The Battle of Dras-Leona is here. We fly to WAR!


Aaron checked his ammo for his V4. He had three mags of thirty rounds on him, and if needed, the Bullhead had eight more. Hopefully this would be enough. With a couple of sane Eldunarí helping him out, hopefully he was a match for Morzan and Pruma physically.

Mental combat was never a problem with Morzan. He always used brute force to attack. Pruma would be the problem if it came to that. Elves were tricky, they had strength behind precise attacks. Still, no one had broken into Aaron's without the help of a few dozen others. It didn't look like half that number were missing from the Eldunarí chamber.

"Mount up people!" Ruby called. "Dras-Leona will be ours by nightfall. If you're not on a dragon or in the Bullhead in five minutes, you're being left behind."

Nalia dropped to her belly beside Aaron. You heard your woman. Mount up.

Aaron shook his head. "You're going to be on me about this for a while, aren't you?"

Of course. Nalia snorted. And I'm sure Yang will join me when she gets better.

"Probably." Aaron turned toward where Yang was getting ready. Her armor was polished once more, but it was still scratched and dented in several places. "We're going to have to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't go crazy again."

Nalia hummed sadly. I believe that job will be up to Ruby and Cerise. She stared toward the city once more Dras-Leona is a big place. There's no guarantee that Morzan and Pruma will be in the same area.

"And Brom's going to want to fight Morzan one on one." Aaron shook his head and climbed Nalia's side. "I'm going to have to lend him Redemption. I can fight with my V4 and his sword until the battle is over."

Aaron craned his neck to look over Nalia's head. He could pick out the black spire of Helgrind in the distance. Dras-Leona wasn't far beyond. Hopefully this would be the last battle of this insurrection. But unlike Urû'baen, they'd most likely have to stay until the Elf, Dwarf, or Varden armies arrive to occupy the city. Somehow he doubted that many of the soldiers there would lay down their arms. Dras-Leona never was the most civilized city before Galbatorix took over. The guards there most likely wanted to keep their new way of life.

"I'd almost say razing the city was a good idea. Too many good people would be in danger."

If Deynor orders it, I will happily volunteer. Nalia shuffled her wings. It would be a good way to relieve pent up frustration.

"I'll pass it along if and when the time comes."

Cerise walked up next to Nalia, Ruby and Yang already on her back. "You ready for this?" Ruby asked.

Aaron shrugged. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"You're not going to go searching for your sister right away, are you?"

"No. As long as Morzan and Pruma are alive, she's not safe with me." Aaron dipped his head. "Afterward, probably. She's suffered enough." Aaron looked over again and did a double take. A golden sword rested on Yang's hip. "You still have that sword?

Yang grimaced. "Only until Morzan and Pruma are dead. Sun's Light isn't enough, and it's chipped as is. Going against more of their swords would break it. I can't let that happen." She shook her head. "How are we going to do this anyway? Free the slaves I mean."

Ruby held up a finger. "First, declare them free. Second, find or make a list of all of them in the city and get their information. Third, make caravans to take them to their home cities or villages, or to Surda."

"What about kids who don't know? Weiss made it sound like there were a lot of them there."

Ruby hung her head. "Try to find their parents. If they're not in the city, ask if we can check their minds for them. If we can't…I don't know. Hope others will take them in? Other former slaves, Surdans." Ruby sighed. "I just don't want to free them and have them living on the streets."

We can figure this out when we know how many are in that situation. Cerise turned her head back. It's time.

Ruby shook her head and looked back. "We're leaving. Next stop, Dras-Leona." Cerise ran a few steps forward before jumping into the air, with Nalia right on her tail. Vert and the Bullhead fell behind initially, but caught up. Vert tried flying using his own wings with the Eldunarí yesterday, but he didn't like the feeling of others helping him fly.

Cerise took point in the morning sky, with green dragons flanking her on either side and the Bullhead directly behind her. Helgrind grew as the fliers approached. Smoke from Dras-Leona peaked over the horizon. Soon after, the top of the cathedral poke over the walls. At the moment, nothing rose to stop them.

