Tia groaned as she opened her eyes. She lay in the snow, and it resisted her every movement. More lightly fell on her, peppering the woman with camouflage. Her memory brought pain alongside a few images and sounds. Etras. Strange creatures. A much larger one. The deep, guttural noises they made. Paranova.

The snow crunched in protest as Tia stood, her legs barely able to hold her weight. The windless air tasted foul, and Tia took every breath hesitantly. The mountain she awoke on stretched endlessly before her. Tia sighed, realising that her struggles were far from over.

Her options were two: brave the elements in this exposed, fragile form, or fly and risk detection and conflict. As Tia debated with herself over which path to take, the snow picked up. A wind began to blow down the mountain, carrying with it Tia's first taste of non stagnant air. It was cool, unlike the freezing snow gathering on her shoulders. In a moment, Tia gathered information on Paranova's air currents. Unlike the rest of her surroundings, the mountain's ether concentration was high. It filled her spirit, soothing the fatigue and soreness.

Tia reached out towards the sky, and calmly bid the sky to bend to her. It immediately answered, ceasing the snowfall altogether. The clouds cleared, moving to precipitate somewhere else. Tia further acquainted herself with Paranova's skies until two people landed in the snow in front of her.

Both of them were imposing. Each had their own weapon, a golden sword and purple warhammer. They also had their own pair of wings, stretching from shoulder to heel. That's where the similarities stopped. He carried himself with purpose, with calling. She stood with her back turned slightly toward him, head on a swivel. His garb wrapped around him in many places, hers seemingly draped over her body.

"Greetings," the male said. Tia was shocked at his voice. It was colder than the mountain, holding no emotion, yet rung with a familiarity.

"H-hello," Tia stammered, whether due to cold or sheet awe at the two before her.

"Are you Tiamat?" The female asked, taking a single step forward.

Hearing her full name sent shock through Tia. Suddenly the mountain felt more dangerous than it did seconds earlier. Instinctively, Tia began to transform, her body turning from epidermis to scales. "Who, who are you?" She nearly shouted, panic emerging from her memory.

"I am Lukhan and this is Isabella. We came to protect you from the Cinraal." Lukhan extended a welcoming yet cold, unfeeling hand towards Tia.

"So that's what they're called," Tia mumbled to herself. "Have you met Galin? Was his escape successful?"

Lukhan nodded. "Galin is safe. We would bring you to meet him, and join our group."

Tia almost sighed with relief. To be thrust from one family to another felt like the best possible outcome. Tia allowed her body to rest, retaking a human form. As she moved to accept Lukhan's hand, the entire mountain shrugged.

Lukhan's eyes shifted. Before were the eyes of a man, with striking purple irises. In an instant, they were completely different. A flash of yellow and red crossed Lukhan's eyes as he twisted on his heel, lunging at Isabella. Just after he collided with her, a pitch lance appeared in Isabella's shoulder and disappeared over Tia's head, followed by a gust of wind.

"Take her!" Lukhan shouted, nearly pushing Isabella into Tia's arms. Tia only had a second to react, catching the girl and another glimpse at Lukhan's face. It was far from human now, bearing two distinct, growing marks on his cheeks.

The mountain shrugged again, and a hulking Cinraal emerged from the snow behind where Lukhan and Isabella landed. Lukhan was already on it, his shining sword deep in the Cinraal's face. As it fell, it began to raise an arm towards Tia and Isabella, palm facing them. This time, Tia was ready, and commanded a gale to push the creature's arm over. Another pitch lance shot out from its palm, this time generously missing the women.

Lukhan's attention followed the lance. His eyes caught something Tia missed. While he looked somewhere behind Tia, she was able to get a good look at his now contorted face. His eyes were two pits; from within shone two blinding lights, one a brilliant gold, the other a blazing crimson. His head looked like the halves of two different beasts sewn together, one a raging demon and the other an arablaster god. His wings, once majestic, were now both leathery and stone-like. Lukhan drew his sword from its Cinraal sheath, breathing intensely labored breaths. Two books hung at his waist, seemingly appearing with the transformation.

"And I thought you wouldn't pick up on it. Guess I owe the ol' bastard one," came from behind Tia. She whirled around, earning a groan from Isabella. Before her was a Cinraal.

It was far less opaque than the other one had been. Tia could see large globs within it that were perhaps organs. It was a cobalt blue color, contrasted sharply by the darker globs within it. Its eyes were dull and lifeless, yet the Cinraal stood tall on wide, flat feet, brimming with pride. It held javelins in each sharp hand, twitching slightly. Its shoulders were rounded, yet seemed large, proportionally.

"Oh, that's right. He's dead."

Lukhan began marching towards the Cinraal, the snow fleeing from his path. Every step he took caused the air to drop. Tia's breathing became unsteady as the air currents bent against her will and around the man walking past her. Lukhan stood before the Cinraal, inches away from the javelins, and pointed his sword at the creature's face. "Regret your poor decision; if it costs my companion even a second off her lifespan, I will turn every ATOM of your miserable self into experiments, and we will learn everything about your race through your still beating heart."

Tia's face paled. She could feel her jaw drop. In her arms, Isabella strained to turn and look. This, sickeningly enough, is something she wanted to witness.

The Cinraal almost stepped back. His jaw, if it could even be called a jaw, also slacked. He dropped his weapons. His knees faltered. Even his eyes shook.

The Cinraal turned and fled up the mountain with blinding speed.

He only made it an arm's length.