Completed To the Sand Sea

[Eira]

The wind was welcomed despite it blowing the warm air that clung to the earth after the sun had set. Eira pushed her flying goggles above her brows and looked down at the region she and another dragon rider were tasked with monitoring. The orders were simple enough; to observe and report back. Do not engage. Do not be seen.

So simple, they had entrusted Eira Malennis to help carry it out. With the advantage of a Moon Dragon, she was able to be unseen on her dragon under the veil of night, hiding against the ridge line above the scouting group from Thagretis.

"Still no sign of any other group in the area. What do you think they are scouting for? Riders from Thanasis like us?" She put the question out there for the other rider to answer, keeping her voice hushed despite the great distance between themselves and the scouting party. "Would they risk a group to move in the desert?" She followed up.

Tyafainne let out a warm huff of breath, wishing to fly and keep watch that way instead of hiding. Eira did not have to tell her dragon how important it was to remain within the orders given, not when the dragon was not at all happy to be in close proximity to another dragon despite her neck out of reach from nipping at the other.

There had been prior reports a great number of the enemy were on the move, and by the time Eira and her assigned partner got here to observe, they had only found the group of six at a makeshift camp by the water in the valley. The water had been murky and brown during the day, deterring the fauna native to these parts to turn away and search elsewhere for a watering hole, but still Eira thought them brave and stupid to set up in one place overnight. There was not much out here that would survive unless it thrived in the harsh conditions. The night provided some reprieve from the sun, but still did nothing against other predatory creatures that roamed this place.

 

[Leovold]

This was decidedly not a good fit of a mission for a rider of House Solherre. The inherent magics of both his own bloodline and that of his dragon meant that Leovold and Iralux had to cover up in a fashion that was most unnatural for both of them. Proper armor was even out of the question, as the grinding of metal plates was nearly as much of a giveaway as the burning solar energy that marked his skin and Ira's scales. A mix of black leather and cloth garments were necessary for such clandestine operations, which Leovold had to continually scold Iralux for trying to shred or burn off of his scales.

That a Scaleguard should be made to ride out on a stealth mission was positively unorthodox, of course, and the idea had irked Leovold from the start, but it was not without good reason. Thagretians were involved, and by now Leo was one of the closest things Thanasis had to an expert on their meddling. Which truthfully wasn't saying much given how frustratingly secretive and esoteric the heathens were. Even so, the powers that be decided that having someone like Leovold on the mission would increase their chances of success.

Eira of House Malennis was his current partner. Her bondmate was far better suited to the task at hand, quite literally being a dead opposite breed to his own, right down to the breed's moniker.
"It's difficult to say for certain. If they're out this far it means they've found something worth hunting down. Thagretians are nothing if not fanatical," Leovold replied from further back, following suit in his choice of volume. He did not have the luxury that Eira did in remaining as well hidden. What was far more concerning to him at the moment was not the small group they had found, but what he had come to expect from engagements with Thagretians. Namely their spawn.

"Something definitely isn't right here. Either our information was shoddy, or these heathens are concealing their numbers. I don't much care for the implications of the latter option."

 

[Eira]

Eira looked back to where Solherre remained, eyes falling to the precautions taken so that their light would not seep into the darkness. She almost pitied the idea of them hiding themselves in such a way, but there truly was no one else better suited for the task, and to give instruction to Eira, who was here to learn.

She did not know what to think if the information relayed to camp was incorrect or not, but their eyes had been staring at the same group for hours now. Nothing had changed.

"Let's say the information is no longer credible..." Eira began, counting the scouts one more time to make sure it truly had not decreased or increased. "Are we within liberty to provide new information?" She turned to look over her shoulder again, a figure dressed in her darkest gear that also had an imitation of her dragon's scales made from glass stitched in smaller pieces along her arms. It was a theory made by a glassblower in Thanasis, who was famous for her creations involving dragon scales. Eira had wanted to see what she could do with Moon dragon scales and had gifted her a few she collected from the nests.

