Ludicrous insane stupid stupid STUPID
There wasn't any time to think about that but the thoughts roared at him as his feet carried him down the snowy mountainside in a straight line for the feeding beast. He knew he would be spotted in moments, if he hadn't been already, and he was dimly aware of Sei flanking around from the side. Howl would hang back, wait for an opening...
The dragon looked up from his meal and Warren could feel the smile, the accepted challenge. He didn't remember what he had yelled to make his declaration official but it didn't matter, not when they were joined in battle a moment later with a clash of cold steel and bony claw scratching at shield and armor. Ryuuga reeled back in a motion that even Warren could realize was playful; The highlander posed a limited threat despite his size and strength. The dragon had been hunting and killing since before Warren was even born and his weaponry weren't designed for fighting foes of that caliber. Fortunately for Warren, it wasn't he who would be bringing the creature down.
For half a moment he expected to feel Sei's lance plunge into his side and pin him to the snow in front of her master, his last thoughts and sights to be his blood spilled onto the snow before he was devoured or crushed or worse. How could he have believed her words? They were spoken a week ago but felt fresh in his mind
like new snow
and he had gone over them many times since then. Another warning of how to not address things. She said she'd gone to save him, and that she knew their plan because she could see things Howl did. Warren surmised that Howl could do the same, but that was a conversation for another time.
Her lance struck true and Warren was impressed by her agility. She'd been a scrapper back when they were still close but this was trained, practiced harrowing. Ryuuga couldn't ignore the stabbing lance and wheeled his attention on the miqo'te, and then Howl struck. It had been a properly executed pincer maneuver, or as well-executed one could be when only performed by three people.
The dragon expected it somehow; Could he see through Howl and Sei like they could through each other? Dragons held dominion over lesser dragons, perhaps-
They aren't dragons. They are not his.
Warren felt his heart soar as the lance plunged into the side of the dragon. All at once he felt the first step of his plan falling into place; Ryuuga's legacy was going to be erased, unmade and destroyed and he needed to start by pulling up the root. There was already pollution, so much of it, but the source needed to go.
Those feelings were dashed when the dragon whirled and knocked Howl away. There was a sickening crack of splintering wood and the beast roared, turning and lowering his head for what was intended to be a blast of intense fire to eradicate the brown-skinned male. Warren raced alongside the beast, forgotten about while the master tended to his prized pupils.
There was a strange sound as the creature inhaled, an odd finality to the motion. He felt that draconic eye turn in his direction, suddenly remembered. Set in Ryuuga's head his eye must have been the size of a prize-winning pumpkin and Warren was treated to seeing his reflection as he drove the length of the broadsword into that jelly. The blade forcefully redirected suddenly as if striking something hard
like stone
but the weapon slid in deep enough and Warren yanked downward hard enough that the sudden loss of his left eye threw the beast's attack off. Fire scorched the ground and erupted into the air as the turned and shook his head, roaring so loud that Warren felt it inside of him, a roar of hatred and malice.
"If you fight him with those emotions in your heart, you can't win."
The broken-off shaft of the lance was there and Warren unlatched his shield, swinging it sideways as hard as he could. There wouldn't be any more chances after this.
There wasn't any time to think about that but the thoughts roared at him as his feet carried him down the snowy mountainside in a straight line for the feeding beast. He knew he would be spotted in moments, if he hadn't been already, and he was dimly aware of Sei flanking around from the side. Howl would hang back, wait for an opening...
The dragon looked up from his meal and Warren could feel the smile, the accepted challenge. He didn't remember what he had yelled to make his declaration official but it didn't matter, not when they were joined in battle a moment later with a clash of cold steel and bony claw scratching at shield and armor. Ryuuga reeled back in a motion that even Warren could realize was playful; The highlander posed a limited threat despite his size and strength. The dragon had been hunting and killing since before Warren was even born and his weaponry weren't designed for fighting foes of that caliber. Fortunately for Warren, it wasn't he who would be bringing the creature down.
For half a moment he expected to feel Sei's lance plunge into his side and pin him to the snow in front of her master, his last thoughts and sights to be his blood spilled onto the snow before he was devoured or crushed or worse. How could he have believed her words? They were spoken a week ago but felt fresh in his mind
like new snow
and he had gone over them many times since then. Another warning of how to not address things. She said she'd gone to save him, and that she knew their plan because she could see things Howl did. Warren surmised that Howl could do the same, but that was a conversation for another time.
Her lance struck true and Warren was impressed by her agility. She'd been a scrapper back when they were still close but this was trained, practiced harrowing. Ryuuga couldn't ignore the stabbing lance and wheeled his attention on the miqo'te, and then Howl struck. It had been a properly executed pincer maneuver, or as well-executed one could be when only performed by three people.
The dragon expected it somehow; Could he see through Howl and Sei like they could through each other? Dragons held dominion over lesser dragons, perhaps-
They aren't dragons. They are not his.
Warren felt his heart soar as the lance plunged into the side of the dragon. All at once he felt the first step of his plan falling into place; Ryuuga's legacy was going to be erased, unmade and destroyed and he needed to start by pulling up the root. There was already pollution, so much of it, but the source needed to go.
Those feelings were dashed when the dragon whirled and knocked Howl away. There was a sickening crack of splintering wood and the beast roared, turning and lowering his head for what was intended to be a blast of intense fire to eradicate the brown-skinned male. Warren raced alongside the beast, forgotten about while the master tended to his prized pupils.
There was a strange sound as the creature inhaled, an odd finality to the motion. He felt that draconic eye turn in his direction, suddenly remembered. Set in Ryuuga's head his eye must have been the size of a prize-winning pumpkin and Warren was treated to seeing his reflection as he drove the length of the broadsword into that jelly. The blade forcefully redirected suddenly as if striking something hard
like stone
but the weapon slid in deep enough and Warren yanked downward hard enough that the sudden loss of his left eye threw the beast's attack off. Fire scorched the ground and erupted into the air as the turned and shook his head, roaring so loud that Warren felt it inside of him, a roar of hatred and malice.
"If you fight him with those emotions in your heart, you can't win."
The broken-off shaft of the lance was there and Warren unlatched his shield, swinging it sideways as hard as he could. There wouldn't be any more chances after this.
![[Image: yEROfKO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yEROfKO.png)
