Gersham left the sandy beach behind him. He was getting annoyed with having to check in with Aegir so often now but his “parent” had him checking in more often now since his attack on Juniper. She was off limits and he was rather indirect in his dealings with her but alas Aegir was ensuring that he was skating along dangerous avenues and checking in once per month became a weekly thing.

He was in a rather grumpy mood given his meeting with Aegir but Aegir could kill him with but a thought, their relationship was a rather odd one …

Invisible he flew from the beach, though he glanced at some of the beach bodies present and considered having a little fun but he did not wish to go through the efforts of isolating them so he left that scene behind him.

He flew over the forest, saw that plant thing again moving through a clearing and shook his head. Useless …

He flew on without paying to much attention and got to the mountains were … was that someone there? He hovered in place for a moment, all three of his eyes focusing ahead of him ...

By all intents and purposes, Merideth should not have been able to get this far from the campus without getting completely and totally lost.

Oh, don't get me wrong here. She's still quite lost. But you see, this time, she has both a compass, AND a map. She knows that she's somewhere in the mountains, not quite so high up, but high up enough that she's started to get chilly and that the air is perhaps a tad thinner than usual. In addition, she knows that it was a good thing that she was wearing her hiking boots.

...Given, she probably should have changed out of her school uniform after class, but she hadn't been too worried about it. After all, she figured that she would just explore the island a little bit this way, see what all there is, then go back to her room. She did enjoy the outdoors, despite the fact that, often enough, the outdoors didn't enjoy her.

Well... erm. Except for that... one time... She goes a little red thinking about it, then shakes her head. Focus, woman! You've got to find which way to get back!

...Well. She probably would, at some point, if it weren't for the fact that the compass appeared to be broken.

Well, that would certainly explain why I'm not at the beach right now...

Yes, she had been to the beach before, yet, somehow, had failed to find her way back to it, despite having a (what she can only assume to be) an accurate map. Though knowing her luck, it was probably inaccurate. She just hoped that she could find her way back before it got dark...

Indeed it was a student. He watched for a moment then flew closer. The half incubus, half fey gazed at the girl. Well, she wasn't very attractive. She wasn't as ugly as some of the women he had dealt with in the past but deemed her to be rather plain.

By the looks of it she was trying to find her way along and he had chuckled to himself. A compass, really? They weren't even on Earth and he doubted that the instruments pointed to the magnetic North.

Invisible he considered her for a moment, she would do, she was her, isolated and that was half the work. He swept over his options and pondered just what he was going to do … him, maybe, just maybe he would make her his bitch for the time being until he got bored with her. She looked to be an easy enough one to brake and while Gersham thrived on challenges he also was in a foul enough mood where he just wanted to take it out on someone. Unfortunate for Merideth she was here.

He became visible some distance behind here. Lost are we?

Merideth practically jumped out of her boots at the sudden voice. It had been rather quiet, save for the sound of her own footsteps (not even any animal sounds, really... which she found extremely odd, but was trying not to think about too much). She turned around, eyes wide as she suddenly stammered, "I-I'MSORRYI'LLLEAVEANDIWON'TDOITAGA--" Her sudden spaz attack was interrupted as she realized that the person that had been talking to her didn't... well. He didn't quite seem as if he was going to berate her. ...Yet. She hoped. Also, he had three eyes and a pair of wings.

...

...Wait. WHAT?!

She freezed up, openly gawking at him for a few moments in confusion, fear, and... perhaps a hint of intrigue. Is that eye... and... those wings... are they real? Really-real? And do they function normally or--

...IS NOW REALLY THE TIME FOR THIS?!

"I... ah..." she muttered, taking a few steps back. "Y...Y-Yes. I... ah... erm... do you... knowwherethecampusis? Imean. If you could... point the way... please... that would be useful..."

Up close, she definitely wasn't what one would consider eye-catching. In fact, if you stuck her in a crowd with a bunch of other students, then you probably wouldn't even notice that she existed. Behind her big, round glasses, though, her face was... cute. Not drop-dead-gorgeous or anything like that, but... cute. Probably not the Black Prince's usual sort of thing, though.

She certainly wasn't his time but she was here and she'd do. He nods at here question as the feathery black wings are dispelled, a magical creation. The eyes were real, the wings were not, a magical creation he used from time to time while zipping about. I'm feeling nice today.

