Rei watched the short, steeple-hatted figure picking its way across the
grassy field. Sighing, the weretiger followed the little mage across the
plain, wondering why he'd let Vivi talk him into babysitting. The boy had
claimed to be a powerful mage but Rei had yet to see any magic from the kid
other than campfire starting and light conjuring. Shaking his head, the
burly thief mentally kicked himself for letting the mage tag along with
him. He was still silently chiding himself when he walked face first into
something very solid. Looking up, he saw, barely noticeable, a faint,
shimmering wall of magic hanging in the air before him. Grumbling, he
turned to his left, so as to move around the wall, only to find, much to
his dismay and rather painfully, that the same wall was blocking his path
again. His tail flicking back and forth in irritation, Rei turned to look
at Vivi, seeing the mage quietly making his way across the field, oblivious
to the weretiger's predicament.
"Hey, Vivi!" Rei yelled after the short figure. Vivi stopped, pausing for a moment before turning around. Spotting the weretiger standing still, the mage silently walked back to his companion and stopped just short of the barrier, looking up at Rei with unblinking yellow eyes.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Vivi stammered.
Rei pounded several times on the magical barrier with a tightly clenched fist. "See if you can do anything about this."
Vivi reached out a hand to touch the barrier when a raucous squawking sound echoed from behind him. Rei's eyes stared past the mage, his lips curling back in anger, his face glaring in a silent, fanged snarl at whatever was behind Vivi. Noting Rei's expression, Vivi slowly turned around, shaking terribly from fear. What he saw nearly made him hide inside his hat. A giant, overbearing creature stood about twenty yards away. The creature looked to be a cross between a bird and a dragon. Colorful, iridescent wings sprouted from the monster's back. Brilliant, sparkling scales crawled along the monstrosity's body, ending in a head adorned with blood red eyes and a curved, eagle-like beak. A tail swung around from behind the monster, tipped with a vicious barb. As Vivi stared at the abomination in horror, a human figure slid down the creature's back, landing softly on the ground, dressed in blood-red robes. Staring past Vivi, at Rei, the figure spoke, its voice clearly audible across the field.
"Weretiger," it hissed, the voice carrying an unseen, yet malicious smile with it, " magnificent specimen." Slowly, the red-robed man began walking toward Vivi and Rei, taking slow, measured steps. Though Vivi couldn't see the figure's face, he was sure it was smiling.
The little mage's heart was thumping rapidly in his chest. He was dimly aware of Rei cursing and growling behind him, trying his utmost to break free of the barrier that imprisoned him. Vivi's yellow eyes were fixed in horror at the figure walking toward him. Suddenly, Vivi realized that he was the only one who could fend off this person and prevent him from taking Rei.
"Stand aside, little one," the red-clad figure hissed angrily as it neared the two travelers. Vivi faltered for just a moment, then glared up at the person.
"No!" the mage yelled, with such force that even Rei was startled, snapping out of his struggles to stare at the young boy in surprise. Vivi angrily raised his hands, lightning snapping and crackling around his body, concentrating on his hands as he tapped into the forces of magic. Flinging his arms out to the sides, a lighting bolt leapt from his small form with a thunderous crash, flying through the air and slamming into the red man in less than an eye-blink. The red figure flew into the air as the bolt pounded into him, landing almost twenty feet away. Struggling to his feet, the figure glared at Vivi and emitted a loud squawk, identical to the one the mage and weretiger heard earlier.
The dragon-bird responded with a similar cry and stretched its shining wings, the limbs flapping powerfully, lifting the monster into the air. Rising well above Vivi, the abomination stared down at the black wizard for just a moment before diving, maw open wide to scoop up the young mage. Vivi met the creature's charge head on, thrusting both hands toward the oncoming monster, an enormous ball of orange fire erupting from his fingertips, streaking toward the flying creature. The dragon-bird caught the fireball right in the beak and toppled backward, head over heels by the force of the impact. After several moments of dazed hovering, the creature regained its senses. Though it could still fly, its movements were awkward. The once brightly colored feathers now smoldered, thick black smoke rising from where they had been burnt by Vivi's fireball. Rather unintelligent, trained to attack until the death, the beast swooped at Vivi again, this time extending its tail ahead of its body to impale the wizard.
Again, Vivi met the charge head-on. Another bolt of lightning, much larger and louder than the last, exploded from the mage, catching the dragon-bird in the chest. The blow knocked the monster out of the sky. It landed on the ground in a heap, striking the earth with a loud thud. Vivi gulped, knowing he still had the red-robed man to deal with. Glancing across the field, he began to panic. The red man was nowhere in sight.
