Chapter 72: Searching for Officers
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Hekate calls out as the shuttle is approaching the battle zone, “Listen, you know the stakes. They hurt Daniel, they''re attacking our home, and they won''t give up until we send a message. We''ve held back for their sake, and I''m tired of it. But… I don''t want Daniel to be sad. So, we''re going to do everything in our power to scare these guys back over the mountains. Don''t let up until thest soldier has turned and run away. Or, if Choul captures the general, then we''ll try to get him to order a retreat. Failing that, back to n ''A''. Questions?”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Everyone shakes their heads, and Choul''s voice speaks to her telepathically, “ </font></font><i><span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">I shall not fail, your Greatness. If I have to pursue him to the ends of the earth or capture the general who reces him, I will bring someone ofmand.”</font></font></i>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“We''re counting on you, Choul, but don''t get caught off guard by those assassins like we did. They hit fast and hard.”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“ </font></font><i><span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Agreed. I suspect they located your group via magic, as they ignored me during my time in the camp.</font></font></i><span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"> ”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Good to know, but we''ve got plenty of magic users. Here''s hoping they can''t fly.”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“ </font></font><i><span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Should you need me, I will be listening, your Greatness.</font></font></i><span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"> ”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">She nodded, thanking Ucahote, “Thank you, Ucahote, for rying to him.”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">The golem bows his head as he pilots the shuttle, which will also allow him tomand the battle from above. He states, “Brace yourselves. Golem strike team is dropped now.”</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">The golems in the back, much heavier than usual soldiers and wearing backpacks with arge piece of fabric inside for each one, hook cables to an anchor just inside the door as one of the golems opens the hatch. Wind begins roaring in the cabin as the women hold firmly to their seats.</font></font>
<span style="font-weight:400">As the golems file out, the cable pulls the parachutes out, deploying them automatically and allowing the golems to fall safely to the ground without suffering damage, even from high up out of range of attack spells. By the time the golems are in range, they can detach from the parachutes and likely survive the drop, assuming they are at risk of being destroyed during the drop.
<span style="font-weight:400">The other shuttles deploy golems in the same fashion, dropping them directly into the ranks of the forward attack force, who are re-establishing their ranks to march on the Citadel.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ucahote banks, guiding the shuttle in a descending arc, giving the hand signal. They’re flying slower, and the strike team members anchor their own cables to prevent themselves from falling out of the shuttle. Even though he expressly desires to avoid conflict, Daniel spared none of his secrets, it seems, by bringing warfare techniques of the militaries of his world. The other shuttles,pletely manned by golems, have machine guns and are on defense for the shuttle carrying Hekate, Aoloan, Kera’tai, Treia, Gwenesphia, Vaergraes, and Illianna. They are all armed with various elemental ‘rifles’, and they take stations on either side, taking turns firing and pulling back to cycle the recocking handle. Elemental attacks rain down below the golems, causing explosions of all six of the primary elements that scatter and injure some of the soldiers. They’re beyond the point of caution, but the elemental weapons can be tuned to be less lethal, and the long range saps some of the energy. The soldiers will almost certainly survive, as long as they aren’t hit by multiple shots, but it’s no longer as much of a priority.
<span style="font-weight:400">They spot Choul and Ryuogriar flying by underneath them, igniting lines of fire on the ground with fire breath. Ryuogriar is no longer restricted by any contract, meaning she can cause harm if she needs or wants to, but for now, she’s also abiding by Daniel’s wishes to try to turn the enemies back with minimal casualties.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate does ponder as she fires, though, which Treia notices. “You alright, Hekate?” asks Treia loudly over the wind noise and the ster shots.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah! I was just thinking… If the assassins are demon-kin, should we be focusing on the Covenant as well?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t know that they’ll leave us with much choice. But, I’m not an expert on warfare. I’m just a soldier.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Gwenesphia adds as she takes her turn firing, “I think they won’t give us much choice.” She pulls back, and Treia leans out next. The former lieutenant continues, “If what we discussed beforees true, they may just be waiting in hopes that the alliance soldiers will soften us up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That reminds me,” starts Hekate. “You’re both okay with this? Aren’t you afraid for your families?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Treia answers, “I’ve been talking about that with Daniel and Xyreko. For now, our status is unknown to the eastern military. I’m going to visit my parents and talk to them about it in secret when I get a chance, and if they’re willing, move them and my siblings to the Citadel. W-With your permission as well, of course.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate grins deviously, and Treia looks a little nervous, buying herself a moment of reprieve by taking her next shot.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, Hekate adds, “I’d never deny you that. But your sister is forbidden from talking to Daniel!” Hekate takes a shot this time, and Treia scoffs. “Agreed! I’ll never forgive Daniel if he touches her!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Gwenesphia adds, “My family will likely disown me, unless we can forge a proper treaty before it’s learned that I’m a… what would I be? Concubine?” She blushes, asking, “I-I’d like to be considered a wife, if possible…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate sighs. “You crafty, devious women, you.” Hekate shouts out of the open door, “It’s all your fault, Ryuo!”
