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Raemos had no idea how he was going to survive, and he realized he had been very stupid to make the jump as he had when his body hit the frothing, murky water around him. The chill pierced his uniform and he blasted at one of the dragons with his magic as he fought his way to his floundering comerade.

This was a stupid idea, but he couldn't leave her behind – he'd made a vow, when he'd taken the rank of Corporal, that none of his troops would be left behind., and none would be. He managed to grab a hold of her hand and support her as she clung to him. It was hard to stay afloat, and Raemos didn't know how he was going to get back to the ship. He could feel the water responding as the Peisios circled around him, and he summoned his magic to him. He'd fight them to the end, if he had to. Just because he'd been an idiot didn't mean they would die out here. Just because he had been an idiot didn't mean those dragons would have it easy.

To his relief, the dovaa scholar appeared in his view, moving through the water with enviable ease as she took his burden from him. He let her – the other Guardian was safer in her hands than his.

“That sounds like a plan.” murmured Raemos. He had forgotten in the cold desperation of the water, but that had been his plan - to get the beasts from the water, but it had been more difficult than it seemed to stay afloat. With Esmeralda's help, however...

Raemos drew his sword and winced at the slight resistance, and then the give as water flowed into his scabbard. He would need to clean and dry everything... if he survived. “Do it.” he said, his magic gathering in his free hand as he treaded water, “But get her back on board...”

Raemos was moving faster than he had ever expected to move in the water. As the dragon's bulk came hurtling towards him, he slashed out with his sword and blasted with his magic, imagining himself as a living lance as he pierced the dragon's tough hide. It screamed, bubbling, and sank, bloodying the water as it went – his sword, and the force he had wielded it with, had hit something vital. He didn't see it disintegrate into the depths – he was too busy gasping for air near the belly of the ship as his magic devoured the other dragon, propelled by his momentum and it's own dark, evil hunger.

One dragon remained, circling around to face Raemos. He was the only one in the water now, and his heavy uniform was becoming a burden. He could die out here, he realized, as he attempted to ready his sword, kicking desperately to stay afloat.

The dragon laughed, making the water around Raemos vibrate, and spoke in it's deep, cruel language. ”You may have killed my brothers and sisters, Mage, but you will be merely my snack.” it said arrogantly. Raemos had learned dragon, but the voice was so gutteral and deep that he couldn't understand its words.

Nor did he have time to, because suddenly, on his leg, he felt a pull of magic and felt himself being dragged down as if by an invisible hand. Desperately, he readied his magic, but was spun around like a top in the water. Helplessly, he dropped his sword into the depths as he struggled to stay – and then to reach – the surface.

”I will hold you here, just a few centimeters from the air you hold dear” chortled the beast, ”And then I will eat you, and all the people on this ship, and you won't be able to stop me...” it grinned at him, it's teeth white and striking in the murky water, ”Enjoy.”

Raemos had no intention of enjoying this at all. Taking the opportunity presented by the teeth to locate the dragon, and the space of time he had earned with the dragon's gloat, he sent a heavy bolt of magic at the dragon, hitting it head on. Raemos's desperation for air fuelled his magic's wrath, and it seeped quickly between the dragon's scales, seeking air and life. Finding it, it extinguished it, and the dragon fell, dead, into the depths.

Raemos felt the spell on his leg lessen and finally fade away, and he frantically battled his way up to the surface, his lungs burning.

He wasn't sure he was going to make it.

Suddenly, he was moving upward, gasping as air struck his face. He breathed it in greedily, gasping. “M-merciful Seren...” he managed to sputter, before gravity took over and he began to fall. He scrabbled for a levitation spell, casting it quickly to break his fall. He landed on the deck, collapsing on the boards and choking out the water lingering in his lungs. “Thank you.” he managed, pulling himself to his feet.

Raemos would have tried to manage a bow. Instead, he decided to rest where he was for a while longer. “Indeed. I am glad that our paths crossed, however briefly. Otherwise, none of use would have lived.” he managed, at least, an incline of his head. “I am in your debt. Call upon me if you should ever need my assistance.”

After some rest, he was able to stand, take inventory of his people, and get back to work. At dock, everything was chaos in loading and unloading and the taking of people to the local healers, and by the time he was able to search for the dovaa to make a proper farewell, she was gone.

But such was the way of the world, and he decided that if their paths crossed again, it would be by the will of the gods. If not, also by their will. In the meantime, his people needed to rest...

And he had a meeting with his sister to keep.