#ethereal . glowing . flourishing fr

[terraclae]

The Battle for Paramo

Lore Pinglist: @yuushanoah-fr @cityofinoue

This is the first time for me writing a big battle like this so hence it took a little longer. Also warnings for blood and body horror, this is a rather long piece too. Otherwise, enjoy. 

‘Dan?’

‘Yes?’

There was a long pause shared between Arodan and Atlas in which the wind howled between them. Just the vaguest flit in the distance marked the approach of an enemy from a far away land. Against the dark grey and ominous sky as if it was about to snow, they looked almost alight, in a fashion too ethereal compared to what people would want to view their enemies as. Arodan threw a quick look at Atlas who in his draconic form towered over him easily. He hadn’t quite seen imperials look so stricken with a fear of death and Arodan feared what would come after if that happened.

‘I’m really scared. Terrified.’ Atlas finally said, and he bumped against Arodan’s side. It was the skydancer’s initiative to extend his wing in a gesture of assurance. It didn’t do much but Atlas appreciated the gesture nonetheless. ‘Is it bad of me I wished I was to be the one? That I had to tell you everything was going to be alright and not vise versa?’

‘No. Not at all.’ Arodan’s feathers bristled and he nudged Atlas’ side with his snout. ‘To echo what you want to say… Everything is going to be alright Atlas.’

‘... Okay.’ Atlas murmured. His brow furrowed into an unattractive dip that pinched all his features into something feral, for only a moment. It dropped slowly once Balam joined the pair. Balam towered over Arodan in similar fashion to Atlas but he was smaller than the Imperial. ‘My liege?’

‘Sorry Atlas, I have no speeches.’ He peered into the distance and watched a wide fleet of ships drew closer and closer with the minute. This caused his face to harden in a similar fashion to Atlas’ And Arodan wondered if it was a Paramo thing. ‘I only have a decisive want to win this.’

‘All the same my liege.’ Atlas responded, his voice breaking a little. Epoch and Carmen had trailed by, still in their bipedal forms and Arodan could see them exchange worried glances. They shifted to their equally towering draconic forms and settled next to Balam without an awkward word. ‘Are you certain taking out the boats will throw them off balance?’

'It takes the edge off.' Balam responded. He looked over his friends standing besides him and raised his voice. 'Does anyone want a brief refresher of the plan?' No response came but he saw Arodan hesitate for just a moment. 'Arodan?'

'We wait for the boats to land, right?' He asked, and Balam nodded. 'Then we flank the incoming army from two sides, and close off their exits. If Kassa's strategy is right…' He threw a brief glance and spotted Kassa looking over the edge of the cliff. They expectantly looked back at the group once they noticed they were being watched. 'Their swordsmen should be first, so we send our lancers.' He held up his claw and counted on his fingers, trying to remember the last part of the plan. 'If that fails… We fire Carmen's magical cannons. If it succeeds, then it's the case of driving the army back into the ocean.'

'Aye.' Epoch said, his ears dropping flatly against his head. 'Generally it's more favorable to last longer since we have better stamina, so we need to avoid being blitzed.' He looked out over the battlefield. The cliff was a fairly large flat area that got more jagged the closer it was to the bunker. The cliff itself was quite steep, but not unclimbable with proper equipment or functioning wings that most had.

'Sound idea.' Arodan quietly said, hearing agreeing hums from the rest of the group. Kassa was now speaking to Caer he could see and there was just the vaguest hint that they would be opting to retain their bipedal forms. The full width of king Alexander's fleet now spanned the horizon, as did the glow of what could only be cannons. Mild unsettled fear grew into full blown dread and Arodan attempted to not give it a second thought, focusing on the crispness of the snow beneath his feet. He turned his head to look at the bunker once more.

On the roof of the building rows of cannons were ready to fire, smoking with a fiery orange magic that trailed lilies along the edges of them. Soldiers only could wait for their signal, their only command being to light the fuses when told to do so. After that they were expected to reload it with regular ammunition. On the left and right side of the plateau stood battalions ready to spring into action at any moment.