As they approached, Aaron kept his eyes on Helgrind. There were plenty of places on the black mountain a dragon could hide, even ones the size of Morzan's dragon. Aaron raised his V4 and aimed it at the mountain. His finger rested on the trigger, ready to pull back at a moment's notice. He noticed the Bullhead's turret aiming up, so he let his aim fall to level and below.

Nalia flew past Helgrind, and a red dragon lunged from below, a figure in red and black armor on its back. Nalia dove as Aaron fired his weapon. The Dust rounds bounced off Red's wards, not like they could have pierced skin or scales by itself. The beast was almost the size of Glaedr, more proof of the Traitor's meddling.

Aaron brought his Scroll to his face. "Street Rat to Lotus, drop Brom here, then bring the rest of your load to the city. We'll take Morzan here."

"Copy that, Street Rat. Descending." The Bullhead curved and angled its turret toward red. Before it fire a single shot, Red disappeared behind Helgrind, blocking any shot. A door opened on the transport and a lone figure dropped down.

"Meadow, you're their backup if things go south," Ruby ordered. "Jackrabbit, you'll be needed in the city no matter what. Big Green, Street Rat, stay safe." Cerise and Vert continued toward the city, and the Bullhead rose to join them.

Red flew around the mountain and roared a challenge at Nalia. Nalia returned the gesture. The two dragons closed their mouths and glared at each other. Red circled down and away. Nalia tensed but did the same. She snarled the whole way, never taking her eyes off her opponent. Aaron kept his V4 on Morzan, ready to shoot if Morzan so much as twitched in a way he didn't like.

The dragons landed apart from each other, with Brom not too far away from Nalia's side. Aaron dismounted and drew Redemption. "Brom," He gestured with his sword, "it's not Undbitr, but it's better than what you have."

Brom nodded and took the offered weapon. "I will make good use of your sword."

Aaron gripped his V4 with both hands. "One way or the other, Morzan is the only one dying here."

"Good." Brom faced the red dragon. Morzan had dismounted and was walking toward the other two Riders. Brom gripped Redemption and raised his own shield. He stalked forward as well.

One of the Eldunarí assigned to Aaron poked his mind. Shall we help the tr..,Brom?

Aaron scowled. It would take a lot to get rid of Galbatorix' influence. One of you help Brom, the other help Nalia against that beast. He glared at red, then back to Morzan. He didn't bring his V4 to his shoulder, but he was ready to at a moment's notice.

Brom and Morzan stopped a few dozen feet apart. "So, it comes down to this," Mozan's deep voice boomed. "The first battle of King Galbatorix' rule, to one of the last. If I was an elf, I would say it was poetic."

"You betrayed us Morzan!" Brom yelled. "You killed dozens of us. You killed Saphira. That cannot be forgiven."

"I betrayed a corrupt Order. Vrael and all those before him kept the peace by preventing progress. Years went by with the only changes being who sat on the throne in Ileria. No one kingdom could hope to rise against them. They could only be brought down from the inside."

"You call this progress?" Brom gestured to Dras-Leona. "People have been stripped of all humanity, forced to work for people who couldn't care less about their well being. They are living in fear. One word can be a death sentence."

"And yet Dras-Leona has never been more productive. Certain sacrifices must be made for the betterment of the people." Aaron tightened his grip on his V4 and almost unleashed a full magazine into Morzan.

"Then you are truly lost." Brom raised Redemption and his shield into a defensive position. "There is only one way for this to end."

Morzan raised Zar'roc and his own shield. "I couldn't agree more." He charged Brom and metal clashed. The battle for Dras-Leona had begun.


As soon as the metal-fake-claws met, Nalia pounced on the nameless-red-snake. It saw the attack coming and backed away from the strike. The nameless-traitor was bigger and stronger than Nalia, but couldn't match her speed, even if assisted by multiple Quickwing-Eldunarí. She lunged again, snapping at the nameless-traitor's neck. See-through-shield-wards deflected her bite and the nameless-red-snake took flight.

Nalia snarled and followed. She still had the large-metal-bull-bird's heavy-spinning-arrow-launcher strapped to her chest. It wasn't in the best position like the ones that were tied onto her shoulders on Remnant, but it could still shoot enough of the small-but-strong-Dust-arrows to kill many black-monster-birds back. If she could get a line, the nameless-traitor's see-through-shield-wards would fall before it could scream.