He grinned, hooking his finger over his shoulder in the direction of the campus. It's that way.

He then pointed in the other direction just beyond her. But you'll want to go that way. His grin never left his features as he stood closer to her, slow but surefooted as he moved toward her. He at least wanted some sort of challenge out of this, some sort of thrill and was granting her a head start as he came forward.

He had been with thousands of women in his day so he was use to dealing with all sorts. He assessed the matter though, she didn't appear to be very athletic nor did he think she'd try to fight him so he figured that she would run or perhaps try to bargain. Bargain was his first thought but at the moment he was merely speculating for it made no difference what she settled on, it was all hopeless. Only Aegir could save her now and he was on the other side of the island at the beach.

The sudden disappearance of the man's wings seems to cause her even more confusion. She had assumed that perhaps the wings had been... part of some sort of costume. Certainly not real, or anything like that. But... how did they disappear? Where did they go?! Confusion crossed her expression, and her gaze was drawn back to that third eye. That eye... what was it? Somehow, despite the fact that, in her mind, it should have been impossible, she had a horrible feeling that maybe, just maybe, that third eye wasn't some really realistic-looking make-up job.

She listened to his answer, then gave a little nod. "Ah, um... thank yo--" She halted at that last bit, and at that unusually sharp, unwaning grin of his. A knot of understanding and fear built its way into the pit of her stomach as he started to come forward.

"A...Ah... erm..." For a moment, she almost thought that... maybe she should thank him for the directions, but-- Move! MOVE!! Without even another "um" or a stammered apology, she turned the other way and started to run for her life. All things considered, she was not all that slow. In fact, she was actually pretty fast on her feet, at least in the above-average category. It makes you wonder how she would keep on having troubles in P.E. clas--

"WAHHH!"

She tripped over a nearby rock, her skirt flaring up and revealing her innocent white panties as she made her descent. She desperately tried to scramble back up to her feet, despite her slightly scraped knees, and kept running.

This was going to be too easy. Gersham grinned as he saw the flash of panties but it was too brief for him to utter his incantation. Shadow magic and illusions came easy to him but all others took him a moment to do. He had begun an incantation that he had used once before but she was quicker than he had thought.

So he dropped the incantation as she disappeared behind a bend. He then followed at an even pace conjuring up a simple illusion of a larger rapture like creature. The bird like creature possessed wicked looking talons and a long beak. It zipped ahead with a loud screech in the direction that the young girl ran in as he moved forward at the same casual pace. He would allow her to have a little fun first and then his would begin when she least expected it.

Gersham went invisible once again before he rounded that bend. This was going to be interesting he thought ...

Usually, if Merideth had heard that odd, animal-like screeching coming from behind her, she would turn back around and try to find out what it was. All things considered, though, now was definitely not the time to go "bird-watching".

She kept running, panting for breath as she tried her best to keep her position up--

THUMP.

--...-right.

She quickly got back on her feet, sparing just the briefest look backwards, trying to see if whoever it was was still following her. Good news: No, it looks like he was just about gone. Interesting news: A large raptor appeared to be chasing after. Bad news: A large carnivorous bird was chasing after her.

This, like many so far on this island, had just simply not been her day.

She had no time to stop and think this through, only to run, run, and run some more.

...Then trip again.

Then keep running. By this point, she's starting to look just a little bit bruised up, but she barely slows down, despite the multiple falls. One could think that she's tougher than she looks, but in reality, it was just the rush of adrenaline giving her that extra boost of energy to get away from the giant bird of prey chasing her down.

Did I mention that there was a giant bird chasing her?

Yeah, she's still pretty freaked out about that.

She fell yet again that klutz. Gersham rounded the bend though this time he would be able to see her for a bit longer and thus he pressed into her mind then with his incantation. Oh, indeed this was going to be fun. He was in control of her perceptions now though nothing changed.

The raptor still closed in screeching as she stood, a talon sweeping at her as she stood as it tried to grasp at her and pull her from the path she was on.

The incline was steep but probably not fatal yet indeed painful. And now he bled into her senses, A wedge shaped stone was near and a cave not far off that she could crawl into though before it up on the cliff was a nest that this thing had possibly made but that wasn't what would have attracted her attention but rather the avalanche of stone just waiting to happen that looked dangerous enough to sweep her off the path if she was unfortunate enough to get caught in it.