That moment came too soon. A flash enveloped the horizon, and as soon as it faded Epoch has been first to spot the bolts of condensated light rocketing through the sky into their general direction. Carmen and Epoch bolted from their place, forward with zero doubt in their actions. 'Cover!' They cried out in unison and their claws rose with cold precision, orange magic sparking at their fingers. Around Epoch countless and countless of dragonflies flared into being, flocking around Carmen briefly before they flew along the flow of her hands on flower petals blossoming from them. The seemingly calm manifestation of magic flew forward and whirred into something far bigger, shining, flat, like a bubble around the bunker and its inhabitants. Carmen held on tightly to her brother's hand and together they held up their new shield. Seconds later, a sound like the sky shattering ripped the silence apart, the projectiles crashing onto Epoch's and Carmen's shield with great fury. It held, but cracked and creaked at various sides. Light seeped through in fluid shapes that rained to the ground and evaporated. Epoch and Carmen turned back to the other, Carmen showing signs of a red strained eye and Epoch's nose suffering from bleeding. They looked odd smiling like this and exchanged glances, turning back to their opponent. They rushed to a rock closer to the bunker where they surveyed the approaching army, turning to Balam.

Balam gave them a curt, quick nod and reeled around towards the cannons. 'Return fire!' He commanded, and turned to Atlas, picking up a second halberd that Atlas held out to him. Above him the air crackled with magic and Carmen and Epoch had flown over to the ridge just to make sure every cannon was aimed and fired properly. For cannons the projectiles made a staggering lack of sound upon being fired and it sounded as if a wildfire that trailed bright fiery petals had been shot into the sky, a hyper saturated color against its greyness. They moved slower and just before they found their target, there was the hint of a similar shield being thrown up by the enemy. Something more unexpected happened however. Balam peered into the distance and could see the distinct shapes of dragons diving from the ships and forward into flight just before the shields fully lowered. The fire hit the shields, and as supposed, it imploded in a massive carpet explosion that sent an immense shockwave roaring across the waves in all directions. Arodan had to cover his eye to not be blinded by the sheer intensity of the explosion and it felt as if his head was going to explode from the high pitched screech it created.

The dragons that had jumped seemed to move twice as fast towards them however and the ships, a sizable chunk of the fleet, left the sunken ones behind quickly by riding the waves. They were dressed in lightweight armor, and Arodan could only guess they were the fast infantry, bolting right at them at a terrifying pace.

Arodan watched in utter awe once his eyes adjusted to the light again, and it seemed as if in seconds, the initial standoff devolved into complete chaos. 'What…?' The first dragon landed, a very sizable guardian in shining gold colored armor, who was first to charge into the fray with the rest of the Lux Laterna soldiers that had already left the ships following suit. One battalion of lancers was sent forward by Balam to fend them off and the first organic sounds of steel clashing rang across the battlefield. Swords hit halberds and shorter spears and the first blood on earth fell from the chest dripped from the chest of a Paramo soldier. 

Arodan ran another direction as if his life depended on it. Not away from the fights, but onto a higher rock Carmen and Epoch had just used as vantage point to keep a close eye on the quickly approaching ships that were about to land. He settled on the rock, creeping behind a point in it. Although his mind was blank he found it in himself to remember his spells and maneuvers, fumbling with a small pouch attached to his belt. From it he retrieved a yellowish crystal. He had collected the stones from around the castle and knew full well what he should use them for. 'Gods, I hope this works.'

Above his head a Lux Laterna soldier soared past, hitting the ground with a dull thud on a distance. It didn't move and soon Kassa was balancing on the rock above him, holding a crossbow. 'Get out there magic boy, you don't want to get yourself killed now, do you?'

'I wasn't planning to do so!' Arodan yelped, and steadied his breaths. Kassa was a breath of air at the moment he much needed, they made sure to fend off the current attackers. Finally golden magic flourished and bubbled in his claws, rising in dainty clouds, powered by the crystal which soon lost its luster. The crash of ships on rocks effectively shook his control however and he barely held onto his shred of light, peering around the rock with a swift and cautious glance. The front line of Lux Laterna's fleet had crashed upon the cliffs, no, it was almost as if the ocean floor had risen to breach the hulls of their ships. Epoch and Carmen who had somehow found their way back to the cannons again were aglow with a dull orange aura, their hands reaching forward with their palms facing upwards. It must have been their doing then.