She didn't know how Ruby made the mind-link-band speak with the heavy-spinning-arrow-launcher since Urû'baen, the point was it worked. Nalia thought to the band she wanted the weapon to fire. Sure enough, solid-fire shot out from under her belly. She swung around to try and land as many small-but-strong-Dust-arrows on the nameless-traitor as possible. Several hit as she chased, but not enough to kill.

The nameless-traitor flew behind Helgrind and out of sight. Nalia stopped the fire as she flew around to attack again. Just as she was about to shoot again, she didn't see the nameless-red-snake. Then she was hit from the bottom and driven upward. Massive red paws curled around her sides and tried to tear off her armor. Nalia clawed back and tried to sink her teeth into one of the legs.

Nalia felt herself losing height. Her eyes flicked to the rapidly approaching break-bone-ground. She knew this trick. The nameless-traitor was trying to break her against the ground. She used it against several giant-black-monster-birds that were bigger than her just for fun. She would not fall for the same trick…It appears Yang has gotten to me.

She had to wait for the right moment. The nameless-red-snake started to turn her toward the break-bone-ground. Nalia forced the turn farther and ended up on top of her opponent. The nameless-traitor slammed into the ground back first with Nalia's weight forcing it even further into the break-bone-ground. Its grip around Nalia fled allowing her to jump back.

Nalia inspected her heavy-spinning-arrow-launcher. It appeared neither her see-through-Aura-shield nor see-through-shield-wards stopped the weapon from being squished. Nalia clawed at it and ripped the metal-weight off. It slowed her down anyway.

The nameless-red-snake growled as it righted itself. Nalia hissed in its direction. She didn't expect any bone-breaking because of its see-through-shield-wards, but she thought it wouldn't be able to spring back like that. She glared at the poor excuse for a dragon in front of her. Now this was a fight. No evil-beast-Grimm since the evil-Grimm-dragon gave her this much of a challenge in a life or death fight, and there she had long-tailed-Cerise for help. This time, it was all her, Eldunarí support or not.

Both dragons stayed still as a mountain, waiting for the other to make a move. The nameless-red-snake had a history of aggression, along with all red-scales. It would only be a matter of time.

Sure enough, the nameless-traitor jumped at Nalia. She braced and borrowed some energy from one of the Eldunarí. She raised a paw and swatted her opponent's head away. The blow redirected the nameless-red-snake's attack and gave Nalia an angle at its neck. She lunged her head forward and clamped down on the nameless-traitor's neck. She thought she had a good grip, even over the see-through-shield-wards.

One of the nameless-red-snake's paws pushed Nalia off with unexpected strength. She was thrown to the ground on her back. The nameless-traitor pounced on top of her, pinning most of her legs. It snapped its own jaws around Nalia's neck. Nalia felt her see-through-shields draining way too fast.

Weakling! The nameless-red-traitor growled into Nalia's neck. Scream. Scream like so many others.

Nalia only growled. Her see-through-shields drained by the second. How could it do that? Her mind was shielded by herself and the Eldunarí, unless…Traitors!

Good. You know how much the King trusted his beast. Now, scream! The nameless-traitor's teeth broke through Nalia's see-through-shields.

Nalia closed her eyes as her skin was pierced. She clenched her teeth in a snarl, but didn't let out so much as a whimper. She wouldn't give this beast that satisfaction. Aaron was on the other side of Helgrind. It would take him a while to get here. But where was Vert? He was supposed to be backup.

SCREAM! Scream like your pathetic mate! The nameless-traitor bit down harder.

Nalia held in a wail that built in her throat. She thrashed around trying to throw her captor off, but nothing could make the nameless-red-snake move. She may die, but she was not going down without a fight. Not when Irolon was insulted!

A roar came from the side. The pressure on Nalia's neck disappeared, but the pain stayed. Nalia opened her eyes and saw metal-winged-Vert standing between her and the nameless-red-snake. He roared at the nameless-traitor. Stay away from my mother! A jet of green flame escaped from his mouth as the heavy-spinning-arrow-launchers on his shoulders shot their small-but-strong-Dust-arrows.

