Nothing much had changed when SJ returned to watching the valley. The draconians appeared to be settling in the buildings inside the wall, and the gnolls were continuing to make their temporary homes outside of them. The two active beetles were now positioned inside the walls, and one of them was being used to clear the debris from the collapsed building. Its massive mandibles made short work of pushing the fallen stones towards the river, like a living bulldozer.
The third beetle was still being healed from what SJ could see, and it did appear as though one of its legs had been repaired.
'I need to finish that beetle before it gets healed fully.'
Kibble was flying at SJ's side as they hovered far above the ground.
"You know what happened last time with that ichor," Dave said.
'Yeah, but once it is finished, I won't have to worry about the void problem. The others are inside the walls and won't be able to restrict me. I should be able to get clear quickly, and most of the gnolls have moved to the wall as well. There are only a handful near it still.'
"True. You need to be careful."
'Always,' SJ replied.
"Ha. If only that were true," Dave said.
'Kibble, you stay above and if I get in difficulty then, and only then, are you to come near.'
Kibble squeaked in protest, SJ not requiring a translation to understand his tone.
'I mean it. You stay away.'
The next squeak was more subdued.
"SJ. I need to stop the call," Cristy said.
"Already?" SJ replied.
"You didn't think I stayed back, did you?" Cristy said, chuckling, and the call ended before SJ replied.
"And I wonder where she got that behaviour from," Dave said. "They grow up so fast."
SJ ignored Dave and focused on her target. The beetle rested at an angle due to its broken limbs. She wouldn't be able to attack it from directly above, having to come in from a still steep but less than perfect approach. As she neared, she aligned herself for the attack.
'Here goes,' she thought as she equipped her claws and started her descent. Her wings felt perfect now; they were clean again, and she folded them, allowing her speed to increase as she aimed for its scutellum. As she neared, mere feet away, a gnoll cried, seeing her approach. It was too late now for her to stop, and she plummeted the final few feet, her claws extended as she grew, triggering her puncture skill. Only at the last minute, slowing her impact as her wings failed to prevent her fall. Her claws struck true, penetrating deeply, and again the yellow ichor spouted out of the puncture wounds. It splattered her, not just her dress this time, but her face as well.
'Damn,' she thought as her vision blurred, blinking her eyes trying to clear them. She pushed back from the beetle, withdrawing her blades, and on doing so, her foot slipped on the slick-backed carapace of the beetle. Her boots may have been sure steps, but not even they could compensate for the angle at which she was standing. As her foot slipped, she fell backwards from the beetle's back. She didn't even have time to shrink before she crunched into the hard ground. The wind knocked from her chest. The only bonus of what had occurred was that she had fallen on the side away from the larger group of nearby gnolls. The only one on this side was the one performing the healing.
SJ scrambled to her feet, wiping her eyes as she stood, hearing the gnoll snarl. It had been focused on spell-casting, and it took a moment to realise what had happened. The giant beetle convulsed, a similar ripple to that she had seen on the other pulsing across its surface.
The gnoll turned, drawing a nasty-looking curved dagger, and ran at her, screaming with pure hostility.
SJ only had time to react with instinct as it swung its dagger at her. She flicked her gloved hand up, her claws only just parrying the attacker's blade. Her vision still wasn't perfect, and she swung her other claws out defensively in the gnoll's direction. They met fresh air, not hitting anything, as she realised the gnoll had stepped to the side. She hadn't expected to fight the gnolls and hadn't identified this one specifically.
"Get off the damn ground," Dave hissed at her.
SJ didn't reply as she stepped back from her attacker. She needed to shrink and fly, the gloop of the ichor feeling heavy on her skin, and she knew it had got on her wings again. She cursed at the recklessness of her decision and her unfortunate fall.
"Kibbles coming. Be ready," Dave said.
SJ didn't have time to even focus on where Kibble was coming from, only seeing a blur as she parried the next attack of the gnoll. He may have been a spellcaster, but he was swift. His dexterity must be high, but she couldn't consider triggering her identification skill. She had gone into survival mode only.
The hiss and pop sound that was created left the air around her smelling of burnt ozone as Kibble released a bolt of lightning directly at the gnoll's head. The gnoll's body convulsed as SJ watched its fur catch fire from the electrical discharge. She breathed heavily as Kibble squeaked and dropped to her side. SJ shrank, the gloop thick and relentlessly clinging to her. She climbed onto Kibbles' back, his lithe frame lifting her again easily as the nearest gnolls rounded the beetles' now still form. As Kibble carried SJ away from he area and to safety her display triggered:
Congratulations, you have killed a level 38 Sand Beetle. For killing a beast over ten levels higher than yourself, you receive double experience. The 2130 experience was doubled to 4260 experience. Your experience gains are doubled due to your reputation bonus, 8520 experience awarded.