'Okay, time to go.' Kassa commanded and Arodan followed them suit. They lead him across the battlefield and cut down any new attackers with a short sword, Arodan noticed, that was segmented as to be whipped and swung flexibly. Even large dragons went down quickly to Kassa's sword. He took the opportunity to aim his steady hand at a small group of Lux Laterna soldiers currently climbing out of the beached ships. He fired, and the sweep of magic knocked them clean from the boat and into the water below. When Kassa safely managed to run the two of them across the field with Arodan firing more bolts at landing soldiers they left him by a rock by the door to Paramo, at the very center of the building.  Without another word they dashed into the fray again. Arodan immediately readied another bolt of his magic, and caught himself thinking of Atlas. Suddenly it occurred to him, that there were no imperials on Lux Laterna's side and that it didn't make sense to him.

'Arodan, help me out will you?!'

Arodan whipped around and threw a quick glance around the rock before calling forward another bolt of magic and blindly firing. Three soldiers were knocked off their feet, right around Atlas who had called for Arodan's help. 'Atlas, you alright?'

'Thanks to you yes!' Atlas called in return and he turned to Arodan, knocking over another soldier with his tail to give him some time to thankfully nod. 'Danny, give me a hand will you?' Atlas said, and he held out his hand. Arodan caught on to what Atlas meant quickly and fired another bolt, aimed at Atlas, who bent sideways, caught the bolt in his extended claw, and threw it with a portion of magic of his own, the bolt flying for a boat currently not impaled by a rock. It's front was torn to pieces and the people left on it scattered onto the cliff. Arodan ran over to Atlas and joined his side as new Lux Laterna soldiers started to charge them again, looking equal parts furious and fearful. Arodan felt a sliver of doubt again but his fear ruled out any further thoughts for the moment, readying another surge of magic. Atlas however was ahead of him, grabbing the bolt from Arodan's hand and throwing it to blast away the approaching soldiers. 'You know, these dainty little bolts of you don't do a lot of damage to them Dan.' Atlas said, shooting Arodan a concerned look.

'They're short use, just give me a moment.' Arodan said, sounding out of breath. His gaze shot across the battlefield as he searched his bag, spotting Balam had taken to whacking whatever came his way with a hammer in his now bipedal form. Caer stuck to his side as if her own life depended on it with Kassa hovering on but a short distance. There was always a fair distance between Balam and the enemy, and as they were moving along with Paramo's soldiers, it seemed like they were heading in into a strike to Lux Laterna's back. Only one boat remained behind the fleet and what soldiers there were had already disembarked and headed onto land to charge Paramo's army. Their troops remained in their set groups, outnumbering Paramo's forces. Arodan yanked a red crystal from his bag, and the color drained from it. Red, glassy and spiked magic sparked on his claws. Half of the shards that formed were thrown at an approaching squadron. 'Arodan, incoming!' the other half was thrown up just in time, colliding with an incoming ball of arcane magic that sent Arodan and Atlas flying backwards.

'What-'

'Listen, there's no time for you to lie in my arms right now.' Atlas said, his voice breaking with a twinge of fear halfway. When Arodan's head stopped spinning it first occurred to him he was no longer in his draconic form but in a bipedal form, as was Atlas, whose temple bled. Arodan barely noticed his own left arm was bleeding with how he focused on Atlas. 'We should regroup, we might be running around but Paramo's army hasn't broken formation yet!'

'Should we stick to Balam or find Carmen and-Duck!' Arodan jumped Atlas as another blast of magic soared overhead and hit the wall of the bunker which seemed undamaged. 'This is… Awful.' He said through grit teeth, and willed his shaking legs into motion again, taking Atlas with him. Atlas held on to his hand as if it was his tether to reality.

'Carmen and Epoch, Balam is holding up fine!' Atlas yelped in return, and took the lead again. 'Arodan, don't give up on me now.'

'I'm not, it's just-' He interrupted himself to blast a squadron which seemed close to overpowering one of Paramo's squadrons. 'It's gonna be fine, we'll be fine-'

'Yes! Yes, we'll be okay alright, I promise!' Atlas yelled, mimicking Arodan's words. They dove behind a rock, sticking close to the bunker itself. 'Focus on holding out until they can no longer fight!'

'There's something wrong though.' Arodan said, his heart hammering painfully against the inside of his chest. He was sweating buckets at this point. 'W-Where is King Alexander?'

'Why would you ask that?!' Atlas yelled, and shook Arodan, the calm he just found evaporating in an instant. He knew full well what Atlas meant but didn't want to think of it. 'L-Listen, if Alexander was on the field, we would have seen him already.'

