It honestly looked like those strange metal beetles they all drive in. What did Salone call them? Cars?

They got to the focus site and shortly after Jake stared to freak out. And then the voice came. Oh that voice, it was enough to make all of her hairs stand on end. But then one word sent her over the edge. Weak... yes it may not of been directly mention for her but it was certainly implied. In the wild the weak drag down the strong, making them weak. She had seen it in other wolf packs. Her pack had an advantage thanks to her so they never really had that problem but she was familiar with the concept. Her whole body trembled with anger but before she knew it Jake told them to stand back and Penny's hand grasped around her arm like a vice. In a way it made her even more angry. Heck Jake's transformation into a hideous beast didn't bug her as much as that word. Even though she was in human form a low pitched growl was coming from her throat. She tried to escape Penny's grasp but her grip was tight on this form. And that was the keyword: This Form. With in an instant she shifted into a humming bird. Escaping Penny's grasp she flew towards the two fighting dragons. She shifted into her wolf form and jumped onto Jake, using him as a ramp. She jumped to different sections of him until she got to his head. Jake still had this other dragon pinned down to the wall. She want to make sure that he never left the wall.

She jumped off of Jake's massively oversized head, ramming into the other dragon as hard as she could. Then bit down into the dragon, it's scaled cracking under her bite. She kicked off of him, landing on Jake's head she jumped off of his head again. This time she landed on the creature. She was on his shoulder and bit at his neck with all the power she could muster, the dragon's scales cracking and breaking under the bite. She tore off a chunk of it's flesh before biting into it again. It called her weak. She wasn't weak and she will prove it with this the dragon's own blood.

((OOC:
For you that don't know, Artemis' wolf grid:
Intelligence: 2
Occult:
Strength: 9
Speed: 5
Durability: 5
Ability: 2/1/1
Fighting Skills: 6
Magic:
Spells:
Flight:
Wealth:
Needless to say... ouch))

Baal Hadad watched and suddenly befor eI knew it there was a large flash of burning solar light. It was fired right above me, at whatever little thing was making it's way up my back. Baal Hadad continued his assault by tearing into me. He threw me agross the pool and suddenly used his light manipulation to sent a 'cover' or a skin of the energy over him, meaning if Atremis persisted she would get cooked. I couldn't let that happen, call me crazy...but for as much as she annoys me, she's almost family...like that annoying sister who always thinks she's right. I arched, leaming at him, covering myself in a skin of the dark waters, to counter the skin of his energy. The next thing I knew, Baal Hadad threw a foot down at Penny and Salone. He was still covered in this radiating energy, and it hurt...bad. I came up and wrapped my maw over his neck and pulled him back. Hopefully Artemis wasn't anywhere under the titan. I began dragging him towards the Focus Site, his energy constantly draining my life from me. I threw him to the farther most wall.
      "From the Halls of Seppam come the souls of the departed knights, I charge thee with the Death of the Mortals!" Baal Hadad roared. I looked back over my shoulde to see the dead dragon knights rising, there were twelve of them, each one held remnants of the power they once had, which means they were scary.
      "Artemis, please, dispatch the knights!" I begged her as I used my powerful Water maniulation to send a massive water harpoon at the titan, and a wave to destroy six of the corpses. The other six were up to Artemis and the others. Baal Hadad was his, hopefully.
      

Spoiler:

Salone and Penny rolled to the side, dodging the massive foot. In a matter of seconds Penny was covered in her black scale armor and Salone was in her prime battle form. A massive black wolf, with glowing yellow eyes, daggerlike fangs, and strange white markings around the eyes; the medallion around her neck had vanished into her thick dark fur.

Penny was engaged in battle, but it was brief. Her armor whirled as she picked up one of the bodies and chucked it across the room where it sat broken and motionless for the time being. Salone had quickly dispatched one of the Dragon Knights before she had to turn human again to avoid a sword. The dead dragon knight seemed to stop and take in the medallion around her neck for a moment before it crooned at her, “Sister, join us in the realm of Seppam, you will be exalted by our dragon lords.”

Salone snarled darting around the sharp edged sword, “I still have four more years, and I don’t plan on dying any sooner.”