Congratulations on reaching Level 22
You have been awarded the following:
+2 Dexterity
+3 free points to distribute as you wish
+1 skill point
More kills like this would quickly increase her levels. It was the only bonus so far from what had occurred, and the faster she could increase her levels, the greater her chances would be against her enemies. Even a few more levels could make a significant difference. SJ was aware from Dave's feedback and estimations that she already equalled beings of significantly higher levels due to the higher bonuses she received for her attribute points when levelling. If she could keep on like this and the opportunities for her style of fighting arose, she needed to take advantage. She was an assassin after all, so hit-and-run was her best option.
Kibble had risen above the battlefield swiftly, again carrying her to safety. SJ lay across his neck, resting. To consider only weeks ago he had hatched from an egg to what he had become, SJ wondered how he might still evolve as he aged. She wasn't even sure how long miniature wyverns lived, but knowing that usual dragons lived to be in their thousands, there was no reason why her miniature companion couldn't also live a long life. Her age limitations would be down to her or her enemies' actions. With an expected age of 7,000 years being a possibility, it was an intense and uncertain sensation.
SJ sighed deeply. The warmth and security she felt clinging to Kibble were immense. Slowly, she rose from sitting up and looked below. The beetle lay with its good limbs now sticking out as per her first successful hit. She just wished there was a way to strike them without getting covered in ichor. Her face was still covered in ichor, so she wiped it on her dress. As she did, she felt a mild sensation as it self-cleaned, the gloop being magically removed. She still had no idea how it worked, but she would never complain. Once again, she would be unable to fly well until her wings were cleaned properly. The downside of the attacks was ever present, and she didn't want to rely on Kibble continually. She hated the fact that he was being drawn into danger.
"That was close again," Dave said.
"Yeah. I know. I need to be more careful," SJ said.
"You do. My heart races every time you do something stupid."
SJ scoffed. "You don't have a heart. You're an AI after all."
"How dare you!" Dave replied in mock horror. "I do have a heart... I'm just not sure where I put it. And yes, Kibble, I know I am funny. Thank you for confirming something I have always known."
"You don't have to make out that Kibble thought something to try and boost your ego," SJ laughed. She couldn't help but smile at the occasional foolishness of her best friend.
"I'll have you know, Kibble did indeed say I was funny," Dave replied sulkily.
"Sure, sure."
"He did," Dave cried.
SJ chuckled as she watched a large group of gnolls move towards the two dead beetles that littered the plains. With a morbid fascination, she observed as they began to dissect them. It was no different to the behaviour of the draconians with the dead lizard, and now she considered it the same had happened to the dead scorpoids. None of the beings allowed anything to go to waste. The same was for the now-dead gnoll that Kibble had just torched, which was lifted from where it had fallen and carried over to a line where the others lay. As it was, she watched two gnolls walk from the scorpoid clan's area and lift one of the bodies. They carried it back to where the scorpoids were now penned in within the shaman's ring and threw it inside. She gagged at the sight that unfolded. They definitely didn't waste anything.
"I wonder how they are doing on the ridge?" SJ said.
"Only one way to find out. Well, two call Cristy or we go look."
"I can't chance calling Cristy, and I would go and look, but I am the best eyes we have out here."
"The druid's familiars are around. You can see Rex," Dave reminded her.
"I know, but I have no idea whether Alice can see what Rex sees or if it is just communicated and whether it's remote."
SJ continued circling above the area. She wasn't in danger at this height; no spell or weapon would ever be able to reach them. Other predators flew in the skies of Amathera, but apart from that wyvern that had moved into the mountains to the East, all she had ever seen were hawks or eagles, and she doubted they would even attempt to go near Kibble. He might be small, but he seemed to exude presence.
She caught the movement behind them and down. Frowning, she focused on the area by the tunnel. Her vision was sharp and improved due to her symbiotic relationship with Bob's blood, but it wasn't good enough for her to make out what it was.
"Kibble. We need to check the tunnel," SJ said.
Kibble squeaked, turning and heading towards the tunnel's mouth, which started leading into the desert territory. As they neared, SJ could make out the line of beings coming through the tunnel. More gnolls and draconians. They walked in an extended line as they emerged, many dragging sledges behind them.
"What's going on?" SJ thought.
"I think that has to be the remnants of their groups moving in," Dave said.
"In all the troll holes of Amathera. How many more are there?"
"I don't think any of them are fighters. Look, they have young with them."
"Kibble, get closer, but not too close."
Kibble lowered slowly, circling wide of the group. As they became clear,r SJ saw both young and old gnolls and even some females that looked heavily pregnant. The draconians that were with them appeared to again be in charge, barking orders as the line moved out into the plains. It didn't head to the wall, remaining at a distance.
"Headcount seems to be a further four hundred. Fiftyish draconian the remainder gnolls."
SJ could see the definitive difference in the way the three various gnoll clans were dressed. The colours they wore defined their clan. Those associated with the scorpoids wore red kaftans. Another group wore more town-style clothing, featuring yellows and browns, while the third group wore white.