'No, this is-' Something clicked in his head and he could see Atlas was already preparing himself to dash into the fray again 'Atlas, why did they run their boats into the cliffs if they anticipate terrain so well?'

'I don't know, maybe they made a mistake and Carmen and Epoch did raise the rocks below.' Atlas responded. He saw Carmen and Epoch were standing on the bunker's roof again, this time firing off their own magic. 'They didn't anticipate that.'

'No, I'm asking you to think about it.' Arodan responded. He pulled another crystal from his bag, a magenta one this time which had thick, snaking magic inside of it. 'What if they did anticipate it?'

'Then that means they intend to stay already, which is a very risky move if you ask me.'

'It means they have something up their sleeve Atlas.'

Atlas quietened, and without another word created a sword out of light in his hands. It didn't seem very wieldable and Arodan guessed creating magical constructs wasn't Atlas' strong point. He slowly crept up, and peered around the rock. 'Okay… If that is true, then what?'

'We find Alexander and figure out what it is that might pose a massive threat.' Arodan curtly said. 'Switch.' Atlas switched places with him immediately so Arodan could actually see around the rock with his good eye. 'I know you said stamina is the key to survival but I don't want to stick around to figure out what has gotten Alexander so assured of victory.'

'Boys, stay behind that rock for a bit!' Carmen leant over the edge of the roof near Arodan and Atlas. She gestured at a cannon Epoch was preparing on a distance. 'Brace yourself!'

'Got it!' Atlas yelled in return, and he pulled Atlas to him, watching Epoch light the fuse. The shot would be intended for a squadron further ahead that was currently not surrounded by Paramo's soldiers.

That shot did not occur.

Arodan watched in horror as the cannon which was aglow with Carmen's magic backfired and sent a blast of flames across the roof. Two cannons flew right off with one crushing a Paramo soldier under it's weight on only a small distance from Arodan and Atlas. Carmen was thrown backwards from the roof, landing next to Arodan and Atlas. Atlas lost a hold of his constructed sword which evaporated immediately. She didn't make a sound, and Arodan's first panicked thought was that she was dead on impact. That was, until she started screaming and grasped at her right arm which looked barely functional. It wasn't pain she bellowed, it was a name. 'Epoch!' She screamed it a few more times, frantically clawing at everything around her so she could move back onto the cannon perches above, willing her wings into being. 'Epoch, answer me, something, please!'

'Carmen, calm down!' Arodan said, wrestling his way under Carmen's arm to lift her. He gestured at Atlas to lift her at her other side. 'Please don't-'

'Let me go, that's my brother up there!'

'We're going, we're going to check on him okay?' Atlas said, stopping her from further struggle. His own wings unfolded, as did Arodan's and in a spur of the moment team effort the ascended with a dual flap of the wings, landing onto the roof of Paramo's bunker. Only the cannons had been significantly damaged, with none being able to be used. 'Epoch?!'

No answer came. Arodan scanned the roof, and saw soldiers that hadn't survived the blast. He spotted something that vaguely resembled Epoch second, sitting up in a shambling and wheezing manner. His face was half seared off and his chest certainly hadn't survived the blast and yet he was alive, and staring right at them, muttering something over and over again.

Arodan guessed it was Carmen's name.

Arodan held Carmen back for just a moment as she was attempting to scramble towards him. Something wasn't right about this, not Epoch, not the air around them, it was the Paramo soldier that had crawled onto the roof and was walking towards Epoch.

'Arodan, you jackass, I have to help him-'

'Arodan, what are you doing?' Atlas asked, his voice laced with unamused confusion. 'Let her go, let her see her brother.' Atlas only reached to stop Carmen from clawing Arodan's face off in an attempt to free herself.

'Him. It's him.' Arodan said, in a quiet monotone. The soldier arrived by Epoch, who was still reaching for Carmen and now fell against the soldier's legs. His gaze drifted between her, and the soldier above. The currently unknown figure lifted the visor of the helmet they wore and Epoch, despite lacking the features that were so recognizable to him, was overcome with terror and scrambled away from the figure, who responded in kind by taking his sword, and driving it through Epoch's chest. He wore an armor adorned with blood that couldn't possibly have been his but that of whoever its former wearer had been, and as soon as he turned and looked at Atlas, Arodan and Carmen, the three of them couldn't help but freeze.