“So be it,” Then the creature lunged.
Salone darted underneath and kicked it in the chest, sending it stumbling into the water. Salone spotted another sword sticking out of the ground; she ran forward and yanked it out of the hard stone like earth. Sword fighting was not in her area of expertise, but apparently she had enough skill to kill the creature. The Dragon Knight got stuck on the end of her sword; it would have been comical if it had been a dire situation. It caused her to trip and fall backwards. Salone’s back landing squarely on a magical artifact that had been pulsing with some sort of energy and light. She called out in pain, thrashing on the ground. Salone’s eyes blazed bright amber… or rather more gold than amber. Fire… fangs… war… bloodshed… pain… pain… pa-
Then she stopped moving all together, “SALONE!”
Penny called out and she dispatched the other Dragon Knight corpse and ran to her friend. Her armor seemed to melt off as she ran towards her. Penny pulled her off of the artifact; Salone’s skin had gone unnaturally cold and Penny felt her stomach drop through the floor as she couldn’t find a pulse in her friend’s neck. …

“No.” She pleaded silently with whatever god that would hear her. “Please… no…”
Then the room around her slowed down as Penny looked up… she saw a woman, dressed in gold scales… The woman pressed a finger to her lips and a soft voice whispered in her mind… she merely sleeps. Then the golden woman was gone.

Penny started and the world restarted and she looked around… somebody should have seen that… but they didn’t and Salone was still laying there… seemingly dead.

As much as she didn't like leaving this jerk for Jake to kill, she spit out a piece of the dragon's flesh and jumped back onto Jake. Running down the length of his body She jumped into the fray, landing on top of one of the knight, tearing it to bits. Jake better leave a piece of the other dragon for her. The dragon knights, or whatever Jake called them seemed easy to beat, although a bit harder to bite through. She had gotten through two of the with ease, the second one missing her and falling into the water. Apparently dragon knights can't swim. But the 3rd dragon knight was a problem for her, She had bit one of it's hands, the one holding the sword, and the hand was now useless. But when Artemis when to tear it's throat the knight puled a dagger and brought it down her left hind leg.

She let out a loud painful yelp and jumped backwards. Tripping over her hurt leg and forcing herself back up. She favored her leg, doing her best of balancing herself on her 3 non-hurt legs. She was now near the water again, around the spot the other knight fell in. The knight attacked her with the knife. She shifted into a humming bird and flew over the knight, which like the one before it fell into the water. She shifted back to her human form and fell to the ground. The gash was the length of her outer thigh and a loud of blood was flowing out of it. The area she had just been fighting in was covered with blood as well. She reached down and touched the gash lightly. As soon as she made contact her hand flew away and she made a painful, muffled yell. Her eyes wide from the pain, they darted around the room. Her heart dropped when she saw Salone laying on the ground.

Artemis forced herself to where Salone was. She looked down at Salone, she looked lifeless. Tears filled her eyes, ignoring the pain in her leg Artemis worked her way around to the other side of Salone. She picked Salone up and held her to her chest, crying. She felt like she had failed. She told herself she would protect Salone and now she was here, dead.

Penny sat there dazed for a few seconds before taking Salone and gently passing her off to Jake.
"Artemis, let me look at your leg."
Penny moved over to Artemis' hurt leg and had her slowly stretch it out. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny first aid kit and smeared some triple antibiotic ointment down the cut.
"That's all I can do for now. Jake, are you hurt anywhere? "
After tending to what ever wounds he had Penny stood and scrubbed at her burning eyes with the back of her hand.
"Lets get her to the car-" The doctor hadn't even finished her sentence when a low growl rumbled through the cave.
"Please tell me that was you," Penny told Jake, wide eyed. Then Salone bolted out of his arms, clear across the site. Then there was something wrong with her, her eyes were more golden than amber and her pupils had elongated into serpentine slits.
Salone growled again, making a noise of a wounded animal that did not want to be touched... except deeper and more dragon like. Then she shifted, indeed a dragon. Massive, not as big as jake had been but huge none the less. Salone lowered her golden brown head and made a keening noise that sent Penny's hair on end. It was evident she was in pain... but also mourning. .. but mourning. ... what?
***
Salone felt like her insides had been set on fire and her vision warped making certain colors stand out. But there was a hollowness in one part of her mind... like a light had been snuffed out. Sasha was gone... Salone laid down as a dragon and whimpered... feeling scared and alone... random bits of memory flashed across her mind that didn't belong to her... some of them were happy and some were sad... but they hurt..