Eira's arms reflected almost eerily like Tyafainnne.

"Can we risk moving to a different vantage point? Maybe we... need to get a little closer and see if there are signs of another group." She was simply a new recruit, paired with someone she heard had experience with the group they were spying on. Eira was a willing student. Despite their close in age, Eira regarded Leovold as the higher authority here.

With a hint of looming defeat, Eira added, "Or are we return to camp with no new reports?"

 

[Leovold]

All perfectly valid questions, though with abundantly obvious answers to anyone initiated in the fine art of war. Leovold could scarcely believe that the woman he was embarked with was not only nobility like himself, but a year older than him. How could her House have allowed her to be so sheltered?

"Within liberty, yes. But what would you be reporting? If you are to scout, then the information you pass on should be useful. Thus far you have learned nothing."

Indeed, hours had passed and Leovold had hoped Eira would catch on. He sighed and crept closer to the ridgeline, ensuring first that his coverings were still in place. He would answer her questions with his own.

"Have you ever stopped to consider why this camp is here? Look," the Solherre heir asked before pointing to one of the Thagretian men who had been walking a fairly tight circle around the camp.
"That soldier has walked the same circle a dozen times in the past thirty minutes and not once has he bothered to inspect any of the nearest crags or ridges, the most obvious places people like you or me might by spying on them from. And there..."

He then pointed out a number of oddly placed mounds of sand ringing the extremities of the camp.

"The sand dunes are naturally shaped by the currents of the wind. They take their form like rolling waves of earth. Not neat little piles like those. And the most damning thing here," Leo moved his finger one last time to the fire at the center of the camp. "That. A forward scouting group attempting to move undetected, igniting a pillar of light and smoke."

Eyes that mimicked the appearance of the fire's burning embers fell upon Eira.
"So, allow me to rephrase my earlier question, Recruit Malennis: what, exactly, is happening here?"

 

[Eira]

Eira knew Leovold was not exactly impressed by her presence, nor having to give her pointers on such a task. Her eyes watched him carefully as he came up to stand where she stood, and pointed out at the flat land before them from their vantage point. She kicked herself for not picking up what she had been seeing and making sense of it, but it was also due to the tone he took up when speaking to her, as if he could not believe he had to spell it all out for her.

If anything, she should of had the same military experience as the Solherre heir, but there were complications with her dragon's growth. Even as a daughter to a noble family, Eira hid away in books and the nesting area of the Moon Dragons, studying all she could about them so that she could help Tyafainne. The dragons were rare, and she could not sit around and feel the pain her dragon was going through. Her efforts paid off, but it took it's toll on her part as a dragon rider.

So, Eira listened to the information Leovold made abundantly clear and assessed the answer he sought.

"They are luring us here." She frowned, turning to look at the male dragon rider for confirmation. "They might not even be the scouting group we got reported back... a decoy." And what was truly happening as they stayed here?

Had she really believed the past few hours just went by with nothing to report?

Leovold

 

[Leovold]

Leovold's mouth curled into a wry half-grin and he exhaled a bemused puff from his nostrils. He had no clue about the particulars of her upbringing, nor did he care. She would learn quickly or she would die trying. That was the nature of the world.

"At last, you've figured it out. A decoy, and a trap. Knowing how utterly craven Thagretians are, I would assume they have something waiting in the piles to ambush whomever is fool enough to rush headlong into their camp. Gutter trash, the lot of them."

His gaze, full of contempt for Thanasis' chief enemy, finally drifted back to Eira.

"Always remember: out here, beyond the safety of our walls, your greatest ally is not your dragon; it is your eyes. Best start learning how to use them."

If there was one thing he'd learned about teaching from Vhagor, it was never to give an answer away for free. It was much more effective to lead someone into that answer.

"So, knowing that are time spent here has been wasted, what shall we do?"