Nalia watched the blaze for a long time, pushing herself to her feet. Metal-wing-Vert closed his jaw and the heavy-spinning-arrow-launchers stopped. The flames cleared, revealing the nameless-red-traitor with numerous charred holes in its scale coat. Vert turned his head back to Nalia.

The older dragon cocked her head. Mother?

Vert blinked and his head lowered. He walked to Nalia's side and began lapping at the injury. Yes. I have always viewed you as a mother figure. As I hatchling, I knew you weren't, but you were the closest I had. I'm only speaking for me. I don't know about Cerise or Halcyon…On that note I hope Cerise doesn't think the same. That would be awkward.

Nalia looked at Vert as he cleaned her wounds. She dove through her memories to see what she missed. Him jumping on her snout, him trying to impress her as much as Cerise, Nalia passed it all off as a social hatchling. She suddenly felt foolish…especially since she wanted to be a mother the second she laid her egg. That feeling didn't diminish on Remnant. Maybe it wasn't too late.

She reached her head around and nipped at Vert's ear. The younger dragon yelped and jumped away. He looked at Nalia in confusion. I will be fine, but no hatchling of mine would leave his mate or Rider in a battle. Go to them, or I will have you on advanced agility training as soon as we get back to Remnant.

Vert snarled and nodded. He leaped into the air and his wind-makers took over the heavy lifting. Nalia watched him go. He was a fine dragon. She trained him right, and the others raised him right.

"Nalia!" Aaron called from the side.

Nalia slowly turned to him and walked over, ignoring the pain in her neck. Please tell me this isn't as bad as it feels.

"Get down here so I can take a look." Nalia did as her partner-of-her-heart-and-mind said and lowered her head to the ground, careful not to let her pain-filled-neck to touch the ground. "Now what did I just see before Vert flew off?"

He sees me as his mother because he will never know his own. Nalia shrugged. That was my first act after knowing.

Aaron hesitated, then nodded. "How'd Red get you anyway?"

Nalia snarled. Don't trust the Eldunarí. They are loyal to…Morzan over Shruikan. Her eyes widened. Brom!


Cerise flew over the walls of Dras-Leona with only a few archers taking pot shots at her belly. Nothing made it past her wards or Aura. Ruby searched the sky and the city below for any sign of a cyan dragon. Nothing rose to meet them. Horns and bells blared in the city indicating an attack, but even so, the city was strangely quiet.

Ruby brought her Scroll to her head. "Lotus, fly to the keep and drop the troops there. They are to secure it as quickly as possible. You will keep patrolling the sky for when Cyan shows up. While you're on that, find and subdue and large concentration of soldiers."

"Copy that. Moving to location." The Bullhead peeled off to the left, toward the city's keep.

"Meadow, drop Jackrabbit on the walls. Both of you will patrol the city perimeter." Vert pulled back to the city wall and dropped Velvet on top. "This goes for everyone. If you can, convince the soldiers they aren't our enemies. If they'll join us, even better. Good luck everyone." Ruby paused as some more words of encouragement came up. "May the stars watch over us." She put her Scroll back by her side.

"What are you, an elf?" Yang silently joked.

"I do look like one." Ruby searched the city for any hiding places. The big cathedral caught her eye, or more importantly, the large building nearby to it that looked like it could house a dragon. "Think that's it?"

"Considering what Weiss says goes on there and what was left for us in Farthen Dûr, probably."

Ruby clenched her fists. People drinking actual human blood, not wine or grape juice like back on Remnant. Weiss also made it sound like the one she saw didn't have a willing donor for said blood. Some of the bandit tribes did crazy stuff, but that took the cake. "Even if they're not there, we make sure that nothing unhealthy is going on. Cerise?"

Cerise growled and curved toward the black cathedral. A stained glass window, the only color on the building, faced the incoming force. Ruby closed her left eye and switched her bionic to infrared. She saw several people and a large red blob inside the building. They had the right place.

Ruby moved Máni Bláto in front of her and looked through the scope. She had several clear shots, but she couldn't tell who was a threat and who was a noncombatant with her infrared. "Cerise, let's break down the door." Cerise rumbled happily and dove for the ground directly in front of it. She landed and Ruby and Yang dismounted. Both sisters aimed their weapons at the doors.

