Drawing his sword was pointless.
He saw its mouth open. Instinct commanded him to move out of the way. In one fluid motion, his right arm pressed against the small of the paladin’s back, right foot just above the toe of her sabatons, and Kasrjin threw both himself and Roen facedown into the snow.
The beast was massive. Its jaws were large enough to swallow the Xaela whole, considerable frame and armor and all. The great gout of flame spewed forth from the jaws of the dragon, scorching the cliff behind the Convictory. To the credit of their construction, the violet tents, though blackened from the heat of the attack, did not ignite or crumble. The dragon let out a magnificent snarl, perching on its haunches briefly before leaping mightily into the air, its wings beating furiously as it ascended into the cloud cover above again. Vapor from incinerated snow wafted in gouts of mist.
“The signal! The signal!†someone had begun shouting. As the dragon flew away into the sky, one of the knights rushed over to the firepit and threw a small cloth bag into the embers. The flame sputtered and coughed briefly before the orange flames flashed into a brilliant azure, and billowing smoke of a matching hue began skipping into the sky. The flames of the signal fire grew hotter by thee second.
Ser Tabourot, the Elezen having lost his coif somewhere along the way, put a singed horn to his lips which blared out a deep, echoing tone.
As Kasrjin leapt to his feet from the snow, his eyes were gleaming.
That was a dragon. Not just a beast, but an intelligent one.
He was very much looking forward to defeating it.
The Au Ra did not know what the knight’s intentions were, but the attack on this camp was meant to shake the knights. The dragon would not be easily spotted while the cloud cover lasted, but high in the sky it followed the knights to the camp such that it knew where they were based even with the cover of the cliffs to defend them. Then, it struck and retreated before retaliation could be mustered. It was a taunt and a warning both.
“Prepare for battle! As soon as Ser Vaillancourt returns, we venture forth. Is the trap still intact?†Tabourot shouted.
“Aye, ser! The briar and birch made it through!â€
Tabourot glanced at the Xaela and the paladin still kneeling in the snow. “You two as well. We’re mobilizing.â€
“You cannot strike at the beast while it possesses the cloud cover,†Kasrjin rumbled. Tabourot shook his head grimly.
“You will learn how we hunt dragons in Coerthas, Ser Khadai. Now prepare to move out.â€
It was just then that another horn was heard in the distance. The knights’ heads whipped towards the direction, and in the distance another squad of knights could be seen trotting through the snow. Tabourot snatched a spyglass from his belt, and upon looking through, his eyes widened at the sight of an indiscernible signal before he shoved the spyglass back into its pouch. He waved a hand at two knights hurriedly carrying lengths of lumber.
“Drop it! The dragon’s minions seek to undo us! All hands to arms!â€
As if on cue, a skysplitting cry pierced the heavens from above. Far above, a cloud of what seemed to be locust rapidly began descending towards the camp from the cliff above the Convictory. With remarkable discipline, the knights rapidly congregated towards the center of the camp. The knights had dropped everything save for their weapons and shields. Axes, bows, and swords were poised and readied. The archers quickly formed a firing line towards the back, followed by the lancers ahead of them readying their spears between the shields of the swordsmen.
Tabourot himself was standing at the front of the wedge they established, his own blade and shield held aloft. “Dragonflies! Hold the line!â€
The dragonflies had thin, serpentine bodies, held aloft by furiously beating insect-like wings that seemed to hum. They snarled and spat as they almost immediately swarmed upon the formation. Arrows flew with telltale twangs as hooked arms and feet slashed at the knights in the front of the formation.
Kasrjin withdrew his sword, and did his best to join the knights in formation. He retreated to behind the shield wall, one hand placed against the flat of his blade, the other firmly grasping the hilt, prepared to wield it like a spear.
A dragonfly swooped right past him. With a measured, steady gesture, the blue steel of his blade flashed forward, neatly severing the creature’s wings.