 

[Eira]

Eira crossed her arms at her chest, the tight leathers she wore groaning slightly from the movement. Her brown eyes fell to the camp once again and tried to ascertain where these traps may be. "We should move." She said firstly, humming softly in a way that indicated her brain was putting together the intel they could see from the ridgeline. "Fly high into the cloud cover and find the real scouting group or the small army there surely would be."

She turned to face Leovold, angling her body towards him now that there was no need to continue staring at the decoys. "We need to think that if the decoys were to distract us here, then they must be activity in the blindspot we should be scouting." Malennis would not ask for confirmation, it was not how she learned. She heard plenty of the type of being Solherre was, but Eira grew up with thick skin to be bothered by his condescending words. No matter what way he chose to show her the ropes, Eira would not be a liability out here past the wards.

"Looks like we got to mount up and move."

 

[Leovold]

"Good answer," Leovold returned, something resembling an ember of pride managing to squeak its way out of him. If they'd had the leeway he'd have annihilated the little Thagretian camp, but the time and energy it would cost them wasn't worth it, nor was the potential of the decoys alerting the main force somehow.

The lord-apparent turned away from Eira and began to make good on her declaration, moving beside Iralux and preparing his tack for flight once more.
"And not a moment too soon. Let's fly."

 

[Eira]

Eira lifted a brow at his praise, finding her lips to curve slightly as she too moved towards her dragon. Tyafainne's scales absorbed the darkness, and her rider's armoured arms did the same as she climbed up to the saddle. The Moon Dragon released a breath, the warmth of it greater than the mild air out in the desert as it reached up to Eira. "Follow them." She sent through their bonded connection, and the Malennis rider could feel her dragon's excitement at finally being able to leave beyond the wards and border. Eira did her best not to grin, her own feelings mirrored. It had taken a long time to get her dragon healthy enough to be here in the first place.

She turned her head to see what direction Leovold and his Sun Dragon had made off towards, head snapping back as her own dragon turned to follow.

It was desolate out here, past the civilisation of Thanasis that Eira had only really known. No longer did she have to hear her father talk about what lay beyond the border, what missions he and his dragon, Eirenthe, were tasked with. Riders of Moon Dragons were often best suited to being scouts due to the nature of their bonded drakes.

Tyafainne kept a tight flight, choosing to soar through the air underneath Iralux as a buffer should their light peek through. The land below was vast, deserted, and fully visible despite how dark it was. Eira leaned forward and kept her eyes to the area below and scanned for any sign of another group traveling.

"Looks like nothing here..." She shared with Tyafainne, who merely answered with a deep rumble she could feel at her legs either side of the dragon.

 

[Leovold]

Discipline was something that was hard taught to a dragon like Iralux. As the pride of House Solherre took flight and soared through the skies above the desert, a lesser rider might not have been able to keep from roaring in excitement. Such was the nature of Iralux, always overeager to do...well, most anything.

For Leovold, however, the drake knew better. The lord-heir placed his fingers along the side of Iralux' neck and dragged them back, a signal from rider to dragon to remain quiet. With disgruntled huffing, Iralux obeyed. Leovold would have to make sure to reward his good behavior with a feast when all was said and done.

Clouds were few and far between this far out, but they were not wholly absent. Iralux leveled out as they reached one such vaporous shelter, and Leo watched carefully for the moment that Eira and her moon dragon caught up. The Malennis duo kept up well...

The lord-heir scanned the horizon, noting no dust trails nor lines of tracks. If the main Thagretian force was to be found, they were covering their tracks well. Wise, but also the bare minimum given any basic knowledge of Thanasian capabilities. However, at this height there was no hiding a distant, natural monolith that stuck out among the barren landscape.

Leo guided Iralux as close to Tyafainne as they could reasonably and safely fly, keeping a tight grip on Ira's reins to ensure he didn't try to snap at the much stealthier drake. He hollered out, knowing well that at this height there would be no Thagretians capable of hearing their conversation.