"VIVI!" a call from above and behind him reached his ears. Whirling about, the little mage saw the red man flying away, Rei floating just behind him.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Vivi shouted, running as fast as he could after the two. As he ran, he felt a strange calmness consume his being. His only thoughts were of how to prevent the man in red from abducting his friend. Brilliant light, fluorescent blues, purples and oranges, flowed around the mage as he ran, enveloping him. Slowly, the fluorescent light faded, replaced by a new light, emanating from Vivi himself. The mage's entire body looked as though plated in silver, his form shining brightly. His eyes, spots of pure gold glared with anger and fury at the red man. Raising both hands, the mage unleashed his anger in a most lethal way.
Lightning crackled, thundering down from the sky and straight into the red- robed figure, the brilliant blue-white light seeming to outshine even the sun. At the same time the lightning struck the man, a blast of fire erupted from the earth below, catching the figure in crossfire between blaze and bolt. Hues of red and orange illuminated the plain, a sight that would appear beautiful, if not for the loud, inhuman scream echoing from the figure.
Rei fell from the sky, landing with a thump and a grunt. Climbing to his feet, he tested the barrier, finding to his ire that it was still very much intact. He glared in the direction of the massive explosion of magical force to see a figure rising from the ground. Swearing, angry that he was so helpless within this cage, the weretiger looked at Vivi, who was still shining like a silver star.
The figure stood and whirled in Vivi's direction. Bits of charred red robes clung to the black, reptilian scales that covered its muscled frame. In pain and anger, the figure howled at Vivi, an unearthly sound that may have broken the mage's confidence were it not for the trancelike state the wizard had gone into. Hands ending in long talons extended in the mage's direction, tendrils of blackness flowing from them, toward the boy who had caused him so much pain.
Vivi gritted his teeth as the attack struck him, burning throughout his body. He was only vaguely aware of Rei's yell of anger and concern at the sight of Vivi being hit. Fortunately for Vivi, less so for his assailant, the damage would be very temporary. A reddish light surrounded Vivi, a beam extending from the mage's body, flying into his opponent's chest. As the beam struck the scaly man, the monster cried out in pain, wrapping its arms around itself, its very life energies being drained by Vivi, transferred from the monstrosity to the mage. Fully healed once again, Vivi raised his hands. The scaled monster, falling to its knees, glared at the black mage in silent defiance and opened its mouth as if to yell at the wizard.
The creature never had a chance to. The instant it opened its mouth, its body became solid stone, transformed by Vivi's magic into a statue of granite. Light flashed in a circle around Rei. Tentatively, the weretiger reached a hand out to test the barrier, finding, much to his relief, that the field had fallen. Walking toward Vivi, the thief muttered, "Well, don't that just beat all." As he approached the little mage, the silver light faded from Vivi, leaving him looking the same as he had before the trance had taken over his body.
"Not bad, kiddo," Rei smiled and patted Vivi on the shoulder, "Not bad at all."
"Hey, Vivi!" Rei yelled after the short figure. Vivi stopped, pausing for a moment before turning around. Spotting the weretiger standing still, the mage silently walked back to his companion and stopped just short of the barrier, looking up at Rei with unblinking yellow eyes.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Vivi stammered.
Rei pounded several times on the magical barrier with a tightly clenched fist. "See if you can do anything about this."
Vivi reached out a hand to touch the barrier when a raucous squawking sound echoed from behind him. Rei's eyes stared past the mage, his lips curling back in anger, his face glaring in a silent, fanged snarl at whatever was behind Vivi. Noting Rei's expression, Vivi slowly turned around, shaking terribly from fear. What he saw nearly made him hide inside his hat. A giant, overbearing creature stood about twenty yards away. The creature looked to be a cross between a bird and a dragon. Colorful, iridescent wings sprouted from the monster's back. Brilliant, sparkling scales crawled along the monstrosity's body, ending in a head adorned with blood red eyes and a curved, eagle-like beak. A tail swung around from behind the monster, tipped with a vicious barb. As Vivi stared at the abomination in horror, a human figure slid down the creature's back, landing softly on the ground, dressed in blood-red robes. Staring past Vivi, at Rei, the figure spoke, its voice clearly audible across the field.
"Weretiger," it hissed, the voice carrying an unseen, yet malicious smile with it, " magnificent specimen." Slowly, the red-robed man began walking toward Vivi and Rei, taking slow, measured steps. Though Vivi couldn't see the figure's face, he was sure it was smiling.
The little mage's heart was thumping rapidly in his chest. He was dimly aware of Rei cursing and growling behind him, trying his utmost to break free of the barrier that imprisoned him. Vivi's yellow eyes were fixed in horror at the figure walking toward him. Suddenly, Vivi realized that he was the only one who could fend off this person and prevent him from taking Rei.
"Stand aside, little one," the red-clad figure hissed angrily as it neared the two travelers. Vivi faltered for just a moment, then glared up at the person.