They had found Alexander, and by the way the skin by his eyes wrinkled just a little, Arodan knew he was smiling.

Epoch breathed his last looking at Carmen mouthing a quiet apology to her. It was quiet, it was unremarkable, and achingly unfair. Alexander withdrew his sword and Epoch dropped to the floor limply. Alexander didn't move quite yet, beyond a coy head tilt that said enough about the reason for the cannons malfunctioning so fatally. It was when Arodan was first to move, shakily and slowly raising his hands to take a shot, that Alexander immediately ran to his right and dove from the roof of the bunker into the fray.

This time, Arodan let go of Carmen who rushed over to her brother's body crying and screaming, and he knew she must have hated him for not letting her make an attempt at saving her brother. 'Atlas, we should go find Balam.' he said. No answer came. 'Atlas?' He looked at Atlas and he saw he was standing besides him crying, not even noticing that he was. Atlas shook his head and looked at Arodan with something of a scattered stare. '... Flee inside. You might be safer there.' Arodan continued.

'No.' Atlas quietly said, and he walked around Arodan towards the edge of the roof. Arodan had to jump him again so a bolt of lightning only just missed him and it singed part of his hair. 'Let's go help Balam.' Atlas said, even quieter this time, but he was looking at the battlefield as he said this. Lux Laterna's army was being besieged from the back by Paramo's forces, but Arodan could full well see that their strength in numbers was returning the blow and driving back Paramo's forces towards the cliff, into what essentially had become a large wooden death trap at the bottom of it, if they weren't going to fly. The sole vessel that had remained before the coast was shimmering with the linings of cannons, ready to fire if this occurred. The battle now stood at a fifty-fifty chance of winning but Arodan knew full well that wouldn't be enough for them, and it most certainly wasn't for him. 'He's in trouble Danny.'

'... Yes.' Arodan said, and he brushed gently over Atlas' head in a moment he didn't know what to do. In the next he felt his hand rise to his chest, then forcing it under the lining of his armor to pull out the necklace as if it had compelled him to do so. He could see Balam, still accompanied by Kassa and Caer. He looked desperate and at the end of his wits. Arodan could also see Alexander, making his way through the forces, that parted like a curtain for him as if they instinctively knew it was him despite wearing the armor of his opponent. Lux Laterna's forces drove Paramo's remaining soldiers to the edge, and the battle came to a halt with Alexander boldly stepping to the front of his defense, a row of lancers in bipedal form forming the first row with two draconic rows of casters behind them.

'King Balam, I presume?' Alexander said, in a voice that boomed across the field now that everyone had gone quiet. One Paramo caster took the standstill as a sign to attempt to blast Alexander, and three of Lux Laterna's own casters were quick to shield him. He continued as if nothing had happened. 'I must say, you are quite the formidable fighter, my compliments to your army.'

'Spare me your compliments.' Balam grunted, grasping his hammer just a little more tightly. 'You murder my men, assault my castle, and you have the gall to talk to me like that?'

'Oh, there's no need to get so defensive your majesty, that's war. We kill, we compliment. You can have admiration for the things you hunt if they put up a formidable fight.' Alexander hummed, dusting off his armor. Even from where Arodan was, Alexander looked like he genuinely believed his own words. 'It's sad, but you lose. It's really less painful if you accept it.'

'Come at me coward and I will show you what I think of that.' Balam said, staring Alexander down who looked up at him with a cat like smile that would suit better on a young child than a grown person in stolen, bloodstained armor. 'I challenge you to fight me one on one, how does that sound?'

'I don't know your majesty, that sounds like a gamble.' Alexander said, cheerfully lifting a finger to his lips. He turned to his army. 'There are an awful lot of people for me to disappoint here, what would be in it for me, beyond what I was already going to do?'

Balam couldn't answer that it seemed, and Kassa putting a hand on his shoulder finally seemed to get him to realize what a stupid idea must have seemed. He shook, and fell into a defensive stance. 'What do you have to lose?'

'Well...' Alexander said, turning back to Balam. 'Healthy bones, friends, loved ones, my army.' He threw a quick glance at his army and they seemed to nod in agreement and with a rare trust to their agreeing mutters. He smiled, and rose his sword. 'Surrender, king Balam, and perhaps we can arrange something in trade for your head. Really, this is the best I can offer you.'