"In the absence of signs of their presence, ponder your enemies' goals! Think: where might one go out here? How might one shelter a large force for the night, unseen?"

 

[Eira]

Were they not that far off stationing themselves at the ridgeline of the mountains? It was all she could really see in the horizon, the mountain range found south of Thanasis that wrapped upwards towards the Thagretis territory. Day or night, to travel so openly along the desert plains was a surefire way of being spotted.

"Along the mountain range." She answered immediately. When Iralux banked left, so did Tyafainne. Flying maneuvers were their strong suit, and it pleased Eira that all those years of rehabilitating Tya's weakened wing had paid off. The two dragons responded to their riders, slowing their flight enough for their human eyes to scan below. The moons offered plenty of light against the tallest mountain peaks, but down below, after a few minutes flight, Eira saw it.

Like mice tentative to go out in the open, the large mass of Thagretians moved in the shadows of the rocky facade, sticking to the walls to hide. They were ahead, unaware of the two Thanasis riders in the night sky.

"I estimate... over sixty present." Eira began to report. "They are traveling along the ranges... back towards their territory. Makes you wonder where they are coming from." The petite rider craned her neck, trying to see past Tyafainne's darkned head. "Where is their real scouting group? Have we passed them?"

 

[Leovold]

Another right answer, another smile. It helped that the Malennis duo could keep pace and formation as well. All that smarm quickly faded from Leovold as the Thanasian quartet drew closer to the landmark that was the mountain range. From this high up and the way that they scurried along the ground, Leo could only envision the Thagretians below as cockroaches.

"Makes you wonder where they are coming from."
"An excellent question. One that I have a feeling I know the unfortunate answer to," Leovold replied hesitantly, knowing that such a location was one that most dragons would be at a keen disadvantage at. "No need to jump to conclusions yet, though..."

He pulled at Iralux's reins and the dragon huffed, clearly nonplussed to not be able to dive into what would certainly be a fun scrap. Being made to hover and watch just wasn't fun.

"The Thagretians lack raw power, their dragons few and far between. They rely instead on numbers, shock tactics, and...manufactured aid..." Leovold explained to his greener charge. He leaned forward, resting an elbow on Iralux and his jaw upon his fist. "To that end, that swarm of sixty could be the 'real scouting group.' Or perhaps worse, we've missed the scouting group because they're in the one place we can't see from up here. I don't particularly like the idea of either option."

 

[Eira]

Tyafainne pulled up in order to stay in the same spot once their partners paused, hovering. Eira tightened her grip, keeping herself almost flat against the vertical dragon. She squinted her eyes, narrowing down her hearing to listen to Leovold as he spoke. Her expression showed little, but the calculating and thoughtful soon washed over.

Match them. Tyafainne's head dipped, and as their neck rolled with the motion, it made progression to the body and tail. The Moon Dragon circled around, giving Eira a momentary brush of the cooler air up in the sky. Now they both faced Leovold and Iralux, a careful distance from the dragon that would definitely go in for a tumble, something Eira wanted to avoid. It was not common knowledge that her dragon was prone to weakness, but as the momentary spells were becoming less frequent, the Malennis rider was not going to risk being sidelined.

"You say manufactured... but I do not know what you mean. Weapons?" She called out, brows knitting together as she began to take the pieces and put together in understanding. "Why would the Thagretians need a group this large to act as scouts? They are so close in formation, moving as one unit, is it not safe to assume they are the force reported actively moving?"

Leovold

 

[Leovold]

Iralux huffed again as Leovold tightened his grip, instructing the dragon to hold his pattern. Ira was getting antsy now, Leo could feel it. They'd likely need to leave soon, lest they be spotted or Iralux lose all of his patience.

