Fable - Ask The sand, it too ebbs and flows

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Being able to prepare for the fight seemed like a valuable blessing. Amailia looked around the terrain nearby the camel. She unfortunately did not know a ton about strategy, but an open area seemed good to avoid surprise. She of course looked towards the White Swallow for his more experienced opinion. Speaking up to ask about what preparations they could take, and how to make the best use of their soon to be battle field to face these beasts.

 

[White Swallow]

The Swallow began to explain the plan as they retreated into the shadow of a nearby cliff-face.

The most obvious guess is that they'll wait for the wyrms to return and finish the food.
Carcasses here rarely lasted long. Too quickly were they reclaimed by the land.
An ambush would be to their benefit, but, how much would they be in an advantage if suddenly the wyrm pack was 10 heads strong? Quite possible with a mated pair and it's many young, especially with a larder as abundant as is.

»A shame for the camel, it could have been worth at least a thousand dirams at the camel market.«
»Though, Amailia, are you able to guide arrows with your magic? Into a target?«

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

"For me to personally guide even one arrow would take all my concentration. the easier option is that I could maybe enchant a bundle of arrows to track a very particular thing such as heat from their bodies, but I don't know how exactly the heat from the desert would affect that, especially if they are cold blooded..."

As she pondered the issue another idea came to her, and she pulled out the vial with the whisker,

"But I can use this so some of the arrows will be guided into its kin."

She beamed as she gestured for him to pass his arrows.

 

[White Swallow]

The idea, in this process, seemed quite good. But it's an entirely different beast if it would work in practice. Especially if they could not test it.
Though the White Swallow was very well aware that he did not fully understand the magic of some people. He's seen summoners of the dunes, the letter-writers of Jaleyaana, who animated their calligraphy into reality.
Even his troop has had its fair share of casters.
Magic, however, was limitless potential. Knowing one mage guaranteed not the knowledge of others. »If you are right, then I trust your drive, here.«
He then offered her his quiver of arrows.
Most were of his usual stock, those that penetrate deeply, but some were broad to cause bleeding.

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Amailia took the quiver, and pulled out the whisker from the vial, and looked at it sorrowfully before drawing arcane runes upon the quiver and the arrows channeling from the whisker. As she worked the whisker grew frailer, drier, and began to lose its colour. When she was finished she put the whisker back, and pulled out a wafer of bread upon which she began munching upon contently in a similar fashion to a rodent, with her small bites. She would need as much energy as she could get to face the oncoming threat.

 

[White Swallow]

Taking the arrows back into possession, all that was now to be done was to wait.
Wait and rest, but not too much for one had to be on their guard.
As seconds passed to minutes, and minutes passed to hours there was no sign of disturbance.
The white swallow's attention slowly waned when it suddenly snapped back into full wakefulness.
A single wyrm burrowed from beneath the sand, testing the corpse.
Three more followed, and eventually a fourth as big as the first one slain came into view.

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Amailia tried her best to remain attentive, but after the first hour her attention, through no fault of her own, was drawn to the clouds. She stared into them seeing shapes, and daydreaming about all sorts of things. Farm life, running a bookstore, being recognized as a great wizard, burning her scumbag father, and sweet rolls.

As her head was in the clouds and not on the ground she did not see the burrowing sand wyrms. She did however see a cloud that looked a lot like a sheep.

 

[White Swallow]

Among the soft drift of clouds and the stark shadows, they cast upon the land, a gentle shhhh seemed to dismiss them from the sky.

The white swallow readied his quiver, it was not or never. The pack was large and if Amalia was true, her magic would be the end or life for them.

Pulling out an enchanted arrow he nocked it in his bowstring and pulled, taking aim.
Then he released, holding his breath.

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Amailia was pulled back to the earth with a start by the twang of Sparrow's bowstring. She looked down trying to take in what was going on.

As she was already behind she needed to try, and buy more time and began moving her hands forming runes in the air. As soon as the sand wyrms began moving towards them she would release a spell that would turn a roughly nine meter section of the ground temporarily into a substance similar to tar.

 

[White Swallow]

In a minute, the White Swallow loosed 10 arrows.
they all landed their mark on the scaly skin.

Yet with Amailia's spell, the beasts got stuck in the sand and one by one, the arrows pierced their flesh. No haste further was needed as the Swallow emptied his quiver in full.
All but one beast lay dead on the ground. Of the last, only a blood trail remained of its swift escape.
It would not last long, but they needed to be sure of its death.

The Swallow walked out from the cover of the shadow.
»We must check the bodies, perhaps you can replenish your samples? «

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

It was over so fast. Amailia stared forward attempting to catch her breath. She turned to her companion taking him in once more for a moment with even more admiration for the man.

She quickly responded enthusiastically,

"Yes, let us."

Her excitement for being able to gather samples, and learn more about these creatures evident in her tone, and on her face. As she turned towards the bodies once more the the fear she felt towards them remained as she still was not used to death, and killing. She almost expected them to leap at the pair at any moment.

 

[White Swallow]

The endless curiosity in Amailia's eyes was quite an apparent sight.
Standing by the sand wyrms, he made sure each and everyone was dead.
» Do you want to see inside? « He offered to skin and cut open one of the bodies.


Still, the last one had to be tracked down still to make sure it died.

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Amailia jumped at the opportunity, not thinking about the sand wyrm that had escaped. She pulled free her notes ready to fill them with all she could.

The chance was slim that any harm would come from waiting just a bit longer, which was good because of how Amailia would feel if she had to face consequences for enjoying herself, for feeding her excitement. For her to make such a mistake, even if it was not her fault.

 

[White Swallow]

At the confirmation, the white swallow dug into the hide to open the body to a closer examination of the muscle.
After that, he opened the beast across the stomach, offering the beast's inside to be inspected much more closely. One organ, then another and Amailia didn't need to stain her pages with the blood of the wyrm.

 

[Amailia daughter of Eve]

Amailia did her best to sketch the rough shape and placement of each of the the organs within the body. Within the spaces she threw down little notes with lines pointing to certain points on the drawing. Elsewhere she drew the cut emphasizing where scale met hide, to flesh and muscle.

Still no matter how much she drew or studied fed her desire for knowledge, it would be like attempting to feed a fire, only momentary relief before its hunger strikes back all the stronger. Leading the meek girl to hungrily ask,

"Would there be any chance I could bring a specimen back to Elbion?

...After we are done of course!!!"

She added hastily.

 

[White Swallow]

»Take one if you wish! « The White Swallow stepped back a bit, at least to take a better look at the dissected body they've been working at for.
An intriguing derailment for sure, the other wyrm might have bled out entirely by now, and he himself looked not so pristine anymore.


But a better question would be, how would Amailia plan to bring one with her to Elbion no less?
»You do have one obvious problem to overcome.«