Avalon knelt down on the deck of the Wave Skimmer. Adema slowly made her way toward her and knelt at her side. Avalon had already informed her Silent Ones about the drakes and they were all-too-eager to tackle the issue head on. Together, the Silent Ones discussed their plan of attack. After a long deliberation a plan was hatched. For them to be successful, they would need the help of the volunteer mages that were aboard the ship.

“Would it be possible for you and the other mages to get us into the skies?” Avalon had asked a young Kanis vernal mage named Tobian.

Tobian looked into the skies, as if estimating the distance from the ship to the drakes. He rubbed his chin as he thought of a solution to the question. Nodding, he called over two of his colleagues and then turned back to Avalon, “I have a plan, so prepare yourselves.You’ll hit the skies fast and reckless. I’m not sure how you’ll make it back down safely, though.”

“We’ll play it by ear,” she responded, curious as to how the mages planned to launch her and her comrades skyward.

***

As the Long Whisper armada neared closer to the shore, a shuddering noise broke through the grassy plains like a rolling thunder, followed by the explosive crack of splintering wood as cannonballs blew through the anchoring ships. Orders rang out as numerous skiffs filled with soldiers attempted to make their way to the unwelcoming beaches.

As the Long Whisper soldiers neared the beach, a storm of steel tipped arrows launched from the Estinian rear lines and showered onto the army of skiffs. The men raised their shields to shelter themselves from the hailstorm, but several arrows found crevices between the shields and armor, piercing soldiers as the sailors desperately attempted to move forward to unload their passengers.

Blood stirred within the ocean as wave upon wave of arrows blanketed the skies, whistling down upon the grieved soldiers. An order broke out to push forward as the elves jumped into the waist deep salty waters. Their shields remained raised above their heads and their swords and spears were ready for battle.

Fiery globes spewed from the mouths of the war drakes and crashed destructively onto the clippers below, splashing an oily fire across the decks and onto the sails. Sailors screamed in agony as their skin melted under the intense heat of the corrosive chemical. The drake riders sent their beasts in for a swooping maneuver, heaving a stream of blazing fire across several more ships before pulling the drakes back into the safety of the clouds. Large plumes of black smoke rose, creating a fog that stung the eyes and choked sailors.

***

The thirty-one Silent Ones crouched on the deck, their Silencers poised upwards tracking the movements of the drakes. On either side of the platoon of holy warriors were vernal mages that awaited Avalon’s call.

Avalon nodded to the Silent Ones before cuing Tobian, “Do it.”

Tobian and five other vernal mages waved their arms in wide counter-clockwise circles before ending their cast in a powerful upward thrust. Underneath each Silent One popped a piston of wood that launched them into the air and through the smoky fog.

Avalon’s eyes watered from the stinging smoke and air. Her white coat flapped wildly, trailing behind her as she careened toward her target. Unbeknownst to the rider, Avalon performed a graceful moonsault over him as she grabbed his head, flipped him off his saddle and landed in his place. The rider echoed a scream as he fell through the clouds.

Quick to check her surroundings, she found her Silent Ones dispatching their foes in a similar fashion. However, some were not as lucky and either over shot or grabbed onto whatever body part of the drakes they could.

Avalon raised her sword over her head and rammed it between the drake’s shoulders. The scaly beast screeched in agony as it spun upside down attempting to rid itself of its unwelcome guest.

Instinctively, Avalon swiftly tangled her hands in the reins just before she found herself dangling from the saddle above her. Straining, she grunted as she brought her feet into the iron stirrups. As the drake spun right side up, Avalon used the opportunity to grab her blade which was still stuck in the drake’s spine. Jumping cat-like onto the saddle, she carefully ran down the beast’s neck. The wind whipped at her and tossed her from side to side. Avalon mustered all her skill and dexterity to stay balanced. Soon, her efforts paid off as she found herself on top of its spike-rippled head. With a sharp strike, Avalon drove her Silencer into the crown of the drake’s skull. The kill was instant, and immediately the drake dropped into a dangerous free fall. Avalon knelt down, gripping her blade’s handle as the drake’s dead body picked up speed. To her right she saw two more limp drakes plummeting through the sky. Above them were two falling figures. Avalon spotted a drake’s talons driving at her from her left. Avalon was too surprised to react as the drake slammed into her in mid air, her Silencer flipped wildly from her hand.

Avalon gathered her senses as she flew, rolling around. She outstretched her arm and grabbed her blade before she crashed into the drake’s tail. With one hand tightly gripping her blade and her other arm wrapped around the drake’s tail, Avalon scrambled up its back and made her way to the riding saddle. She grabbed the Estinain rider by his collar and ran him through with her blade before kicking the rider from the saddle.

“That was a little too close,” she muttered under her breath.