"Interrogations can be enlightening, my dear. Intelligence, counter-intelligence, false flags and diversions...war is fought as much in the minds of those in charge as it is on the physical battlefield. I've encountered large groups like this before--not sixty strong, mind you, but close--only to learn from torturing a Thagretian officer that it was nothing more than a group of skirmishers sent to harass our borders, to test our defenses."

The Solherre heir shifted his attention downwards, noting the mismatched sizes of the crawling specks below.

"When I say 'manufactured' I refer to the Thagretians' disgusting horrors, what that officer called 'Nephilons.' Thagretis has but one, true dragon egg in their control. They lack the divine blessing of the Dragon Gods that is our birthright. So they make do," Leovold continued elaborating, a look of visible disgust wrinkling his nose.

"I have every reason to believe that yes, this is the 'main force' from the reports. What I do not know is whether this is all of them, or whether the rest remain underground."

 

[Eira]

Eira's brows deepened in their furrowing, not trusting the idea of manufactured creatures created by their enemy. Such unnaturalism should not exist, but it seemed to be the answer for Thagretis.

"Have you encountered their creations?" Her brown eyes bore into Solherre's bright hues, even with the distance between them they shone much like the moon.

She was a rookie, unseasoned in her exploration beyond the wards and into the borderlands. Malennis was a studious being, but her father trained her from the first night she bonded with her dragon. From that day, Eira learned every bit of knowledge her father possessed in his stealth work. She was the next moon dragon rider, the next chosen heir of the house. Even her brother, Ilir, held contempt for her. Leovold would find Eira much like a sponge in his presence, absorbing what he did, said, and questioned, but her mind was all the eager to puzzle together what he imparted.

"We have our target in sight, then I suppose we find another vantage point to track their movements to report back." Her gaze had moved to the group moving what looked like a snail's space. "We will follow you."


Leovold

 

[Leovold]

Leovold's expression curdled like soured milk, a grimace brought upon by memories of battles won without glory.
"I have. And it is not an encounter I would wish upon any self-respecting warrior," he intoned, matching Eira's gaze. "Thagretis will pay for its hubris."

A short, sharp exhalation escaped Leovold, the ghost of a laugh. Eira had such genuine enthusiasm for learning and dedication to the task at hand. Despite the lack of experience at her age, Leovold could think of many other nobles that could learn from her example. He could only wonder where her drive was coming from.

"Very well. Let us see if we can spot our enemy's entry point to the underworld. If we can do that, we can wait for them to leave and see what has so garnered their interest out here in these wastes."

With that, Leovold leaned forward and thumped his boots against Iralux' sides, signaling the dragon to move at last. They would need to overshoot their target by quite a margin, flying past the mountains and circling back in order to descend to a position better suited for observation. They couldn't be too choosy about their perch, either; the wingbeats of their dragons would give them away if they got too careless.

 

[Eira]

Eira was proud of her dragon as they moved so swiftly after Iralux. Despite training and strengthening Tyafainne's wings as a young hatchling, her anxiety and pride were often at odds when they were in the air. Whereas the moon dragon was not as large as the sun dragon, they kept up well when searching for what they wanted to find.

There was no shortage of vantage points along the mountainous terrain, yet none proved viable for what they were searching for. Eira, for one, was not sure what the underworld would put out in terms of scouting the area. It was at this point she was to follow Leovold's lead and expertise, to learn from him what he clearly knew more about than what her father was obliged to impart before she became a recruit.

"Over there! Past that summit!" Smoke filtered in dark grey, thinning out the higher it got to the sky. It was possible for their eyes to miss it the first few glances, but the closer they got into range, she could smell it.

It was not the familiar burn that came from dragonfire or human made flames. "Perhaps we observe from a distance?" Now, Eira asked for assurance as Tyafainne beat their powerful wings to maintain speed alongside the eclipsed solar two.


