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Chapter 16: The guardian and her little one against ice and snow
Putting down his talon, the giant beast of black feathers returns on four legs before starting his noble march toward his kin and the young one that follows her. Despite his appearance showing restrain over the use of his power, Kraydirn becomes a terrifying obstacle by being the heart of a forming blizzard. The wind is becoming freezing and merciless, and little stars now cover all the area as ice crystals are being born.
It is in a moment like this that Darkstalker is truly thankful to have a dress, and for Akhanta to put herself above him, protecting his being with her giant body, because who knows what nasty things would happen to his skin if he was exposed and naked…
Holding her position, the dark blue one keeps her wings tightly folded and always in contact with her body despite the reflex to use them as shield. Not even her head, eyes and ears being covered is worth deteriorating such parts of her being. She can resist, she hold her position without having to use too much essences to stop the tempest...
As time goes on, the great dragon of ice and snow continues walking, one step at a time, each adding one more log to the fire of his storm, to the increasing power of water turned into shards and disease for anyone not mastering it.
Little by little, the young one gradually feels the stressful exterior world shaking his little place, the harsh reality coming to get him despite how though the one who protects is... As for Akhanta, her ears are somewhat hurting as do her eyes, the mist of ice and snow becomes so dense she can hardly see, expect for his essences, that the black and white beast is now so much closer to both.
- "Kraydirn!"
With a scream, the great dragoness throws herself forward, taking a huge leap just in front of her opponent and forcing her massive body to stand, mustering her essences during entirety of her movement and unleashing them as she matches her kin in his stance. With a bright flash of blue light, the core of the blizzard is blown away.
What Darkstalker sees now is the feathered giant, just behind his protector, having returned on four talons, his stance a semi defensive one despite his determined gaze.
- "Yth moxon uthu surh pemku u uforxy. Yth surh misyt uthu kenib akeju neiatome azeiw yl toijyl, kes aletru uthutias ekyzu pemku oxemin uthu oje ysil…" Says the dragon of black and ice, his voice becoming far more personal while his mind thinks of his kin, and of the strong guardian she was among so many in an ancient past.
Letting only a few seconds for the great dragoness to digest his words, Kraydirn resumes the battle as he makes a long jump backward, beating his feathered wings to land farther behind, at the right position for his next move…
- "Kovtur ikus sim yth." Tells Akhanta as she faces the little one, wanting of him to remain near her before turning to her opponent.
Keeping above the young one a wing slightly unfolded, the dark blue giant prepares herself as her kin charges his powerful breath, which is unleashed a moment later… Quickly jumping to the side, the young nightwing is immediately followed by his guardian, who keeps herself with a wing above him, ready to shield him if needed.
Jumping away for the second time, both dragon watch the over-amplified frostbreath devouring the ground while the feathered titan does not seem to have moved that much, something that Darkstalker do not have the time to speculate over as he keeps his focus on the battle, trying to always be ready when an attack come in…
A third breath is thrown at them, followed an "ice" ball, forcing the great dragoness to unfold her wing as a veil against the countless shards spreading everywhere, and easily overwhelming the nightwing… Casting a quick glance to see if he is alright, Akhanta refocuses on her kin, uttering some words in a serious voice.
"Ythe tunis heia kovtur oje iole, ythe okutes sif surik oem tho, kes teinmylen."
Staying close to his protector and sensing from her mind she prepares a bold move, the seer keeps his attention on her, getting she will lead way from now on…
As second ball of ice and snow is thrown at them, Akhanta decides to lunge herself at it, jumping in the air with the strength of her massive talons before slamming into the projectile with the solid aura she mustered, pushing the attack back and making it burst near its creator.
Running in her direction, the black hybrid keeps looking mostly above his head to know when to halt to end under her, but as the two get closer and closer, so too does Kraydirn who rushes towards him, but decides jumps toward his dark blue kin instead of continuing, sparing the little one from a charge that would have hit him if wanted to…
Colliding with each other, the two great ones shake the area as the powerful aura of both burst out, creating a shock wave as the essences that make them is chaotically freed. From a distance and on the cold ground, the otherworldly one can only watch the one that did the most for him battling with the dragon of black feathers after both fell, mostly trying to attack at close range with pure physical strength and dodging when necessary.