<span style="font-weight:400">The others chuckle, and Gwenesphia takes a shot before adding, “In any case, I am number seven in my family line, and my father is a baron. Unless their youngest daughter is an allied Emperor’s lover with the status thates with it, I’m more valuable either serving the military or dead. So…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“My family aremoners, so they don’t have the luxury of simply disowning me,” adds Treia.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see,” replies Hekate thoughtfully. “Don’t you feel like traitors?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The two gatonine women nce at each other. They shrug as theye to the same conclusion. “We likely would,” answers Gwenesphia. “If we didn’t see how obviously Daniel and you try to remain out of it, and then get attacked by the east unprovoked. I don’t really remember what I wanted when I joined, but I know that I don’t want to be on the morally wrong side.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Treia nods in agreement. “I’d like us all to get along, obviously. They didn’t have toe here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hmm… Well, let me just say onest thing on the matter, then.” Hekate fires another shot, continuing, “If you want to be Daniel’s wives, I’ll allow it on the condition that your loyalty will belong to me and Daniel until we all leave this world.” They both very obviously look like they’re about to answer, and Hekate adds, “I don’t need an answer yet. Take your time to think about it. I know what’s on the line.” Her big earsy down on the sides. “I would be devastated if I had a family to lose and something happened. S-So… I don’t want to be the cause of destroying the families of people I care about. No one, ideally, but, definitely not yours.” She epts the sentiment, perking back up to continue firing down into the army below.
<span style="font-weight:400">Treia and Gwenesphia are left with something to think about, even if they think they know the answer.
<span style="font-weight:400">Vaergraes does add pointedly as Illianna leans way out to make sure no one is casting spells towards them. “If it makes you feel better, you can do everything right and still be considered a traitor and nearly purged.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The others chuckle, continuing their airborne one-sided assault. The core of the mission will fall to Choul and Ryuogriar to find the general. But, they can also watch for anything that stands out and prevent the siege from properly being established.
<span style="font-weight:400">And, it’ll be a couple of hours of marching before the golems reach them.
<span style="font-weight:400">***
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar flies a little higher than Choul, remaining in her human form to keep a smaller profile. She loses very little of her magical power, and it only really affects her fire breath, but she can still do plenty of damage. In fact, being in such a small form condenses the me so much, that it cuts more like a molten de than burns like a fire. And, ideally, she’ll be more readily avable to intercept attacks from more of the archoneldwyn assassins, wherever they came from.
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul offers telepathically when he notices her searching diligently. “<i><span style="font-weight:400">I don’t sense any more of them, your Grace.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I never sensed them to begin with! Th-They were right in front of us, and…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">They diffused their presence, but they couldn’t hide it, your Grace. I learned of this technique in my travels. With your permission, I will teach you.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">She grits her teeth, but she knows he’s just trying to help. Her anger stilles from his surprise attack on Daniel, but she recalls him being a quick acting and intelligent dragon, but also one who is honorable and honest. He believed Daniel was either an ally of Morthybargaron, or a threat to Choul otherwise, and tried to end him quickly when he realized he may be the Apostle of Despair or the Harbinger of Cmity, who is widely known to have killed two dragons.