But the raptor was quiet close though it's wing span was quite large. It was a large bird and while it was not the size of the legendary Roc from Arabian lore or the Thunder Bird from Native American myths it was still quiet a large bird. Reddish orange feathers, black eyes and tongue and wicked talons that threatened her.

Gersham watched her next move carefully.

Oh, why me, why me?!

Because Lady Luck feeds on your tears, Merideth. That's why.

Merideth was not a difficult person to sweep off her feet. The bird's talons grabbed her arm, and she yelped in pain as she was dragged off of the path, body tumbling painfully down the incline. She remained at the bottom for a few moments, body screaming in pain. Cuts and bruises covered her skin and ripped at parts of her uniform. Most of the rips are in her vest, but a couple tore bits off of her skirt and sleeves, probably revealing a little more of those creamy, freckled thighs to her "audience".

Oh, and her glasses? Yeah, she'd probably need some new ones after this. She'd be lucky to find them at this rate.

Despite her pain, she didn't move right away, didn't make a sound, trying to listen for the bird. Still there? Yep, still there. She could have tried to play dead, certainly. That would have been a lot easier on her, and there was the possibility that the raptor would loose interest in a dead prey. ...Or it would go down and feast on her innards. There was always that.

...Yeah, she wasn't going to take that chance.

She'd obviously been slowed at this point, however, as she stood up. She had most likely hurt her leg on the way down. Not broken, miraculously, but in the very least, badly bruised. She limp-ran down the path, barely having enough vision to be able to see much farther ahead than a meter or so. She didn't know what direction she was going, as long as it wasn't in the direction of the bird.

Good new: It was in the direction of the cave. Bad news: It was also in the direction of the possible avalanche. And it didn't look as if it was going to hold for much longer.

The raptor let out a blood curdling screech of triumph as her body toppled down from the path. The bird was big and a rather clumsy flyer so it took a moment to orientate itself in the direction of her tumble. Keen eyes glaring down at her as Merideth moved down among that terrain.

By then Gersham made it around the bend missing out on the little show of panties though the raptor raced down at her, a few loose tail feathers falling to the ground as it went. The demon watched her as she hurried off, barely able to see in front of her she had to brave the dangerous area. A few smaller stones tumbling loose from the vibrations of her running and those in the air from large flapping wings.

That and the screeching of the bird as it swooped at her. Fortunately the cave was a lot closer than the raptor was and she was able to get to it.

She had to crawl to enter it, the cave was small but the raptor would not fly within it. It could still enter it but without flight a lot of the danger would be negated at least.

There was a rather tight tunnel for about ten feet or so that opened up into a room that she got to the same moment the raptor landed, screeched and looked at her. It stubbornly entered into that cave to follow.

In the room she found herself in she found the area was roughly circular, ten feet in diameter with a pedestal in the center. On the pedestal was a golden orb a bit bigger than the small cave opening that lead out to the angry rapture that was closing in on here. How the orb fit down here in the first place was a question for another time, she could stand up in this room though she could still touch the ceiling had she reached up so at least things seemed to be in her favor a little. Though like all raptors the thing was equipped with nasty talons ...

Merideth just managed to spot the small cave as she came close. Hoping to throw the persistent bird off her trail, she forced herself to her bloodied knees and bent down, crawling into the small cave, trying to go as quickly as she could, ignoring the pain as the ground dug into her wounds.

She finally reached the other side and scrambled to her feet, looking around. What... was this place? It didn't quite look naturally made, a fact that was further cemented by the presence of the pedestal and the orb. She almost starts to go towards the orb before she hears something coming through the tunnel. Really? REALLY? I'm not THAT tasty, am I...?

Merideth took a breath, glancing around the room. The room wasn't huge, but it was still big enough to give the bird enough room to move around. And combat-wise, she had little doubt that it could easily tear her throat out.

Which is why she didn't back further into the room. She stood there, right by the entrance, waiting for the bird to get closer. She felt bad that she had to do this to the very first animal she'd managed to find (unless you counted the man from before to be an "animal", which is debatable), but she had little other choice. She was a cornered animal here, and she was about to show that this little animal had teeth.