The draconians were all bare-chested, bar a couple, even the females, not that a draconic female had the same anatomical features as many females of other races.
"They really are planning to stay," SJ said, as they watched the groups begin to unpack and start to construct their shelters. Most were tents, although some had positioned awnings to provide them with overhead cover.
A lizard moved from the wall, approaching the new arrivals. They were stopped and jumped down on arrival. It was the leader of the draconians who had led the charge. He walked towards the awning and, upon arriving, dropped down to one knee.
"Oh. That's a surprise. I thought he was their leader, but it looks like he isn't," SJ said.
A shadow suddenly cast over them.
SJ looked up instinctively. The thing above them didn't appear to be capable of flight. Its wings were leathery and had torn holes in them. The bones were almost skeletal. Its eyes were as black as coal and appeared to draw in light.
"Looks like they brought visitors with them," Dave said. "Carrion claws by the looks of it. I bet they followed them, expecting to get free food along the way. They are known to follow nomadic tribes, which is obviously the case for all of them. They aren't dangerous in the air. They attack single ground targets, being the opportunists they are. They will strike a victim and lift them before dropping them back to the ground. It's strange to see them around at this time of day. They normally are only active in the morning or evening. I suppose the size of the group that left the region drew more attention than we would have liked. They don't eat live food. It has to be dead and rotten."
SJ shuddered at the thought. The large birds had wingspans of almost thirty feet. Their clawed talons were designed to hold flesh, while their sharp beaks would tear meat off. They reminded her of a cross between a vulture and a skeleton. Their almost featherless heads sat on long necks with sharp, pointed, yellow beaks. SJ watched as another crested the mountains where the tunnel ran and slowly began to circle downwards, following the first. They weren't approaching her and Kibble; instead, they slowly circled over where the two dead beetles were being dissected.
SJ could see the gnolls reacting to the beetles as they appeared. A group of four ranged gnolls, all carrying slings, moved to where the beetles were, and as the giant birds neared, they let loose with their stone. At the height, if one bird were struck, it would only cause minor damage, but it would still cause the birds to change their course and lift higher, until they were out of range of the projectiles. SJ was fascinated as she watched them slowly and almost casually fly in constant large circles over the beetles. Always maintaining their distance from the ground.
"It would have been nicer if they attacked," SJ said. "We could do with the help. Airpower appears to be the clan's weakness."
SJ face-palmed, hitting her forehead repeatedly with her palm. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she said.
"What?" Dave asked, concerned.
SJ didn't reply as she called a communication stone into her hand and immediately pressed the gem.
"SJ. So soon," Carlito answered.
"I need your help," SJ said.
"Why, what's wrong?" Carlito asked, his tone not changing.
"Killic is under attack."
"You know our bond. What do you need?" Carlito asked.
"Killic is my home, my friends are in danger of being hurt."
"You are being threatened?" A sense of urgency in Carlito's voice.
"I have killed two Sand Beetles today and a couple of gnolls already," SJ replied nonchalantly.
"Sand Beetles?" Carlito replied in a tone that etched surprise.
"Yes. Sand Beetles. Gnolls and draconians have come from the desert region, with their beasts. They are looking to take the town."
"I will come immediately, although I am not sure what help I can be," Carlito replied.
"Simple, they have no aerial capability, and you are a dragon after all."
"Don't you think a dragon arriving in Killic would draw suspicion?"
"Why? The borders have opened. Creatures now up to level 50 can cross the borders, and the territory now allows for level 30 progress. You are only in your 30s. And to be honest, no one ever needs to know you are a dragonling. You could be a fortunate territory visitor who takes easy pickings from a battlefield."
"You do know that most dragonkin are very selective about what they eat?"
"Not really. I know very little about your kind still," SJ replied.
Kibble squeaked.
SJ followed Kibble's gaze and watched as a gnoll who was walking between two of the groups was suddenly targeted by one of the carrion claws. It dropped like a lead weight at its target, striking with outstretched talons. The gnoll only reacted at the last moment, but it was too late. The carrion claw lifted the gnoll into the air. Cries arose from below, not clear enough to be heard at their height. The ugly behemoth of a bird turned, heading back towards the mountains, and SJ watched as it flew high into the air until it was above a rock ledge, a couple of hundred feet off the ground, and then it released the gnoll from its grip.
SJ looked away as it fell, only hearing the scream carried across the plain before silence.
"What's going on?" Carlito asked.
SJ described what just happened to Carlito.
"How long will it take you to get here?" SJ asked.
"It's four days by coach. If I hurry, I could be there in about eight to ten hours if I push. I'm not as fast as some of my kind."
"That fast?" SJ said, amazed still by the speed he could potentially reach Killic.
"I am a dragon, as you keep pointing out," Carlito chuckled as the gem cut out.