"No!" the mage yelled, with such force that even Rei was startled, snapping out of his struggles to stare at the young boy in surprise. Vivi angrily raised his hands, lightning snapping and crackling around his body, concentrating on his hands as he tapped into the forces of magic. Flinging his arms out to the sides, a lighting bolt leapt from his small form with a thunderous crash, flying through the air and slamming into the red man in less than an eye-blink. The red figure flew into the air as the bolt pounded into him, landing almost twenty feet away. Struggling to his feet, the figure glared at Vivi and emitted a loud squawk, identical to the one the mage and weretiger heard earlier.
The dragon-bird responded with a similar cry and stretched its shining wings, the limbs flapping powerfully, lifting the monster into the air. Rising well above Vivi, the abomination stared down at the black wizard for just a moment before diving, maw open wide to scoop up the young mage. Vivi met the creature's charge head on, thrusting both hands toward the oncoming monster, an enormous ball of orange fire erupting from his fingertips, streaking toward the flying creature. The dragon-bird caught the fireball right in the beak and toppled backward, head over heels by the force of the impact. After several moments of dazed hovering, the creature regained its senses. Though it could still fly, its movements were awkward. The once brightly colored feathers now smoldered, thick black smoke rising from where they had been burnt by Vivi's fireball. Rather unintelligent, trained to attack until the death, the beast swooped at Vivi again, this time extending its tail ahead of its body to impale the wizard.
Again, Vivi met the charge head-on. Another bolt of lightning, much larger and louder than the last, exploded from the mage, catching the dragon-bird in the chest. The blow knocked the monster out of the sky. It landed on the ground in a heap, striking the earth with a loud thud. Vivi gulped, knowing he still had the red-robed man to deal with. Glancing across the field, he began to panic. The red man was nowhere in sight.
"VIVI!" a call from above and behind him reached his ears. Whirling about, the little mage saw the red man flying away, Rei floating just behind him.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Vivi shouted, running as fast as he could after the two. As he ran, he felt a strange calmness consume his being. His only thoughts were of how to prevent the man in red from abducting his friend. Brilliant light, fluorescent blues, purples and oranges, flowed around the mage as he ran, enveloping him. Slowly, the fluorescent light faded, replaced by a new light, emanating from Vivi himself. The mage's entire body looked as though plated in silver, his form shining brightly. His eyes, spots of pure gold glared with anger and fury at the red man. Raising both hands, the mage unleashed his anger in a most lethal way.
Lightning crackled, thundering down from the sky and straight into the red- robed figure, the brilliant blue-white light seeming to outshine even the sun. At the same time the lightning struck the man, a blast of fire erupted from the earth below, catching the figure in crossfire between blaze and bolt. Hues of red and orange illuminated the plain, a sight that would appear beautiful, if not for the loud, inhuman scream echoing from the figure.
Rei fell from the sky, landing with a thump and a grunt. Climbing to his feet, he tested the barrier, finding to his ire that it was still very much intact. He glared in the direction of the massive explosion of magical force to see a figure rising from the ground. Swearing, angry that he was so helpless within this cage, the weretiger looked at Vivi, who was still shining like a silver star.
The figure stood and whirled in Vivi's direction. Bits of charred red robes clung to the black, reptilian scales that covered its muscled frame. In pain and anger, the figure howled at Vivi, an unearthly sound that may have broken the mage's confidence were it not for the trancelike state the wizard had gone into. Hands ending in long talons extended in the mage's direction, tendrils of blackness flowing from them, toward the boy who had caused him so much pain.
Vivi gritted his teeth as the attack struck him, burning throughout his body. He was only vaguely aware of Rei's yell of anger and concern at the sight of Vivi being hit. Fortunately for Vivi, less so for his assailant, the damage would be very temporary. A reddish light surrounded Vivi, a beam extending from the mage's body, flying into his opponent's chest. As the beam struck the scaly man, the monster cried out in pain, wrapping its arms around itself, its very life energies being drained by Vivi, transferred from the monstrosity to the mage. Fully healed once again, Vivi raised his hands. The scaled monster, falling to its knees, glared at the black mage in silent defiance and opened its mouth as if to yell at the wizard.
The creature never had a chance to. The instant it opened its mouth, its body became solid stone, transformed by Vivi's magic into a statue of granite. Light flashed in a circle around Rei. Tentatively, the weretiger reached a hand out to test the barrier, finding, much to his relief, that the field had fallen. Walking toward Vivi, the thief muttered, "Well, don't that just beat all." As he approached the little mage, the silver light faded from Vivi, leaving him looking the same as he had before the trance had taken over his body.
"Not bad, kiddo," Rei smiled and patted Vivi on the shoulder, "Not bad at all."