Streams of fire swiped across the sky as Silent Ones acrobatically leaped from drake to drake, leaving a trail of death in their wake. Avalon desperately pulled her reins attempting to tug a drake away from an oncoming fire breath, but to no avail. Before she could be burned to a charred husk, Avalon dove downward and landed on the neck of a swooping drake below. A hand reached out and pulled her to the safety of the seat.

“Never rode a horse before, Silver Wing?” Adema teased, glowing with the thrill of battle.

Avalon sucked in a long breath as the two veered to the right, avoiding a collision with a falling drake. She snapped her head back to watch the drake fall into a spin as two Silent Ones cut through its wings. Avalon looked back toward Adema and pointed to drakes all plummeting from the sky, “Signal to the Silent Ones and kill your drake. Our mission is complete!”

Avalon jumped to the side and landed a kick on a drake rider that flew close by. The rider’s jaw rocked unnaturally sideways before the jolt knocked him through a cloud. Avalon watched as her sword burned a bright gold, giving her a sense of urgency to follow Adema. Plunging her sword into the neck of the drake, she twisted the handle and ran her Silencer horizontally, brutally slicing the drake’s head nearly off. All that was left was to find a way down.

Avalon searched for a solution to her rapidly arriving demise. If she landed with the drake corpse, the suction of the impact would swallow her quickly. Avalon released her sword from the drake and leaped forward before the body splashed into the ocean. Avalon sailed forward, aiming for a set of skiffs safely away from cannon barrage and the shore. Within a matter of moments, Avalon had sheathed her Silencer and dove in a beautiful splashless arc into the sea. Above her she saw a skiff floating just beyond her reach. With a stroke of good fortune or perhaps divine providence, a hand grabbed her and pulled her onto the skiff. Avalon collapsed onto the ground, grateful for any help.

“Oi saw what ya did, lass. Unbelievable!” the sailor said, patting her on the back.

“Jedeo was under my feet,” she said, still coughing up seawater. Once she had assured herself enough that she was unharmed, she swiveled her head searching the skies for her descending allies.

“You be lookin' fer yer kin? Oi saw ‘em fall not too far to our east. They were snatched up likes you. Jedeo may not control the winds like Nayovi but I’d be mad not to think she ain't got some 'ole magic fer ya,” the sailor said reassuringly to Avalon.

A ram's horn could be heard blurting from the shores. Estininia's forces were quick to retreat as the bulk of Long Whisper’s forces made it to the shores. Banners were struck into the ground to signify to the anchored ships that the Northern Shore was captured. By sunset a full encampment would be raised. Avalon's skiff arrived on the shore soon after. She did not have to go far to reunite with Adema.

“Any deaths?” Avalon asked anxiously.

“None. A few injuries, but nothing that will keep them from battle,” reported Adema.

Avalon nodded as she removed her soaked coat and draped it on her shoulder.

“You did well, Silver Wing. Perhaps you wish to gather your Silent Ones and lead them in prayer?” Adema suggested as they both walked over to where the Silent Ones were gathered.

She searched the eyes of the Silent Ones. Some of their coats were stained black from the grime and smoke. Perhaps prayer was precisely what they needed.

Adema knelt next to the other Silent Ones and bowed her head, “Our Silver Wing wishes to lead us in prayer.”

Avalon stood silently. She gripped her leather-bound sword handle as it cracked. She had been an assassin, a gladiatrix, and now a Silent One. In the end, she was raised to be a killer, lived to be a killer, and would die a killer. Alanna or Jedeo. It did not matter. They both used her for her skill with a blade. Jedeo had her heart, but Alanna still held her soul.

“Avalon, we are waiting,” Whispered Adema.

‘Until the final light of the final morn,

We will forever serve as Jedeo’s Bloodborne,’

Avalon paused, wondering if she was jaded by her duties. The same duties that she held as a High Blade were the same she held as a Silent One.

Adema grabbed her and pulled her to the side, “Silver Wing, we must not falter in the Night. When we fall, we must pick ourselves up. We depend on each other as much Jedeo depends on us.”

Avalon lowered her head and whispered in Adema’s ear, “I sought Jedeo to be free from the blood that I bathed in. Now I am asked to return to that blood and bathe in more.”

Adema lowered her hood and the mask that covered her lower face. Her black veins pulsed across her cheeks and her amber eyes searched Avalon’s, “Jedeo has chosen you so that you can protect many with your skills. Do not run from them, but embrace them. These Silent Ones look to you as a leader. You need to lead them.”

“Who will lead me?”

Adema lifted Avalon’s chin and smiled brightly, “My friend, Jedeo leads you.”

Avalon grinned meekly. She moved back to the kneeling Silent Ones and finished her prayer.

‘And until that final light of that final morn,

We will forever guide those as Jedeo’s Heavensworn.’

“Amen.”