Soon Salone was taken from her and passed on to Jake. She didn't want to let go but he strength was failing her. Penny simply took Salone from her and handed her to Jake. When Penny touched her leg and began to stretch it out Artemis made a low pitched growl, as if she was going to attack Penny, but ultimately didn't. She put some strange subsistence on it and then wrapped her leg up. It burned and itched, but when Artemis when to touch her leg it sent a flaring pain through out her body. The cut was bad, but she honestly didn't care.

However suddenly there was a low pitched growl. Artemis looked up trying to find where the noise came from. And then Salone blotted to the other side of the site and shifted into a dragon. Artemis felt confused, how was it possible. Artemis just looked confused, her eyes puffy from tears. She didn't really even feel the will to try and get up.

I held Salone close, clinging on for dear life. Wondering if there were anyway to escape the fate that had befallen her. I failed. Everything about me was total failure. I loved her...and never even got to tel her. I growled, but it was drowned out by an even deeper growl. Penny asked if that had been me, I shook my head, tears of blood dropping from my face.
      
     Salone crossed the site quickly. It wasn't possible...but it happened. Salone had soon become a Dragon, whimpering, in pain. Sasha's existence faded. Yam gasped, but suddenly felt a peace and understanding that transcended mortality wash over him. "I'll see you in Seppam...Sasha." I said, wiping the blood from my eyes. I walked over to Salone, her Draconian energy radiating from her. Even as a Dragon, she was Perfect as far as I was concerned. She was not a mortal any longer. I dropped to my knees in front of her, still a little broken inside. I roared, water found its way to me, and as a large Dragon I coiled around her, as if acting like a shield. I let my eyes focus on hers if I could. Then I spoke in the Dragon language. A Language she could now understand.
    
      "Everything...Will be okay....I promise. Please Salone..." I told her. She told me that's what she wanted to hear...so that's what I'll tell her.

Salone felt something warm close around her and she lifted her head looking up into Jake’s dragon face. He was much bigger than she was but she butted her head gently against his jaw.
What happened? She asked and then hissed in pain as swirly silver scars seemed to be cut into her scales starting at her shoulder and working their way up several inches. Salone, suddenly anxious, disentangled herself from the mass of dragon and she turned back into her normal self with some difficulty. Salone pressed a palm to her forehead and realized Artemis was hurt. She moved forward until she crouched in front of her friend. Salone didn’t touch the cut, she just looked; the red standing out vividly in her eyesight.

“What happened?” She asked again, looking worried at everyone staring at her like she was an alien from the superman movies. Salone made a noise of pain again as another dragon memory flashed before her eyes, a rustle of scales and the call of something mewling. She shook her head again to clear it, her eyes roving to each person.

Artemis was now feeling a mix of sadness and happiness. Honestly she didn't know how to feel. But now Salone was walking towards hers and something inside her shifted uncomfortably. Fear? Why was she afraid of Salone? She shifted back a few inches, wincing when she did. It just wasn't right, she had seen her dead, she had held her lifeless body. Artemis' primal mind wanted to run away from Salone, her friend. Salone walked in front of her and looked at her leg, asking what happened.

Artemis moved back from Salone a bit more when her friend stopped in front of her, wincing once again. "It's n-nothing, one of knights got me in the leg, it's no big deal." said Artemis, lying about the severity of her leg. She could help the strange look of fear the occupied her face. It wasn't right, although she wasn't sure what wasn't right.

She wasn't the same...but she was alive. That was enough for me. I didn't fail, she's still alive. She may not be the same...she may never be the same. But so long as she's breathing then I'm not a failure. She asked what happened, but then before I knew it she was asking the same thing to Artemis. I find it apalling that I'm relieved to see that she's alive. No I'm serious, poor Salone just went through all of this...and I'm about to vomit ALL over her because I'm glad Artemis is alive. Fighting the urge to show my disgust I let myself fall back into my human form, granting bnme a better look at the wound from their perceptions.
"Artemis are you-" I stopped myself. She didn't like me, so she would obvviously just snap a retort at me if I continued on this pointless topic. I went back to Salone and bgen examining her for heavy damages. "Salone, can you tell me what happened...what you saw?" I asked her

Salone stiffened at the look that momentarily crossed Artemis’ face before she covered it up. Then a pang of guilt shot through her body, like some sort of drug… it seemed amplified by many points. What could she have done to make her friend fear her? Salone looked at Artemis with wide begging brown eyes trying to understand what she could have done before she realized that Jake had been trying to capture her attention for the last few seconds.