Leovold

 

[Leovold]

Getting close was simple enough, and just as planned the mountain range had provided ample cover for the quartet's approach. It was the sight that appeared as they drew near that set Leovold's senses on edge. Iralux was antsy as well, though whether it was because the dragon had sensed the same sense of wrongness in the air or had merely detected the discomfort of his bondmate, Leovold didn't know. What was apparent was that the Solherre duo was ill suited to what needed to come next.

"Without a landing spot there isn't a distance where Iralux and I can observe from where we won't be spotted by the enemy," he answered back, pulling his drake into a hover again. His gaze shifted from the ominous smoke to his student. "But the two of you can."
It was a lot to ask, but Leovold was familiar with the capabilities of the Malennis brood. He'd had plenty of time to observe that strange armor of Eira's as well. They'd be far more suited to getting a better look.

"If--and only if--you feel confident about it, I would have you go on ahead without us. Get a look at what you can, safely, and without being spotted, then return. If not, then this is where our reconnaissance ends."

 

[Eira]

Eira tried not to show her disappointment, that now she was capable of fulfilling the scouting alone. Of course, herself and her dragon were the most suited for the job, but Eira also liked learning from the Solherre heir and his experience with the Thagretians.

"Alright." No one would see them coming. They were reflections of the moonlight, and the darkness of the night above. They could get closer than any other breed of dragon. If something were to happen, that a piece of their shielded armour came loose and that sunlight bore through? It was a disaster waiting to happen.

And Eira would be unable to learn from a dead comrade.

"Shall we meet somewhere? Perhaps where we first took watch over the decoy scouts?" She needed to hear it from him that she was truly on her own now, that this was a simple task meant for a moon dragon rider. "Or will I see you back behind the wards and Wall?"

Eira did not let fear ever touch her skin, her blood, or mind. It was an odd giddiness to be out flying so freely, to be fulfilling her duty to House Malennis in such a way.
Leovold

 

[Leovold]

So she was willing. Eira must've had some mixture of confidence, boldness, or foolishness brewing within her, though it was difficult to say what the percentages were. Either way, Leo once again let a hint of pride slip in his expression.

"Yes, you'll come right back here as soon as you've made a pass," he answered her sternly. "Iralux has plenty of energy to spare, we'll be making short circles in this area."

Being off the proverbial leash was relative here. Leo still wanted her on a safe enough tether.

 

[Eira]

Eira and Tyafainne did not waste another moment.

The two dove with grace, almost silent in the night as they soared to inspect the unnatural smoke emitting from the rocky terrain of the mountain range. They had been set far and wide, several hundred feet away from the next. Tya dropped to a distance that allowed Eira's human eyes take note of what was below. The smell, it was still unnatural to her, and so lower did the Moon Dragon go. She circled around, getting a better vantage point for her human rider.

Her stomach dropped, as if Tyafainne fell from a dramatic height.

Bodies.

At least that was what she could make out of the remains. They had been half burned, as if a complete roast was not on the agenda. When she worked past the disgust and the smell, - suddenly more rancid now she identified what it was- Eira willed Tyafainne to move onto the next smoke pile. The dragon did not share the same disgust as the human, rumbling felt at Eira's legs as Tyafainne projected emotions she could only identify as wary.

The second and the third were all the same, some even containing larger and non-human remains.

This discovery warranted a report back to Leovold, the senior of the two.

As Tyafainne dipped below the ridge line, following a valley before rising back towards a cluster of light clouds, a beast shot out from nowhere and clung to the left wing of Tyafainne. Teeth sank into the leathery skin, and Eira's heart set into panic hearing the all too familiar pained roar that came from her dragon.


Leovold

 

[Leovold]

Heavy wingbeats echoed through the mountain peaks around Iralux as the solar drake continued to hold his pattern. Tension hung in the air like fog, and despite Eira's confidence neither Leovold nor his bondmate could shake the sense that something terrible was soon to happen. Neither of the Solherre duo had to wait long.