<span style="font-weight:400">She replies quietly, “I… would appreciate that, Choul.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">My pleasure, your Grace.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">They both scan the forces, and after a moment, she asks, “You’re sure there are no more? Wh-What if…?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">I have no incentive to lie to you. If I wrong you here and now, it is you who will suffer. Even if I wanted to betray my Liege, there is no point if a female dragon is in in the process. That much magical power can not be hidden, not once you know how to search. I suspect Vaergraes noticed, did she not?</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Now that she thinks about it, Vaergraes was the one to call out right before it all happened. Ryuogriar was barely able to catch Hekate when she wasunched from her turret position, and Geirahoel was the first to face one of the assassins, nearly killed in the process.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">I cannot guarantee safety, but I assure you, I am searching diligently. The strongest person here, now, is a shenwulf magic archer. Mind the southeast for arrows.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar looks in that direction, and she can sense the magic presence he’s talking about. She feels a little more at ease, but she wishes she could verify Choul’s words herself. Part of it is that she still doesn’t like him, which is biasing her ability to trust him, but also just the absolute reliance on him for her safety.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thankfully, they’re moving at a high rate of speed. The dragons that have been in, ironically including the ones that Daniel killed before the Citadel, were defeated while on the ground. It can be tiring to continue flying and breathing fire or casting magic, but it makes them vulnerable to melee and ranged attacks from human-kin.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar is currently still tougher than a human in spite of her form, but she’s more vulnerable than if her dragon scales were armoring and protecting her, and Choul is wearing additional armor around his true form, though his helmet is missing.
<span style="font-weight:400">As they fly, though, Ryuogriar realizes that she has no idea what they’re looking for. “What are we looking for?” she asks, still scanning the ground and asionally spraying fire at an open area or a tent that she can tell is abandoned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">See therge tent with banners on it that look like a polypus?</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar scans the particrlyrge tents, finding one that meets the description, and is easily thergest of the tents. The sigil is a sea creature with many arms, reaching around a round image of Zenkon. “I see it. What is it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">That is the sigil of the Grand Zenkon Empire; the Strk. I know not why, of course. That tent is themand center, but it’s surrounded by special forces. They know dragons are in y, and we need the general alive. If they’re smart, he’ll stay in there indefinitely.”</i>
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“</i><span style="font-weight:400">You want me to burn the guards?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">No. That would be easier, but against our ideal mission parameters. Behind the tent, they’re trying to tunnel through the wall. They might seed. But, the general may also not even be there.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How do we find him, then? And, how do we catch him?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Good question.</i><span style="font-weight:400">” Choul banks hard suddenly, corkscrewing over Ryuogriar, and he grabs her quickly, carrying her rtively tiny form as he elerates. She can hear explosions and crackles of lightning as Choul braces himself. He straightens out, climbing powerfully into the air with Ryuogriar still in his massive ws. Once they’re out of range, he rxes his grip on her, with her now sitting on his palm. “<i><span style="font-weight:400">Apologies, your Grace. They were hidden in one of the tents.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">She nods. “Th-Thanks.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">As for your question, I was thinking we could attempt to trap the whole group where they are and let the golems work their way into the camp, watching from the skies.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You intend to summon more walls?”
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I can’t use any paralytic or hypnosis spells on them as I am now. But, cing the glyphs takes time, and I’ll need to ce four.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How long?” asks Ryuogriar, studying the area where themand tent is over the side of Choul’s palm.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">About a minute per glyph. And, I can’t be disrupted.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar nibbles on her thumb as she thinks. She asks, “Would you be able to connect to glyphs on the other side of the wall?”
<span style="font-weight:400">He cocks his head, looking down at the wall for a moment. <i><span style="font-weight:400">“I see no reason why not.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’ll save us two minutes that you don’t have to defend. I’ll watch to see if I can find the general specifically when they try to move him, or some indication of where he is from the top of the wall.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul assents. “<i><span style="font-weight:400">Very well. What of the other two glyphs?</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We’ll have Vaergraes and Illianna defend you with barriers, and I’ll continue to watch for signs of the general while out of sight.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">I see no fault in this n. Are you ready?</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">She nods, and Choul flies down to the wall. Ryuogriar is still perfectly capable of flight, but she can appreciate that he didn’t just drop her into the air. He sets her down on the wall, and then steps and dives off of the outside of the wall that he created, diving towards the ground to begin cing the next two glyphs.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar walks briskly to the inner edge, cautiously lowering herself to her belly and peering over the edge while exposing as little of herself as possible, in hopes of not being noticed. She can see the shuttles still strafing the forward attack force, though their ranks are scattered and some of the soldiers are falling back into the camp.
<span style="font-weight:400">Below the white dragon herself, the human-kin have a handful of soldiers, mostly humans, digging against the wall with pickaxes and shovels. They’re making some progress, but it’ll take time to get through the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar speaks to Hekate via telepathy. “Hekate, at the eastern part of the wall, there are people digging through. Can you interrupt them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">There’s a pause, and Ucahote replies, “Her Greatness agrees. We’re on our way.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar smiles. She can picture Hekate cackling, since Ryuogriar asked her for a favor.