A visible grin was on his face.
He saw its mouth open. Instinct commanded him to move out of the way. In one fluid motion, his right arm pressed against the small of the paladin’s back, right foot just above the toe of her sabatons, and Kasrjin threw both himself and Roen facedown into the snow.
The beast was massive. Its jaws were large enough to swallow the Xaela whole, considerable frame and armor and all. The great gout of flame spewed forth from the jaws of the dragon, scorching the cliff behind the Convictory. To the credit of their construction, the violet tents, though blackened from the heat of the attack, did not ignite or crumble. The dragon let out a magnificent snarl, perching on its haunches briefly before leaping mightily into the air, its wings beating furiously as it ascended into the cloud cover above again. Vapor from incinerated snow wafted in gouts of mist.
“The signal! The signal!†someone had begun shouting. As the dragon flew away into the sky, one of the knights rushed over to the firepit and threw a small cloth bag into the embers. The flame sputtered and coughed briefly before the orange flames flashed into a brilliant azure, and billowing smoke of a matching hue began skipping into the sky. The flames of the signal fire grew hotter by thee second.
Ser Tabourot, the Elezen having lost his coif somewhere along the way, put a singed horn to his lips which blared out a deep, echoing tone.
As Kasrjin leapt to his feet from the snow, his eyes were gleaming.
That was a dragon. Not just a beast, but an intelligent one.
He was very much looking forward to defeating it.
The Au Ra did not know what the knight’s intentions were, but the attack on this camp was meant to shake the knights. The dragon would not be easily spotted while the cloud cover lasted, but high in the sky it followed the knights to the camp such that it knew where they were based even with the cover of the cliffs to defend them. Then, it struck and retreated before retaliation could be mustered. It was a taunt and a warning both.
“Prepare for battle! As soon as Ser Vaillancourt returns, we venture forth. Is the trap still intact?†Tabourot shouted.
“Aye, ser! The briar and birch made it through!â€
Tabourot glanced at the Xaela and the paladin still kneeling in the snow. “You two as well. We’re mobilizing.â€
“You cannot strike at the beast while it possesses the cloud cover,†Kasrjin rumbled. Tabourot shook his head grimly.
“You will learn how we hunt dragons in Coerthas, Ser Khadai. Now prepare to move out.â€
It was just then that another horn was heard in the distance. The knights’ heads whipped towards the direction, and in the distance another squad of knights could be seen trotting through the snow. Tabourot snatched a spyglass from his belt, and upon looking through, his eyes widened at the sight of an indiscernible signal before he shoved the spyglass back into its pouch. He waved a hand at two knights hurriedly carrying lengths of lumber.
“Drop it! The dragon’s minions seek to undo us! All hands to arms!â€
As if on cue, a skysplitting cry pierced the heavens from above. Far above, a cloud of what seemed to be locust rapidly began descending towards the camp from the cliff above the Convictory. With remarkable discipline, the knights rapidly congregated towards the center of the camp. The knights had dropped everything save for their weapons and shields. Axes, bows, and swords were poised and readied. The archers quickly formed a firing line towards the back, followed by the lancers ahead of them readying their spears between the shields of the swordsmen.
Tabourot himself was standing at the front of the wedge they established, his own blade and shield held aloft. “Dragonflies! Hold the line!â€
The dragonflies had thin, serpentine bodies, held aloft by furiously beating insect-like wings that seemed to hum. They snarled and spat as they almost immediately swarmed upon the formation. Arrows flew with telltale twangs as hooked arms and feet slashed at the knights in the front of the formation.
Kasrjin withdrew his sword, and did his best to join the knights in formation. He retreated to behind the shield wall, one hand placed against the flat of his blade, the other firmly grasping the hilt, prepared to wield it like a spear.
A dragonfly swooped right past him. With a measured, steady gesture, the blue steel of his blade flashed forward, neatly severing the creature’s wings.
A visible grin was on his face.
