I followed the electric Eyrie for the next half-hour. She didn't see me and I barely stayed with her. I couldn't get too close without revealing my presence, so in the dense jungle it was difficult to keep track of her. She mostly stayed close enough to watch the convoy through binoculars, but far enough away that she wouldn't be seen. I eventually grew tired of trailing her and dropped back to resume flight.
Skyil quickly met me in the air.
"She armed?"
"Yep. Shouldn't be too hard though."
"That's what I thought. I couldn't get close enough to tell, just enough to read her surface thoughts."
"So, what's the word from Froise?"
"We're to take her out. She doesn't care how."
I nodded and scanned the land ahead. I felt slightly queasy inside, but shoved that feeling aside.
"Are we really going to do that?" Skyil whispered.
"We have to," I replied, "I know Malkus doesn't trust us, and I don't think Froise does either."
"But... we're thieves."
"Not anymore."
The desert Aisha whimpered slightly and looked away. I flapped my wings a couple times to gain a bit more altitude and looked for a good ambush position. Up ahead was a sharp bend in the road, curving off to the right around a steep ravine. The Eyrie was on the side of the ravine; she would be forced to approach the road to keep up with the caravan. The brush would be less thick and give Jaix and Taffin more room for their weapons. It was perfect. So utterly perfect. The agent wouldn't stand a chance.
"Who is this Eyrie?" I suddenly asked.
"Angel_72_21."
"Right then. I'm going to go off and get Jaix and Taffin in on this."
****
I briefed them on my plan. It was simple, so deadly and simple. I hated myself for thinking of it but I had no choice. The two agreed reluctantly. Jaix caught an upward current and drifted higher, gaining altitude. Taffin returned to his patrol.
The convoy drifted closer to the ravine. I dropped into the trees and positioned myself on a low branch to await the Eyrie. Sure enough, she appeared, staying low and keeping a sharp eye out. We were exactly where I had planned. I had intended to drop on her from above and finish it in one attack, but that didn't happen.
She must have seen me. I dropped on her sure enough, but she rolled to one side and my dagger hit only dirt. I pulled it out and sprang to one side, just in time to be hit with a blast of energy. I didn't see what weapon she was holding, but it was powerful. I was thrown back and slammed against a tree. I slid to the ground and desperately tried to move. She quickly hurried over and dragged me a short distance away from the road, right up against the ravine edge. We were pretty well concealed from the others and I still couldn't move. I moaned softly but she only ignored me.
"Agent Angel reporting in," she said softly into some sort of communicator, "I've captured one. Requesting assistance for extraction."
"We'll be there as soon as the target moves out of range," came the reply.
She shut the device with a snap and slipped it back into her pouch. I concentrated on trying to move.
"The paralysis will wear off in a couple hours," she said quietly, "By then my backup will be here. Oh yes, and you are under arrest."
She quickly flashed a NSPA badge and I groaned again. Jaix and Taffin sure were taking their sweet time. Either that or they'd freaked in this sudden turn of events. I could only hope they'd manage to figure out what to do and avoid getting hit by whatever it was that paralyzed me.
"Agent Angel?" a soft voice said from nearby.
"Who's there?" the Eyrie demanded, pulling out the gun again.
"O-Rincham, ko'u inoa," the voice replied.
I closed my eyes, recognizing the voice as Jaix. He'd managed to alter it a bit, but I had no idea what he was hoping to pass off as.
"Rin?" Angel asked uncertainly, still not moving the gun.
The leaves rustled and Jaix stepped out into sight.
"Nope."
She fired and he back flipped, grabbing a tree branch and pulling himself up.
"How?" she snarled, "How did you know that?"
"O-Rincham, ko'u inoa!" he laughed from the trees, scrambling to another to avoid a second shot.
"Stop taunting me!" the Eyrie hissed.
"Come now," I heard Skyil say sweetly, "Put the gun away. You wouldn't want dear ol Rincham to get hurt, would you?"
She appeared from behind me and I tried to move, to see more of what was going on.
"What have you done with my brother?" she asked suspiciously.
Jaix dropped from the trees and drew his sword. She snapped her gun up at him again.
"Nothing yet," Skyil replied.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to hide a smile. Skyil was bluffing with the worst hand anyone who'd ever bet could use. And it was working. Skyil was indeed powerful as any other Dragon Thief and I did not envy her for it. I had heard her cry at night and I had no doubt she would cry tonight also.
The Eyrie still did not move and I did not expect her to surrender. But then again, only three of the four thieves were accounted for.
Taffin dove from the trees in a rush of black wings and fire. The Eyrie barely had time to throw herself to one side before Taffin brought his glaive down in a deadly arc. It struck the Eyrie full on the wing joint and stuck. Angel screeched in pain and struggled to break loose. I heard the sound of other pets approaching and knew that it was over. Nothing the Eyrie could do would save her now.