With a roar, Cerise charged the massive front doors. The wood splintered on contact. Ruby and Yang charged in on either side of Cerise. As expected, a cyan dragon stood to the side of the altar. An elf stood at the center, flanked by humans in black robes. Of everyone up there, only Pruma had a full set of limbs. A woman about Yang's age was chained to a stone table in front of the elf.

Pruma looked up to the new arrivals, smiled, and spread her arms. "My fellow Riders, welcome to the Cathedral of Dras-Leona."

Ruby froze mid-step. This was some sort of setup. She was not falling for it again, not after Urû'baen. "It's over, Pruma!" she yelled. "Your time's up."

"Oh, I know it is. I don't expect to live to see the moon again." Pruma sighed. "Never may it be said I'm not a gracious host. Will you join me for my last meal?" She gestured at the woman on the slab. The woman screamed into open air and struggled against her chains.

Ruby's eyes twitched. She pulled the trigger and sent a single dust round at the Forsworn. It would have traveled straight through her head except for whatever wards protected her. At least there was no stopping point like in Urû'baen. Pruma rubbed her spot where the Dust round would have hit. "Hmm. Silia and Formora were right. Your weapons are strong."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Yang growled. She stalked forward. Ruby and Cerise followed suit.

Pruma cocked her head at Yang. "Where's your dragon? Oh! That's right" She hit the side of her head. "Silia's dragon killed him."

Yang's hair ignited and her eyes flared red. "YOU BITCH!" She fired Ember Celica behind her and flew forward, Silia's golden sword in a fist. Ruby fired Máni Bláto to try to distract Pruma. The elf didn't flinch as Yang came flying at her. She whipped a sword out that matched her dragon's scales and blocked Yang's attack

Cerise pounced toward Cyan and Ruby ran to support her sister. Before Ruby made it halfway, several other minds attacked her own. She stopped in place and glared at the offenders, the people in black robes. None of them were exactly strong, but all of them together was a problem. She could hold them off, but she couldn't gain ground…on her own anyway.

One of the two Eldunarí that were on Cerise' saddle lent their mind to defend Ruby's. With the added protection, Ruby slowly raised her weapon and took aim at the closest man. One of the attacks on her mind became more vicious, but still didn't get anywhere. Ruby started to ease back on the trigger.

I'm sorry, Shadeslayer, Roula said. I can no longer help you. The added protection disappeared and the attack on Ruby's mind returned in full force. Ruby grimaced as suddenly it became much harder to pull the trigger. She didn't have time to wonder why her help disappeared. She took a breath then pulled the trigger. Unlike Pruma, this bullet sailed straight into the man's head.

The attack lessened overall, but the remaining magicians attacked Ruby's mind with renewed vigor. Ruby moved her weapon to the next man in line. She felt a mind panic and started the equivalent of a mental flail, but he didn't stop his attack. Ruby shot another Dust round, this time it punched through the magician's chest.

Ruby looked down the line as the attack on her mind had decreased substantially. Some of those magicians were shaking, others glared at Ruby with their fists balled. Maybe some of them would abandon their attack and run. Surrender, Ruby put at the forefront of her defenses. Surrender, and you will not be harmed.

If anything, all of their attacks increased in intensity. They saw what Ruby just did to two of them. Why wouldn't they stop? Ruby didn't need to kill anymore. Too many had already died by her hand. But it was them, or her, along with those enslaved in the city. Ruby lined her weapon up with the next magician in line, then kept on moving down the line. None of those magicians lasted more than one bullet.

With the attack on her mind gone, Ruby fell to a knee and caught her breath. Her head ached, but she won. Still, judging by the clashing metal and growls, Pruma and her dragon were still alive. Ruby raised her head and stared at where Yang and Pruma fought. Yang's hair was still on fire and her attacks were vicious, while Pruma only defended, and she was still smiling like any other elf would at a child. Something was up.

Ruby shifted Máni Bláto to sword form and ran at the fight. "Spring board!" Not an official practiced team attack, but Yang should get the meaning. As Ruby hoped, Yang retreated a few steps. She straightened her back and knelt down. Ruby kicked off her sister's back and flipped around in the air, speeding up and strengthening her swing. She came down on Pruma, or would have if she didn't block it. Ruby thought Pruma's arm buckled, but she couldn't be sure.