<span style="font-weight:400">When they first reunited under Daniel’spanionship, Ryuogriar was afraid the little girl who became known as Hekate would never forgive her for being a dragon. Instead, they are extremely close. Ryuogriar knows she could trust Hekate with her life and the lives of her children, just as she’s confident Hekate feels the same way. The little feldrok girl had no one as a ve, but every now and then, would receive a small kindness that regrettably was far too littlepared to what she deserved as a living being.
<span style="font-weight:400">Daniel and Geirahoel recently apologized to each other for what happened upon their first encounter, even though technically neither of them were specifically in the wrong and imed they had no hard feelings about it.
<span style="font-weight:400">And, Ryuogriar has been unable to do the same. She enjoys teasing Hekate, but in the end, Hekate is probably one of her closestpanions, even if she could be considered Ryuogriar’s daughter with how different their maturity can be.
<span style="font-weight:400">Regardless of her thoughts, Hekate’s shuttle and the others briefly detour from their airborne assault on the forward attack force and make a beeline towards Ryuogriar’s position. It’s probably due to Vaergraes, who is very in-tune with the magic of the world, likely even more so than Choul is.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Directly below me, your Greatness.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The shuttles begin banking into circling flight as Hekate and her team begin firing down on the tunnelling operation. The workers there quickly scatter, but Ryuogriar underestimated one thing.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate’s team proceeds to fire on the tents, carts, and anything else in the immediate area below them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Naturally, themand tent is one of the targets, and it bursts into mes, scattering the guards, who can do virtually nothing about the range the shuttles are firing from. Even dragons have to get closer to their targets to breathe fire than the elemental sters need, meaning dragons aren’t far off from losing air-superiority to Daniel’s shuttlesbined with elemental and non-magic weapons.
<span style="font-weight:400">But, something about that makes Ryuogriar content. She won’t be one of the strongest beings in the world anymore, once Earth’s military prowess bes even more of a reality on Zenkon, but she also won’t need to be on the front lines anymore in that case. She can dedicate herself to her family, the future, and everything she cares about.
<span style="font-weight:400">As she’s pondering, she notices that the only people that flee from themand tent appear to be regr soldiers. She’s still not sure what she’s looking for in a ‘general’, but they all have standard issue armor. Even the guards have more ornate armor.
<span style="font-weight:400">It’s then that she spots a group of three of the guards following a handful of people sneaking from one tent to another.
<span style="font-weight:400">The advantage to Choul’s wall, as far as Ryuogriar knows, is that it is immune to almost all magic, since it’s magically summoned. It’ll also dissolve on its own after a day or so.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thus, the group is forced to flee along with the others, but they still have to ensure important figures are protected, in case there are assassins.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ironic, since assassins were in fact in their camp.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Choul, don’t waste more time on the wall. They’re on the move. I can see them.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">The general?</i><span style="font-weight:400">” asks the grey dragon via telepathy.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I’m fairly confident. Same guards as themand tent, but they’re trying to escape the area. Hekate… may have burned the wholemand tent.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">I see. I’ll be there momentarily. Do not lose them.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar watches the handful of people duck into another tent, with one of the apparent officers ncing back at the shuttles as they bombard the encampment around themand tent and soldiers do their best to evacuate each other.
<span style="font-weight:400">After thest one ducks into the new secretmand tent, Ryuogriar keeps an eye on it until Choulnds on the wall next to her in his human form, dropping into a prone position and crawling up beside Ryuogriar. She points, “That tent there. The ones being guarded had more borate armor, as did the guards themselves. No one hase out since they went inside.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul nods. “Excellent. Thank you. Leave it to me.” He climbs to his feet, taking a few steps back before running and diving forward like he’s diving into the water. He says through telepathy as he plummets towards the ground, “<i><span style="font-weight:400">Please guide me from above, your Grace, and watch if they flee.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. Good luck.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul uses magic to soften hisnding,nding in a forward roll, returning to his feet swiftly and jogging in a crouch toward the tent. “Go past the next two tents, and it’ll be on your left.”
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“Got it.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul follows the instructions, passing two tents closest to where hended, and then looking left. He starts towards it, “<i><span style="font-weight:400">This one, right?</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. Still no one hase out.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul dashes into the tent, staying low to begin his assault. From where she is, Ryuogriar can’t see anything inside the tent, and she’s not as intune with mana as Vaergraes or Choul to be able to determine where the sources of mana around her are actuallying from.