Taffin jerked hard and tore the blade free. He hopped back a step and the Eyrie gasped and slumped to the ground, her eyes glassy and unfocused. I saw Froise appear in the edges of my vision. She studied the panting NSPA agent for a moment. I managed to pull myself to my knees; apparently the paralysis was wearing off faster than the Eyrie had said it would.
"Finish it thieves," she ordered.
At that, Angel seemed to regain her senses somewhat. She stood, but a sudden bout of weakness hit and she staggered. She fell, right off the side of the ravine.
"No!" Taffin exclaimed, dropping to his knees and peering over the side of the ravine.
I staggered over and joined him, looking down. The sides were steep and jagged.
"She couldn't fly," Taffin said in a monotone, "and she hit the side of the rock and fell. There."
I looked where he pointed and saw a crumpled heap of feathers.
"Check to make sure she's really dead," Froise ordered, then turned to rejoin the caravan.
"It's too dangerous to fly up," I observed, feeling weak and sick inside, "Taffin. You teleport, okay?"
"Right."
****
For what seemed an eon, the Eyrie swam in darkness. It would be so easy to just give up and sleep, but something kept pulling her back. O-Rincham, ko'u inoa. Her Kougra brother. Rincham. They had him, didn't they?
She heard footsteps and opened her eyes. The fire Kyrii was there, kneeling beside her. She felt his hand on her neck, feeling for a pulse. She moaned weakly, struggling to put up any kind of resistance before he destroyed her for good.
"You survived the fall," he said, his voice strangely pained.
"Ahh..." she gasped, trying to speak amidst the pain, "Yes."
"I had hoped you wouldn't."
"Rincham?"
She tried to move but couldn't. Too much pain, too many injuries.
"The desert Aisha can read minds. We never knew you had a brother till she got close enough to pick that up. After you got the better of Nianso we opted to use it to our advantage."
"Then he's safe?"
"Yes."
She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come. But the Kyrii's blade never fell.
"Stay silent and do not move. You called for backup, wait for them. Until then, you are in all regards dead."
The Eyrie opened her eyes and caught a flash of the Kyrii's glaive descending. She squealed weakly but it never hit. She could feel it's cold surface just resting on her chest. He removed it and started to walk away.
"You... you're not going to kill me?"
"Stay silent," he hissed softly, "if you want to live."
There was a soft pop and she was alone. It was easy to stay still. For her injuries took over and she sank into the silent darkness.
****
I had watched the whole thing. Taffin checking her pulse, then bringing his glaive down in a deadly arc. I closed my eyes; I could not watch Angel's final moments. I opened them when I heard the pop of Taffin teleporting. I looked down at the Eyrie, pitying her with all my heart. And pitying Taffin for what he had to do.
"Let's get this mission over and done with," he said bitterly, not looking at any of us. "Before it destroys us."
Skyil quickly met me in the air.
"She armed?"
"Yep. Shouldn't be too hard though."
"That's what I thought. I couldn't get close enough to tell, just enough to read her surface thoughts."
"So, what's the word from Froise?"
"We're to take her out. She doesn't care how."
I nodded and scanned the land ahead. I felt slightly queasy inside, but shoved that feeling aside.
"Are we really going to do that?" Skyil whispered.
"We have to," I replied, "I know Malkus doesn't trust us, and I don't think Froise does either."
"But... we're thieves."
"Not anymore."
The desert Aisha whimpered slightly and looked away. I flapped my wings a couple times to gain a bit more altitude and looked for a good ambush position. Up ahead was a sharp bend in the road, curving off to the right around a steep ravine. The Eyrie was on the side of the ravine; she would be forced to approach the road to keep up with the caravan. The brush would be less thick and give Jaix and Taffin more room for their weapons. It was perfect. So utterly perfect. The agent wouldn't stand a chance.
"Who is this Eyrie?" I suddenly asked.
"Angel_72_21."
"Right then. I'm going to go off and get Jaix and Taffin in on this."
****
I briefed them on my plan. It was simple, so deadly and simple. I hated myself for thinking of it but I had no choice. The two agreed reluctantly. Jaix caught an upward current and drifted higher, gaining altitude. Taffin returned to his patrol.
The convoy drifted closer to the ravine. I dropped into the trees and positioned myself on a low branch to await the Eyrie. Sure enough, she appeared, staying low and keeping a sharp eye out. We were exactly where I had planned. I had intended to drop on her from above and finish it in one attack, but that didn't happen.
She must have seen me. I dropped on her sure enough, but she rolled to one side and my dagger hit only dirt. I pulled it out and sprang to one side, just in time to be hit with a blast of energy. I didn't see what weapon she was holding, but it was powerful. I was thrown back and slammed against a tree. I slid to the ground and desperately tried to move. She quickly hurried over and dragged me a short distance away from the road, right up against the ravine edge. We were pretty well concealed from the others and I still couldn't move. I moaned softly but she only ignored me.
"Agent Angel reporting in," she said softly into some sort of communicator, "I've captured one. Requesting assistance for extraction."
"We'll be there as soon as the target moves out of range," came the reply.
She shut the device with a snap and slipped it back into her pouch. I concentrated on trying to move.