Pruma pushed Ruby off and turned to where the magicians stood. Her shoulders slumped. "Aww, you killed my friends. They were the priests of this cathedral, you know. A few people in this city won't be very happy with you."

"Something tells me those people are going to jail for slavery." Ruby charged again and swung an overhand blow at Pruma's shoulder. The elf blocked, still keeping that smile on her face.

Pruma sniffed the air. "You and the other smell alike. Are you related?" Ruby pushed away and switched places with Yang. She circled around to flank the Forsworn. She swung at Pruma's midsection, but the elf moved her sword to block Máni Bláto as soon as she blocked Yang's strike. The sisters kept up their offset strikes, but Pruma still managed to block or dodge everything. Even when they attacked at the same time, neither sister could land a hit.

"You know," Pruma licked her lips between blocks, "both of you smell different than any humans I've met. I wonder what you taste like."

Ruby scowled and pushed away. Pruma really was a cannibal, and elves didn't normally eat meat. Pruma was wrong on so many levels. The quicker this fight was over, the better.

On her next swing, Ruby noticed how the gun barrel of her sword lined up with Pruma. How did she never notice this before? Yang figured this out years ago. Ruby was pushed back and she swung vertically. Pruma backed away from the strike, but she couldn't dodge the point blank Dust round.

Yang locked her red eyes with Ruby's and nodded. Both sisters added Dust rounds to their blows, careful not to hit each other with any shots, not that they were completely successful with that. Still, most of their shots hit Pruma and forced her back.

Ruby managed to break through Pruma's guard and knock her sword away. Yang took the opportunity to stab the Forsworn through the chest. Instead of screaming, Pruma's smile grew. Yang leaned in close. "Never, mention Halcyon like that again."

"I couldn't if I wanted." Pruma coughed up blood. She grabbed Yang's sword hand and twisted it, worsening her already lethal wound. "Congratulations, Rider. You just killed more people than I have." She pushed herself off Yang's stolen sword and sprawled out on the ground.

"What?" Ruby knelt down and grabbed Pruma's head. "What do you mean?"

The mad elf smiled up at Ruby as her life drained out of her. "When I die, half the workers in this city will as well. When Morzan dies, the rest will follow."

Ruby's heart stopped and she dropped the elf's head. She looked up at Yang. Her sister's eyes changed back to lilac and her body shook. "I…how…" Yang took several steps back and dropped her stolen sword. "No…I didn't…"

Ruby! Cerise called Ruby turned to her dragon who stood over the corpse of another. Cryofreeze!

Ruby snapped her head back to Yang. She froze her sister with a similar injury after Kialandí stabbed her. Yang was alive and well today, as was she when frozen, but her mind apparently wasn't active. This might do the trick. "Give me space!"

Yang took several steps back and Ruby placed her natural hand below the injury. She only did this once before, and she didn't even do it. Her mom did all the work. She didn't have time to ask how to repeat it.

Ruby let her Aura flow through her arm and into Pruma's body. The temperature dropped in the room and ice spread out from beneath Ruby. She felt her Aura drain as she froze her charge. Ruby kept the flow going even when she thought she'd pass out. Apparently this bit of Maiden magic didn't get easier.

She kept up the flow until she physically couldn't. Ruby fell to the side, but was caught by Yang before she hit the floor. She panted heavily and looked at the downed elf. She looked exactly like Yang did in cryofreeze, pale, unmoving, with even her hair staying rigid.

"Ruby, please tell me you have more for Morzan," Yang begged.

"I…don't…know," Ruby panted. "I have…to try." She pushed off Yang and wobbled over to Cerise. Her dragon met her halfway and fell to her belly. Ruby climbed up and looked to Yang. "Make sure she's frozen, and," her gaze turned to the stone table, where the woman was still struggling against her bonds, "get her out of those."

Cerise turned and bounded out the doors. She jumped into the sky as soon as she was clear. Ruby felt her dragon give her a steady stream of energy, and a little bit of Aura. Gem, stay focused.