<span style="font-weight:400">After a moment, Choul states, “<i><span style="font-weight:400">They aren’t here.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What!?” snaps Ryuogriar. “What do you mean!? That’s the tent they went into!”
<i><span style="font-weight:400">“I believe you. But, they’re nowhere to be found.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar immediately bes suspicious, and she jumps from the wall as well, flying straight for the tent. She doesn’t even try to hide. She simply swoops down into the tent, sliding to a stop near Choul. He is standing still, unsurprised by her arrival, but alsopletely alone in the tent.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How can this be!?” snaps the tinum dragon. “Where are they!? Where did you hide them!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul is understandably disappointed, but he replies as calmly as he can, “I had nothing to do with this. I’m not detecting enough mana trace for it to be teleportation.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The tent has a handful of crates, a work bench, some tools, and a pile of extra beds, with one of the mattressesying t on the ground where it likely fell after all of the sts and quakes from the attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar knows that the general is key to a major part of their n in repelling invasions for the future. And, he was right here. Unless Choul betrayed her, there’s no way for them to have escaped so easily.
<span style="font-weight:400">She bes enraged, huffing as she takes several deep breaths. Choul winces, shielding his face as mes erupt from Ryuogriar’s mouth. She spins in a circle, burning everything around them as she roars. Everything around them bursts into mes. The metals that don’t burn from the intense heat melt into g, and the fabrics, wood, and anything else burn quickly to ash.
<span style="font-weight:400">As she pants, ring at Choul, who is virtually immune to fire, the ground shifts nearby, drawing their attention.
<span style="font-weight:400">The ground and ashes of several mattresses still burning away sinks into the ground, suddenly falling and causing a puff of ash.
<span style="font-weight:400">Choul and Ryuogriar nce at each other, and Choul immediately runs towards the hole. He says, “Return to the top of the wall and search for them exiting the ground!”
<span style="font-weight:400">She nods in agreement. “I will! Tell me which way they’re going!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will! I’m going!” He jumps into the hole, which has enough room for a human-kin to drop down with ease, with a tunnel about fifteen feet below the ground. There’s adder that was ced into the hole, but not anchored, indicating this tunnel was dug in a hurry, and thedder added afterwards.
<span style="font-weight:400">Meanwhile, Ryuogriar races back up into the air toward the top of the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Your Grace, the tunnel is heading northeast, following the softest parts of the ground. There may be a more arid area, fewer trees and the like.”</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Understood. I’m almost to the top.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar quicklynds on the wall and jogs to the other side to look out over the outside of the wall. She watches diligently for any motion.
<span style="font-weight:400">She spots several buckrokhs, the beasts of burden of human-kin, mostly. They seem to just be standing in the shade of a stand of trees, but they’re unattended.
<span style="font-weight:400">And, they’re wearing multi-person saddles.
<span style="font-weight:400">The tinum dragon in human form is just about to jump from the wall to fly to the buckrokhs. However, a pang of uncertainty hits her. She reaches out to Hekate once more. “Hekate, I need your help. Follow me over the wall.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">We are on our way,</i><span style="font-weight:400">” replies Ucahote’s voice. It’s not that Ryuogriar is too good to speak to Ucahote, and in fact, she does include him in the telepathic connection to Hekate, as well as Vaergraes and Illianna. She just respects that Hekate is the chosen Empress of the Fievegal, and just as she defers to Hekate, Hekate defers to her in choices that affect everyone.