"The paralysis will wear off in a couple hours," she said quietly, "By then my backup will be here. Oh yes, and you are under arrest."
She quickly flashed a NSPA badge and I groaned again. Jaix and Taffin sure were taking their sweet time. Either that or they'd freaked in this sudden turn of events. I could only hope they'd manage to figure out what to do and avoid getting hit by whatever it was that paralyzed me.
"Agent Angel?" a soft voice said from nearby.
"Who's there?" the Eyrie demanded, pulling out the gun again.
"O-Rincham, ko'u inoa," the voice replied.
I closed my eyes, recognizing the voice as Jaix. He'd managed to alter it a bit, but I had no idea what he was hoping to pass off as.
"Rin?" Angel asked uncertainly, still not moving the gun.
The leaves rustled and Jaix stepped out into sight.
"Nope."
She fired and he back flipped, grabbing a tree branch and pulling himself up.
"How?" she snarled, "How did you know that?"
"O-Rincham, ko'u inoa!" he laughed from the trees, scrambling to another to avoid a second shot.
"Stop taunting me!" the Eyrie hissed.
"Come now," I heard Skyil say sweetly, "Put the gun away. You wouldn't want dear ol Rincham to get hurt, would you?"
She appeared from behind me and I tried to move, to see more of what was going on.
"What have you done with my brother?" she asked suspiciously.
Jaix dropped from the trees and drew his sword. She snapped her gun up at him again.
"Nothing yet," Skyil replied.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to hide a smile. Skyil was bluffing with the worst hand anyone who'd ever bet could use. And it was working. Skyil was indeed powerful as any other Dragon Thief and I did not envy her for it. I had heard her cry at night and I had no doubt she would cry tonight also.
The Eyrie still did not move and I did not expect her to surrender. But then again, only three of the four thieves were accounted for.
Taffin dove from the trees in a rush of black wings and fire. The Eyrie barely had time to throw herself to one side before Taffin brought his glaive down in a deadly arc. It struck the Eyrie full on the wing joint and stuck. Angel screeched in pain and struggled to break loose. I heard the sound of other pets approaching and knew that it was over. Nothing the Eyrie could do would save her now.
Taffin jerked hard and tore the blade free. He hopped back a step and the Eyrie gasped and slumped to the ground, her eyes glassy and unfocused. I saw Froise appear in the edges of my vision. She studied the panting NSPA agent for a moment. I managed to pull myself to my knees; apparently the paralysis was wearing off faster than the Eyrie had said it would.
"Finish it thieves," she ordered.
At that, Angel seemed to regain her senses somewhat. She stood, but a sudden bout of weakness hit and she staggered. She fell, right off the side of the ravine.
"No!" Taffin exclaimed, dropping to his knees and peering over the side of the ravine.
I staggered over and joined him, looking down. The sides were steep and jagged.
"She couldn't fly," Taffin said in a monotone, "and she hit the side of the rock and fell. There."
I looked where he pointed and saw a crumpled heap of feathers.
"Check to make sure she's really dead," Froise ordered, then turned to rejoin the caravan.
"It's too dangerous to fly up," I observed, feeling weak and sick inside, "Taffin. You teleport, okay?"
"Right."
****
For what seemed an eon, the Eyrie swam in darkness. It would be so easy to just give up and sleep, but something kept pulling her back. O-Rincham, ko'u inoa. Her Kougra brother. Rincham. They had him, didn't they?
She heard footsteps and opened her eyes. The fire Kyrii was there, kneeling beside her. She felt his hand on her neck, feeling for a pulse. She moaned weakly, struggling to put up any kind of resistance before he destroyed her for good.
"You survived the fall," he said, his voice strangely pained.
"Ahh..." she gasped, trying to speak amidst the pain, "Yes."
"I had hoped you wouldn't."
"Rincham?"
She tried to move but couldn't. Too much pain, too many injuries.
"The desert Aisha can read minds. We never knew you had a brother till she got close enough to pick that up. After you got the better of Nianso we opted to use it to our advantage."
"Then he's safe?"
"Yes."
She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come. But the Kyrii's blade never fell.
"Stay silent and do not move. You called for backup, wait for them. Until then, you are in all regards dead."
The Eyrie opened her eyes and caught a flash of the Kyrii's glaive descending. She squealed weakly but it never hit. She could feel it's cold surface just resting on her chest. He removed it and started to walk away.
"You... you're not going to kill me?"
"Stay silent," he hissed softly, "if you want to live."
There was a soft pop and she was alone. It was easy to stay still. For her injuries took over and she sank into the silent darkness.
****
I had watched the whole thing. Taffin checking her pulse, then bringing his glaive down in a deadly arc. I closed my eyes; I could not watch Angel's final moments. I opened them when I heard the pop of Taffin teleporting. I looked down at the Eyrie, pitying her with all my heart. And pitying Taffin for what he had to do.
"Let's get this mission over and done with," he said bitterly, not looking at any of us. "Before it destroys us."