Distant and delayed, the sound of Tyafainne's roar came all the same. The mountain pass reflected the pained cry wondrously, and no sooner had Leovold heard it had he kicked into Iralux and gave a shout of "Yah!"
The sun dragon banked hard to the right, barreling over and flapping hard to get up to maximum speed.

If Eira had come under attack then the worst had come to fruition. The quartet would have to fight their way out, and the Thagretians would know that they were being watched. So be it.
"Yah! On, Iralux, on!"

As Iralux broke from the mountain range and back into the open air, Leo searched urgently for any sign of his protégé and her bondmate. Leo was thankful he'd insisted ons taying so close...he only hoped he wasn't already too late.

 

[Eira]

Eira barely palmed a throwing knife before Tyafainne careened into the mountainside, attempting a daring landing that made the Malennis rider fumble her hold on the weapon. Desperately, she reached for the other at the small of her back, throwing it towards her target that still latched on. It was a monstrous beast, nothing like anything she had seen in her life or seen depictions of in books.

Where Eira failed to dislodge the beast from her dragon, Tya's bite had more success. It was well aimed, crushing a limb and effectively loosing it from her damaged wing. Eira's eyes stared at the blood that poured from the wounds, her lungs growing heavy with breath. All these years, her wings had healed after all these years only to be undone again.

"Move!" Panic rose for her command to come out in a near screech, desperate for her dragon to do more in getting rid of the hostile.

Leovold

 

[Leovold]

The beast assailing Tyafainne let loose a horrid, warbling howl that sounded much like two different creatures bellowing in concert. It seemed to pay no heed to its destroyed limb, fighting only to slay its prey. The monstrosity clawed and dug its digits into the moon dragon's scales, trying for all it was worth to peel flesh from bone. A single minded determination to kill emanated from every fiber of its being, its teeth gnashing as the creature struggled its way ever closer to Eira.

Yet over the din of the brawl, a high pitched whine could be heard distantly. The sound steadily increased in volume, then pitch until it overwhelmed the sounds of beast and dragon both. With the sound came light. A furious, burning light that resembled the brilliant light of dawn.

*WHOOM*

In a single, blistering moment, the shrieking light struck Eira's assailant, leaving much of its form charred as slick, stinking ichor sprayed in a shower from its now shredded back. The beast howled, but still clung to life-- yet it had loosened its grip on Tyafainne and was thoroughly distracted by the sudden intrusion of this new contender. The Malennis duo would have a chance...

 

[Eira]

The break of dawn was impossible to miss in her peripherals, and relief flooded through Malennis. Within moments, she shouted down the bond to Tya to shield her eyes, to be still for only a moment. Eira did not see the impact, but felt it before the smell burned her nostrils. Brown eyes opened to see the aimed destruction that could only be gifted by Iralux, and Eira saw her window of opportunity.

She leaned forward, gloved hand brushing against rough scale before gripping the pommel of her sword, throwing it upwards to catch with the same hand as her legs moved to stand. As each fall of her boots along the spine of Tyafainne, Eira's arms moved in motion, wielding her weapon the way she had been taught. The student launched herself, not giving herself time to think and reconsider her choices before arcing her blade to cut into the burned beast.

The sound that spewed from the monstrous being threatened to damage her ears.

It released Tyafainne, but as Eira began to fall, she quickly knew it's attention would turn to her, the newest threat.

She landed on her side, pain erupting at her hip as Eira forced herself to roll and move to her knees. She glanced at the creature, watching as it weakly, but still able to move, turned her way.

Before it could launch, Tyafainne's giant maw seperated above it and clamped down on the top half of the charred beast. She whipped her head to the mountainside, releasing the torn half over the flat earth.

Eira winced, dropping her sword to clutch at her side and wince. All she could feel was pain, unsure if it was her own or that of Tyafainne's. Wounded, but not down for the count, Eira made the effort to stand and look to the dark sky to see Leovold and Iralux.

"Guess we just announced ourselves." She called out from below.

Leovold