Staying where he is by fear of receiving a lost blow or breath, Darkstalker finds himself shaking now that he does not feel like contributing to the battle anymore, even if it was not much. Now, he almost feels powerless, the events happening being far beyond him as roars echoes over the dark lands of nothing…
No, I have to do something, I have to help her!
Animated by powerful feelings, the little nightwing approaches the battling pair, and as he does so, musters the essences inside him as if it was natural, with his heart beating faster while his inner sun burns brighter…
Watching the two great ones exchanging words and blows somewhat chaotically, the young one waits for the right opportunity, and when he has it, executes his move, trusting his instinct as he leaps forward with all the strength in his talons, progressively loading his front paws in the air before landing loudly.
Immediately, a sort of energetic shock wave travel through the earth, going straight into Kraydirn who has to break his move and prepares his stance to absorb the shock of both attack at the same time. His eyes glancing at the Darkstalker for a split second, the feathered kin decides to violently leave the earth and jump far away, landing a few seconds later, with his attention turned to the young one.
Before he really has the time to prepare accordingly, the dragon of black and ice runs into him, the fast pace of his giant steps amplified by the essences he used, making the attack unavoidable if something drastic is not made…
Trying to escape the draconic titan by running to side as fast as he can, the black hybrid can only hope for the best as the massive form is about to hit him. But instead of such a thing happening, the dragon of winter is slammed into by Akhanta, who looks more determined than ever to be a guardian.
Catching her breath to recover from her last move, the great dragoness puts herself at the young one's side to make him safe while she watches her kin standing up again. Though instead of attacking again, her rival stays there, impressed before speaking, halting the battle with his deep voice.
- "Yth pyteya tujem, moneist uthutias marlkaz, uthu surh pemku tysnuite ust uthutias altmyl stune." Declares Kraydirn, proud of the dragoness he watched as she keeps herself ready to protect Darkstalker.
- "Yth… ykane uthu vaieb, ikul uthu soumvu yenuv heia hute ghyt almu ust iole nestoq yl toijyl ikus sim ythe." Says the dark blue dragoness, feeling somewhat angry at the feathered one for fighting when the young one was with them, so close to the battle and inside it.
"Ykane Ankonalmirh prita neiatome rysim hute sitrilm." Utters the dragoness, both tired and relieved as she says the words.
- "Uthutias mesita surh myleia, iole gystos hute ajek almu yth hute okutes sif kenib oij rakan uthutias eciut nestoq Darkstalker hute ajek." Replies Kraydirn, reassuring the dragoness as he thinks she has no more reason to be worried, the harsh test is over.
"Yl ekiunte ust uthutias ekyzu surh wulen." Concludes the dragon of black and ice while he thinks of his kin's heart, of what she feels toward the young nightwing and how it motivates her.
Reflecting on these last words, the dark blue giant stares at the partially lost nightwing for a moment, trying to comfort him with her attention and confidence, before talking back.
- "Lieju uthu surh geska uthu khutey gystis yth wulen sif kenib?" Asks the great dragoness, doubting her kin's only test will be enough.
The dragon of winter chuckles a little, surprising the young nightwing who never saw him like that even once.
- "Aquj yth eiuf muka ythias xetisoz oje mylmyl veneil kes yth eiuf moxon uthu nestoq yl toijyl. Uthu ajek thotias uforxy sylis almu." Tells Kraydirn, expecting to see his kin with the little one, and not doubting the two will remain together, remembering how adamant the dragoness was in her choice when the little one was unconscious and wounded...
Nodding in agreement after a moment of reflection, Akhanta gazes upon the closest tower, and after making sign for the smaller nightwing to follow, she starts to walk toward the illuminating building, quickly followed by her kin while she thinks of their destination as a place to rest.
Though none of the three dragons are physically exhausted, nobody will say no to an opportunity to recover, especially for Darkstalker who realizes just now how intense everything was, making old and new feelings surge in his mind, feelings that are better for his mind when tamed...