<span style="font-weight:400">The shuttle approaches, and Ryuogriar instructs, “We’re capturing the general and officers. I don’t want to chance going alone.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate shouts agreeably, “You chose well! Let’s go!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar steps off of the wall into flight, and the shuttle follows her, along with the others. The tinum dragon flies quickly to the buckrokhs, swooping down into a jog on the ground, and the buckrokhs snort and bellow in surprise. Sure enough, they’re tied off to the trees, able to eat grass and shrubs nearby, but ready for whoever is to use them to escape.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate drops to the ground nearby, jogging up beside Ryuogriar. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“So, what’s the n? Set them free?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. These are nice specimens.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The feldrok girl’s fox-like ears fold back as she frowns. “You want to eat them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? No. We have human-kin and human-sized demon-kin. Buckrokhs would be useful, and these are particrly well-cared for buckrokhs.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh… C-Can… you ride a buckrokh?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“N-No…” admits Ryuogriar.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Me neither. Hey! Vae! Can you ride a buckrokh!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Vaergraes replies, “<i><span style="font-weight:400">Treia and Gwenesphia say they are experienced riders.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ahhh! That makes sense! Ucahote, bring them down, quickly! We don’t know how close they are.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The shuttle lowers, and Treia and Gwenesphia hop down as well, jogging over. Hekate says, “Do you object to stealing these?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. Where should we take them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“All the way back to the Citadel, ideally. Ucahote! Send two of the shuttles to escort them!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">It shall be done, your Greatness.</i><span style="font-weight:400">”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate nods. “Ucahote will send two of the golem shuttles to escort you. Be careful.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Treia and Gwenesphia confirm their orders, and they untie all of them and mount two of the buckrokhs. “You two be careful, too,” replies Gwenesphia.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ha! I won’t be so easily caught off guard. But… Thank you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The two gatonine women bob their heads to confirm, and they click their tongues, spurring the buckrokhs forward as the others are guided by the ropes Gwenesphia and Treia are holding. The beasts snort, but they begin jogging forward towards the wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate pats Ryuogriar’s arm, “Hey! Let’s go over there and wait on them. I want to see how surprised they are when they see their mounts are gone. Heeheehee!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar smiles and nods, and they jog to a small shrub nearby, crouching out of sight to observe the area.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sure enough, the ground shifts nearby, like a giant mole shoving the dirt up and out of the way and exposing a tunnel to the surface. The people emerging from the tunnel are in a panic, and muffled shouts areing from further in. It’s likely that Choul is harrassing them, but he can’t do anything to actually stop them. It’s ironic that he promised Geirahoel that he would capture the general, since he can’t do anything himself other than try to trap him.
<span style="font-weight:400">And, trapped they are. Hekate gestures her hands, and the golems deploy ordingly.
<span style="font-weight:400">The men scramble out of the hole, with one of them wearing armor that seems familiar to Hekate. It’s not the same guy, but his outfit is just as specific and uniquepared to the armor suits around him, as well as the crest on his helmet.
<span style="font-weight:400">She grins deviously, pointing at him as she looks at Ryuogriar. Ryuogriar nods as they continue to observe.
<span style="font-weight:400">The generales to a surprised stop, stumbling in a circle as he searches all around. One of the other officers jogs up, noticing what the general just noticed. The buckrokhs they were supposed to escape on are already gone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate whispers, “Say, how did they even get a message to anyone to bring buckrokhs back here to begin with?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s possible they came from the forward attack force. Though, it is a little sad that he’s already abandoning the invasion.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate scoffs as the officers all gather together, beginning to bicker about theck of buckrokhs and the dragon harrassing the guards in the tunnel. “They’re probably nning to just move back themand, but keep the invasion going. Too bad for them, they’re our real targets.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar nods. “Shall we, your Greatness?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“We shall, your Grace.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar smiles. Usually, they have a rivalry at best, vying for the attention of their mutual love. But, Hekate is also reliably loyal and sincere when her real feelings are on the line.
<span style="font-weight:400">The two emerge from their hiding ce, startling the officers, who immediately draw their weapons as Hekate ps sarcastically. “This has to be the most stunning invasion I have ever seen in my life.” Shees to a stop, putting her hands on her hips. “At least the twenty thousand guys fought for a couple days. And, they didn’t even give up. Captured to thest man.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The general snarls, “I am General Jothraligus kos Ekstragar the Third, lordmander of the Grand Imperial Army’s Third Battalion! ording to the Imperial Code of Military Conduct, the mere act of threatening me is punishable by death.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hekate smirks. “I’ll see you your general and raise you Empress Hekate fell Lawson,...” As she’s speaking, the officers, including General Jothraligus turn pale in horror. “Ruler of the Citadel and Fievegal. And, this is my very closepanion, Empress Ryuogriar gur Lawson, Ruler of dragons and second only to me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryuogriar’s smile isn’t forced in any capacity. It feels profoundly nice hearing those words from Hekate. She definitely owes Hekate a sincere apology for not treating her better as a child.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, the young feldrok empress surprises the mature dragon with what she says next.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now then, if you can best me in one on onebat, General Jothy, I’ll let you go free. But, if I win,...” Hekate grins deviously. “Then you have to do whatever I say.”
<span style="font-weight:400">***