Don't, Arodan thought from where he sat. He had retrieved the soul ruby from beneath his armor and it threatened to drop from his hands. Don't you dare do it, he mouthed. By the way Balam moved, he was contemplating it.

Don't do it, he heard Atlas mutter beneath him.

Kassa was looking right at him, with a piercing gaze from behind their shattered glasses. Without another doubt in his mind and a clear head Arodan rose and held the ruby above his head waiting for something to happen. For what felt like an eternity nothing out of the ordinary occurred. So long Arodan assumed it might as well be useless and he could also toss it at some Lux Laterna soldier so someone could shoot him already.

Alexander however, whipped around, and immediately yelled for his forces to scatter. Seconds later something the size of a trading vessel descended upon Lux Laterna's forces like a piece of a starless night sky had come down to devour them, their blood coating the snow below. Sachairi was immense and unrecognizable, and above all incredibly dangerous. He shredded Lux Laterna soldiers indiscriminately, but just as well what soldiers of Paramo hadn't gotten away and whatever arrows and blasts were fired his way barely scratched him.

'What have I done?' Arodan asked himself, and he sank back down to his knees, finding Atlas had disappeared. Even Carmen had disappeared with Epoch's body and he wondered if they had abandoned him.

'Darling, are you just going to sit there and wait 'till you're dead or what?'

He turned slowly and saw Kassa was standing behind him, grinning maniacally with their hands on their hips. How they had gotten to him so fast was a mystery but Balam wasn't in the rampaging Sachairi's general area anymore either. 'You did well kiddo, look at him go.' They hummed a tune and helped Arodan to his feet. 'Of course he'd come if you held it.'

'Kassa, where is everyone?' Arodan asked, wrestling loose from their grip. 'Are they safe, are they unhurt?'

'They've ran into the cave system dear. You'll know where it is.' They pat his head and gave him a little shove into the other direction. 'Now let me do my work.'

'... Work?' Arodan asked, and turned around. 'No, shouldn't you make a run for safety-' Arodan stopped talking as soon as Kassa took off their gloves, revealing blackened hands. The skin on them seemed to swirl with darkness and and lacy patterns. 'You're shade afflicted. Of course.'

'Do you want to see what I do best, Danny boy?' Kassa asked, raising their hands.

'No.'

'Too bad.' Kassa said, and one hand clenched. Sachairi's massive form buckled and gasped, his body seemingly locking up. Kassa's hand opened slowly and they pointed towards one of Lux Laterna's cowering squadrons. Sachairi shook, and then started to fearfully move the direction Kassa pointed, swiping at the squadron and killing a large chunk of it. 'This only works on Shade beings like me, but dang if it isn't handy.'

'Handy!?' Arodan exclaimed, grasping Kassa's shoulder and turning them around. 'This is horrible! You can't just control him!'

'Honey, don't let your righteousness get in the way of safety.' Kassa shoved Arodan away and now controlled Sachairi with their free hand. 'I'm doing this to protect us. If you let him rage, he's going to kill us too and he'll thank me later.'

'He won't! He's...' Arodan gestured wildly, and raised a fist to Kassa. 'He's conscious, he isn't just a mindless being in there, I can't explain it!' He started to pace towards them again. 'Kassa, I will not hesitate to forcefully move you if you don't relinquish control of him right now.'

Kassa gave Arodan a long hard look, turned towards him, and then raised both hands in his direction. His insides seemed to suddenly toil and clench and his limbs stiffened completely, the very fluid between his eyes stirring. 'Arodan, you will leave and head towards the cave system immediately. I'm doing this for all of us.'

'You can't do this-Agh!' The Shade that had been dormant in him for so long now burned and raged in him and it tore him apart mentally. 'K-Kassa, it-it hurts-Stop!'

'Stop struggling then!'

'No!'

'Sorry Danny, but if you don't stop fighting my order, your own body is going to tear itself apart.' Kassa said through grit teeth. 'Don't make me hurt you. Please.'

'You're choosing t-this.' Arodan responded. His spine bent backwards at an angle it would near break. He could feel blood rising in his throat and he hacked to not choke in it. 'K-Kassa, let go-' He saw it too late, the dark form of Sachairi descending upon them both. 'Look out!'

The dark washed over Arodan, and for a brief moment, he felt at peace, and in control, closing his eyes.