Raemos held out his hand to his friend, Selza Sterben, and helped the bezerker onto the steep cliff ledge of the Terra Expanse.
“Thanks!” she said, flaring her wings for balance, “This is great, you know? Going out on a mission, just the two of us!”
“Mmm.” Raemos nodded. Usually, as a military organization, the Guardians went in regimented groups. Sometimes, though, there were missions that didn't need that kind of firepower – just routine checks and path clearing, especially the trade passes in the mountains and desert. Just routine, no need for more than two of their well trained operatives.
“We're not likely to find anything, not after the Mara, and my crew was up here just a month back... Cleared the place out” Selza commented, “So this is gonna be real nice.” She nudged Rae's shoulder, “Lighten up!”
“Mmm.” Raemos wasn't so certain. He had learned, through experience not normally granted to one of his youth, that things were never so certain. “The Mara haven't been this far in for years.” he commented, “But they might be. Stay sharp.”
“Rae... seriously. Is it Cearlan? Is that what's got you down?” she sighed, “Look, I get it, I miss him too, but life goes on, you know? And he was cheating on you besides...”
“I know.” said Raemos stiffly. He did not want to think about Cearlan now, and he knew how she knew. “With you. That's all behind us.”
“You sure?” she asked, concerned, “I mean, I get it if you're still mad and all...”
“I'm sure.” he said, crouching in the cliffside path to investigate a patch of disturbed dust, “Lets not speak of this now. I think you might be wrong about not finding anything...” he gazed into the distant peaks, trying to pick out movement, “Something was through here. Recently.”
Selza peered over his shoulder, “What, khehora tracks?” she shrugged, “We don't need to worry about those.”
Raemos shook his head. He was starting to tire of Selza's wishful thinking. “No. These are dragon tracks.” he said. A roar echoed down the pass and he turned to see a brown mass barreling towards them, as inevitable as the forces that had folded the land into mountains in the first place. “And there it is! Ready yourself!” he shouted, getting his wand out and leaping back to evade it.
Its claws grazed the ground where he had been moments before, and Raemos threw up his hands to protect his face, summoning up magic to strike at it.
But before he could ready his magic, or Selza her mace, it had returned to the air – where it was suddenly harried by a flock of winged shapes.
“Theres your khehora.” he said to Selza snidely as they mobbed it, bearing it down to a point beyond the valley they could see. “It looks like that is under control.” The dragon's final, desperate, wrathful death-roar echoed through the peaks.
“Looks like it!” said Selza. She helped Raemos up, grinning. “This is just like old times, eh? Getting attacked by dragons, adventuring...” she laughed, “Great stuff, Rae, great stuff! Enjoy it a little!”
Raemos shook his head. “If you say so.” he murmured...
(544/300)
