Sacrifice this, bitch!
The time came and the basilisks approached, as the harpies swarmed above and Sydon’s storm struck hard. The first sheet of water hit like a physical blow, sweeping most of us from our feet and it was all I could do to maintain the shield between myself and the nearing creatures.
Then we were in the thick of it, myself striking in an ungainly fashion that would disgust my trainers in swordplay, Alke and Theo casting, Braz hurling spears and spells skyward, Hippofilius taking giant spider form to strike with webs and Calliope holding off the basilisk long enough for it to be struck down.
In moments, it seemed, the battle was done and Sydon was booming defeat from the skies above as the remaining harpies retreated to the sound of cheers and jeers from the city. It seems Pythor made his first contribution to his people’s safety while I was focused in the depths of the battle, blocking a lightning strike on our behalf with his hammer. Once the battle was over the storm faded almost instantly, leaving us gasping for breath and relaxing in the euphoria of our success.
A visit to Pythor’s palace followed at dawn, where amazingly he seems to now recognise his unsuitability to his throne, not only talking about standing down but also presenting me with his warhammer, leaving me more than a little dumbfounded. While it’s not a weapon I know well, I was honoured to receive such a fabled artifact and may well wield it in his honour, though I also would be interested to know its history as well to see if there is a more suitable resting place for this weapon. Anora also bore gifts for us, presenting me with a glorious cloak that seems to move almost on its own and each of the others receiving their own little personal gifts.
Early in the morning I was taking some time to meditate, turning over the dragonlord’s oath in my mind, when I felt something shift in my mind and power rushed through me. I felt a sudden weight in my lap and in a moment, as I turned my eyes downwards, I felt a mind brushing against mine and I was entranced. Almost like the dream-trance of memories past all elves know, I felt a strange doubling of experiences drifting through the edges of my consciousness. In front of my eyes was a picayune dragon, preening itself slowly as it cocked its head to look up at me.