...Or. Well. Really sturdy hiking boots, in any case.

She'd wait until she was sure that the bird was right about to come out the opening until she did her best to send a hard kick within. "S-SORRY BIRDIE!"

The bird was relentless it seemed. She could hear it in the passage dispite her apparent disbelief she knew there was little she could do. It was just her and the bird. It did not have the space to fly unless getting out of that tunnel so she braced herself for the worse.

She had no place to run and thus had to make a stand here. But the avian did not come into striking range, at least not yet as it peered at her.

It seemed to contemplate the matter a little before daring to come forward trying to stretch it's wings out as best as it could though barely unable to unfurl them

The raptor neared the end of the cave when she swung away at it. The bird attempted to evade her but in that little cave there was only one option in getting the hell out of the way and that was moving straight back.

She caught to thing square. It screeched painfully, loose feathers going everywhere as it was driven back. It watched her then moved forward again, hopping back to get out of the way before she could kick it again.

It backed up to the end of the cave, waited knowing she had no where to go and moved out of sight. Occasional she saw it come back into sight though now it had been about ten minutes before she had last seen it.

((Was a little bit confused by the last post. If I misinterpreted anything, let me know.))

My goodness the bird was persistent. She would have thought that the first kick would have been enough, yet here it came, back for more. She didn't anticipate that, and was a little slower with her next kick, missing it. She jumped and scrambled out of the way as it made its way through and into the cave, recoiling, curling into herself, and whimpering as she waited for the attack.

...It never came.

She cracked an eye open and tried to peer around. She still couldn't see it very well. Every once in a while, she would note a blurry flicker of movement in the back of the cave that she assumed was the bird. Fearing that the kick had injured the bird rather badly, a lump of guilt formed in the pit of her stomach. "I... I am sorry... really!" she told the bird from her distance, just loud enough to hear. "I... I just want to get back to the campus, and... and you were being very rude!" She winced and started sitting down on the ground, resting her weary bones. She squinted as she tried to keep an eye on where she thought the bird was, periodically tilting her head to see around the large orb.

...What was with that orb, anyway...?

Seconds ticked by. Minutes. Finally, she spoke again.

"I... I think that... that right now, we've... we've come to... to a stalemate here. Both of us are very hurt, and... and... I'd rather not one of us get... get even more hurt. S-So I'm... I'm going to leave now. ...Okay? I... I won't... I won't kick you anymore. ...Unless you attack me again..."

She waited a few more moments, still feeling bad as she slowly made her way to the opening so she could escape. She felt really bad about leaving the bird alone. If she had her medical supplies with her, then maybe she could have helped the bird, but most of them hadn't been allowed on the trip over, and what few she did bring, she had thought that she wouldn't need. After all, she had just planned on taking a short walk. Goes to show you that you can never be too prepared, she supposes.

"I... I... I'm sorry. Please don't... please don't hate me..."

She carefully got back down on her hands and knees, crawling her way back out of the cave and to the entrance. Maybe she would be able to find this place again sometime (after she got in some better hiking clothes and brought some bandages).

(No problem, I didn't explain it well enough. The bird I had envisioned on the outside of the cave looking down the passage but this easily works too probably even better than I had in mind, I constantly adjust things anyway where choices matter more, somethings can be be worked out, made easier or more difficult in play)

It was tough keeping track of the bird without her glasses. Further it was tough to analyze just how hurt it had been but for whatever reason it had not attacked her. It was memorized by the orb staring at it, perhaps sensing something emanating from it that she could not.

It dipped in and out of sight as if studying that orb though eventually in faded from sight long enough where she had considered that it might have dipped out of the cave but it wasn't until she made her move for freedom that she saw it on the other side of the pedestal gazing at the orb. From what she could tell it wasn't hurt just memorized.

She crawled out of the cave but did not manage to get too far before there was a rock slide, a shower of shone rolling down, clashing against other rocks and jarring them loose. The good news was that she was not in the path of the stone. The bad news was that the cave was, tins of stone covered the spot where she was just a moment ago.

With the shower of stone someone soon responded to the sound coming around the bend. A well dress nab older, but not infirm, came into view. He had a short blade at his side and a midnight blue leather jerkin. Gray eyes swung in her direction and while they were a distance apart he hurried towards her ...