“Sorry… what?” Salone forced herself to turn away, looking at Jake. Penny came over and helped Artemis up, allowing her to lean on her. She was also looking at Salone with a little bit of fear in her eyes.

“You’re going to need stitches in your leg, but I can do that when we get back to the hotel.” Penny said this quietly while Salone and Jake were having their conversation.

“Um… what do I remember? Not very much… I just remember falling backwards and then I felt like every inch of me was burning… like I had been doused in fire, even my insides. Oh, and then there was this woman. She was dressed in gold scales, an actual toga dress thing- I’m not sure what it was.” The bridge of Salone’s nose crinkled as she tried to remember. “She told me things… whats-whats a Time Collector?”

The question seemed innocent enough but the hair on the back of Penny’s neck stood on end when she described the woman. She glanced at Artemis, clearly worried.

“I am also getting these weird flashes,” Salone continued, “Noises and brief images… like colors and roaring… and dragons… lots and lots of dragons.”

Salone’s skin was unnaturally cool to the touch and her heart beat had slowed considerably. Other than the silvery swirling scars starting from between her shoulder blades and coming up to the base of her neck, there were no signs of damage.

Artemis was tense the entire time Salone's eyes where on her. Why was she feeling fear. She wanted to run as far as she could but with her leg the way it was she couldn't. She could fly but she kinda felt light headed. Penny doted over her and helped her stand up, saying she needed something called stitches when they returned to the hotel. Artemis nodded but really didn't pay much attention. Her eyes where fixed on to Salone. She was able to wipe the looked of fear from her face but her eyes betrayed her. They held nothing but fear when looking at Salone.

They tried to head back to the hotel, but between the cut and amount of blood Artemis lost they where forced to buy a suite closer by. Penny bought a suite for them and took Artemis in side. Penny covered the bed and placed Artemis on the bed. Jake had entered the room as well but was quickly kicked out by Penny who yelled "No Dragons!" She then put a Girls only sign on the door then slammed the door. Penny then returned to Artemis who was laying on the bed.

Artemis had lost a good amount of blood and moving around didn't help. There are already a fairy good amount on the bed cover from the few seconds she had been there. Penny didn't waste anytime. In a few moments she was hovering over her leg. Artemis eyes where still locked in fear of Salone however. She didn't even really notice Penny was by her leg until the cleaning Alcohol touched her leg. Artemis yelled in pain loudly and attacked Penny, who motioned for Salone to hold her down. Artemis did everything she could think off to try and escape, shifting, biting, scratching but she couldn't escape. She continued to resist with all her might until the lack of blood finally got to her and she past out.

Salone struggled with Artemis, eventually locking her hands close to her body in a bear hug. When finished Artemis had passed out and Penny was sporting bruises on the cheekbone were Artemis had kicked her. Were several bites and scratches that riddled Salone’s arms and she had been unusually quiet. When done Penny patched up Salone, wrapping her hands for they had received the most damage.

Jake had left, for were Salone had a faint idea. Back to Stonehenge; Salone sighed, sitting back on the couch next to the door. From the look on his face when he entered Salone knew she had guessed right. She stood up and grabbed her wallet from the counter, before grabbing Jake’s hand and leading him out the door again.

“Come on, we are going to the store.”

The trip was quick, just picking up some more medical things for Penny, some sleeping pills that Salone knew she was going to need, and cupcake ingredients. It was a small start to repair whatever damage Salone had done to Artemis.

Upon returning she checked on the two, Penny was sitting on a chair, she had fallen asleep. Salone sighed again and returned to the kitchen before starting to make cupcakes. She only seemed to be going through the motions, but her mind was far off most likely scrolling through dragon memories. When they were done she began to frost them.