"That's not the problem here." Ruby shook her head. "I'm not sure I have enough Aura for this."

You do because you have to. Cerise faced forward, Hopefully we're not too late.

Ruby looked past her dragon's head toward Helgrind. It looked like both Nalia and Vert were on one side, Vert doing something to Nalia's neck. Two figures fought on the exact opposite, most likely Brom and Morzan. Instinct told her to look through her scope and shoot at Morzan, but her head told her otherwise.

Vert rose from the other side of the mountain and flew directly toward Cerise. He curved around and flew alongside his mate. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you-

"If Morzan dies," Ruby interrupted, "so do half the slaves in the city."

Vert did a double take. But, how…

Cryofreeze, Cerise growled. We need to immobilize him. Vert nodded and shot forward.

Ruby's bionic eye zoomed in on the fight. Morzan was almost as fast as an elf, while Brom looked sluggish. The other Eldunarí must be working against him. As Ruby watched, Redemption was knocked out of Brom's hand. Morzan punched Brom to the ground. He stood over the other Rider, his red sword raised over his head.

Ruby snapped Máni Bláto forward and fired at the sword. The shot actually knocked the sword out of Morzan's hands, something Ruby couldn't have hoped for. Vert dove for the Forsworn. Morzan couldn't move out of the way before he was plowed over by the jet-boosted dragon.

Cerise landed nearby and practically threw Ruby off. Ruby stumbled forward and held her natural hand out toward Morzan. A white band shot out of her hand and toward Morzan. When it hit, Morzan struggled even more. "What is this magic?" he screamed. Ruby didn't know if anyone answered. She just knew that the edges of her vision were going black. It wouldn't be much longer before she collapsed.

She kept her Aura flowing for as long as she could and until all color drained from her sight. Ruby collapsed forward, and this time there was nothing to stop her. She thought something positioned itself over her. No body parts wanted to move. Ruby might as well have been frozen herself. Sleep was so tempting, but she needed to stay awake. There was still fighting in the city and they needed her.

Someone flipped Ruby over, and it didn't feel like one of Cerise' claws. That same someone snatched her Scroll. Ruby opened her eyes and saw Aaron holding her Scroll over her. Where'd he come from? His eyes were focused on the screen and he grimaced. Cerise stood over them both.

Aaron placed a hand on the side of Ruby's neck. His lips moved and Ruby could hear some sound coming out, but not enough to make out any words. She just stared and shook her head. His mind entered hers. Ruby, can you hear me?

Now I can. Is Morzan frozen? I didn't get Vert too did I?

Only Morzan is frozen. Cerise filled us in on what's going. Vert had to tackle Brom to get it into his head.

Let's get back to the city. We have work to do. Ruby started to sit up.

Aaron put a hand in the center of Ruby's chest and pushed her back down. No. You're suffering from Aura exhaustion. Putting you out there right now would be a bad idea for everyone involved.

Ruby let her head fall back to the grass. She couldn't deny it considering she almost passed out. Then where's a safe place I can rest?

Jaune just called in. Most of the keep is secure, including the city's Governor. Our team will clear the rest in no time.

Okay. Ruby slowly blinked. Can you help me onto Cerise' back? She held out a hand.

Of course. Aaron grabbed the outstretched hand and hauled Ruby up. He immediately flung that arm over his shoulders and helped Ruby walk out from under her dragon. Cerise knelt down and lent Ruby her snout to help climb up as well.

As soon as Ruby was in place, she leaned forward in the saddle. She smiled down and gave Aaron a small wave. See you later?

Aaron gave Ruby a slight smirk. If you're awake.

Cerise didn't give them time to say anything else. She jumped away and flew back toward the city. I'd tease you about Aaron, but I don't think you'd remember any of it.

Probably. Ruby's eyes closed of their own accord. I could pass…out…any…


So, I know at one point I mentioned a Grimm that could spawn others, but that was back when I thought Shruikan would come with, and all that ended up making no sense at all. Then I thought about having the dragons gang up on it, but that already happened when Nalia killed the Mountain Glen dragon. So, they were cut, and I think this turned out much better.

Also, I hate writing dragon POVs because they're so time consuming, but I love the way they turn out.