Talarine: Ally to the Angels

Chapter 29

Tal sat on the railing on her back porch thinking of new ideas for Weapons and Armors. She had drawn out a bunch of 'drafts' but she just didn't 'feel' them, she stood and shook her head as she closed the book filled with her unused ideas. Imperius had inspired her mind when he had aided her with her personal armor but now any and all inspiration was gone as the night waned on. Tal stood up and grabbing her cup of tea, she walked into her house to refill it. Her Hibiscus plant had grown back quickly but now she was in need of lavender, juniper berries and peppermint leaves for a special kind of tea. "Well looks like the search is on." She spoke to herself as she attempted to not swear up and down. She locked up everything and made sure nothing was on as she left. The moment she reached the field, she shifted and walked around in search of the wanted ingrediants. She came across some berries and after sniffing them to check the ripeness she took one in her mouth and munched on it. The juice filled her mouth and flavor spread across her tongue. Her tail began to wag as she munched and several thoughts crossed her mind. Wow I had forgotten that these were my favorite berries for a reason. I will eat my fill and move on to find those ingrediants next though I my come back to harvest these Blackberries once I am done. True to her word, Tal ate her fill and went back to her search. As she kept her nose low to the ground she quickly found herself among the Lavender field And shifted back to harvest some. She finished that and began to look for the other two things. She stopped once more for the sudden craving of the nearby fatcapped mushrooms and nibbled on those. These were portabelo mushrooms and they were her favorite to make stuffed mushrooms with. She quickly harvested a few of those for the spores to grow her own and continued on.

Her luck continued as she found the last two ingrediants and went back to the berry bush to havest those as well. A few she ended up squishing but they were quickly eaten and enjoyed. Just before she reached the field outside her town pain sheared across her hindlegs and she yelp. Treian heard it and several of the more powerful wolves came racing to aid her but they found only blood and her bag with collected items.

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Tal now lay with eyes slowly opening as pain echoed throughout her body as her blood was drained. Her vision was darkening and as she struggled to get her body to obey she noted something being off about where she lay. A hard cold surface rested underneath her now freezing body and she knew that it was an alter of sorts.

"I want those tubes emptied! I don't want her dead just weak enough to force the collar onto her neck and trap her here forever. She will eventually succumb to the taint of the realm and when she does we will use her against the angels." Tal reclosed her eyes as the creature spoke and vanished to her mental Sanctuary where Xypherius was quick to meet her.

"Where are you?"

"The Realm of Terror. They have me tied up, draining my blood slowly, and are attempting to keep me entrapt there until I succumb to their taint and then they will use my blood to allow Diablo to return and use me against all of you." As Tal spoke this Xypherius shook with silent rage.

"I cannot enter that realm. My fear of losing you will overtake me. I will have to have the Nephalem and the Heroes get to you." Xypherius continued to shiver with rage. "I will have Izarius speak to Greed to see what can be done about finding you first. Just hang on until then."

"Have whoever Greed sends take the vials of my blood and the tubes used and stash them away where only he will find them. The demons must not use my blood or it will bind me to their masters." Tal spoke quickly.

"I will tell them that. How many vials are there?"

"Sixteen."

"How are you alive?"

"Ask me when you see me again." With that Tal watched him leave and left to open her eyes. She closed them as a collar was clamped tight around her neck and they moved her to a cell where she was to wait rescue.

But being who she was, Tal refused to lie down and began to stand with growls resounding through her chest. A few of the demons left to watch over her sounded an alarm and rushed her. Something in her snapped and she attacked them without mercy; the collar snapped as one of the demons slashed at her only to split the leather. Blood gushed as fangs dug in and snarls arose as Tal pulled away and stood upon the body of the demon who had raised the alarm. Tal's fangs glistened with black blood as the other demon stood with fear in his eyes. Her snarls echoed around her as a Greed Goblin appeared to locate her after having grabbed the vials and tubes. He watched as her jaws came unclasped and the snarls grew louder. After the demon attacked Tal killed him and turned to the Goblin after shifting. She spoke one word and he rushed off after. "Pandemonium."

Tal shifted back and took off killing demons along the way as she rushed from the Hells, out of the place the demons appeared from the Fortress underground and raced into and through Pandemonium where she quickly raced into a nearby cave and rested upon the ground. She was still weak from bloodloss and so decided that sleep was needed. As she lay her head down her fangs were bared for a moment then covered as her eyes closed.