The Night Rider

Chapter 17 - Imperial

Hawkins clung desperately to the uneven surface of the rubble. Cricket was still on the rampage and although they didn't have much time, they had still managed to cobble together some kind of system with the Traited available.

Odi moaned pitifully as the two Firestep wolves helped to move her behind the giant wave shaped slab, Cull being hoisted up by Thea a few metres behind. Hazards magma tipped claws sunk into the gravel as the Scale Shrieker struggled to keep her weight only to collapse onto the ground a few moments afterwards. Blaize darted out of the way before being buffeted by the scattering of rocks and dust, eyeing the mangled set of wings worryingly.

"That'll do fine." Hawkins said nervously, the threads of dwindling Smoke Trait on high alert for Cricket's presence. 

He could only spare as much Trait as he could muster, thankful for the young Thyraxian's healing ability. Thea let out a sigh of relief, setting Cull gently beside Odi's foreleg as not to jostle her before returning to her duties and sharing the load between her patients. Thyraxians could restore broken bones and aching limbs while lessening fatigue but Trait could not always be restored by other Traited. Odi's wings included. Hawkins needed as much time as he could to put his plan into motion, Trait or not.

Thea clung close by to the large dragon and the unconscious Fire Traited, Odi's wheezy breaths coming out soft and slow as her shadows began to form against the shade. They wouldn't last long against the steadily rising sun. Axis didn't get as much sunlight as Opalis but six hours could be the difference between life and death for the heavily injured Scale Shrieker. Cull however fared better in the sunlight so he was positioned to both block and absorb the sunlight in a vain attempt to awaken him.

"How is she?" Hack asked nervously, working on shading the dragon with Rin.

They were using their Traits in tandem, melting the rocks with Rin's gathered flame while Hack shifted each piece into place like a molten rock wall. It barely hung over Odi's head but it was a necessary precaution in case Cricket decided to intervene. Thea floated along the ground, clearing as much as the gravelly surface as she could before setting the still unconscious Cull gently next to the injured Scale Shrieker.

"Could be better." Apollothea said at last, her quiet, lilting voice sending tufts of wind rising with every word spoken. 

Meanwhile, her Agar took watch by clinging to the edge of the reinforced rubble, her Air Trait cushioning her from below. She was the best person to keep a look out since Cricket shared the same Core Trait as her and it would be easier to spot a familiar face in the distance. It was also the only job she'd begrudgingly agreed to do now one of her comrades were out of commission.

"So, how are we stopping this lil' bitch again, Rin? We can't coax her into her Lullaby state, she's too far gone." 

Rin nodded reassuringly at Hawkins confusion at the term, suddenly humming a similar tune that Cricket was warbling earlier on repeat. Hawkins felt his eyes begin to droop along with the slow, steady rhythm of the unusual song. Was it some kind of self hypnotism that kept Cricket docile?

"Well, you know about the different Tarragon abilities, right?" Rin began, ignoring her companions glaringly blunt look.

The Air Traited groaned, wiping away the sweat and dust from her forehead as she shuffled around the top large barricade to avoid the discussion. Hawkins whipped his head around, too curious for his own good as he leaned against the hard rock before deciding against it.

"What do you mean by that, Rin?" The Mediator asked, fighting the urge to take out his notebook and take notes on the conversation.

Tarragons like Cricket didn't manifest just from summoning their powerful grimoires. Green eyes or not, it normally emerged through a traumatic experience or heritage of unexplained circumstances. Those from Tarragon kept their secrets of compulsion to themselves but all other countries knew what could happen if they too acquired the power of possession. Hawkins didn't want to pry but the fact that a member of the Swarm knew there were physical differences in Tarragon abilities could change how they were perceived all across the nation.