Red Hand Heights (Location A)

[Amaril Torrun]

Jerichol watched fearfully as some of the enemy women threw fire onto the river. His first thought had been that the flames would die upon impact with the water, but he was mistaken. Several fires were now spreading all over the river, burning away at the living things above the surface, while the things below started to boil. The young dragon and his small force was trapped. In front of him was an entire enemy army, perfectly capable of destroying his precious life. Behind was an insatiable wall of flame, consuming everything on its heated path toward the group of Faoi.

If I am going to die, I will die doing as much as I can for Mother.

Just as he was sending a telepathic instruction to attack the enemy, chaos ensued. His foes were scattering, yelling and he even heard a few rattling death cries. With no option to travel through the flame, he gave the command to attack the now vulnerable enemy. His small number of Faoi came short of meeting up with the angry, feminine army, instead running into what appeared to be an organized force of wolves. The adolescent dragon wished he could be back in the water, where the Faoi were more much more agile. On the hard ground, he knew they would be in for a difficult battle. There was nothing else he could do however, and he allowed his reptilian allies to crawl and slither toward the canine beasts. The Faoi were, after all, quite hungry.

---------------

“We forgot our cannons!” Hector punched one of his soldiers square in the back, hardly attempting to hold back his anger. Ready to get into the battle, he rushed his men into place and yelled at the The Drakes for being so slow. There was a battle going on and he didn’t even know who his enemies were yet. A few men turned, including the newly battered one, seemingly to retrieve the forgotten weaponry. “Forget it you fools! Don’t you see we don’t have time for stalling! We need to get in there while our foes are weakened and distracted!”

Darith shook his head in distaste. Hector was an annoying leader with hardly enough respect to go around. The draconians were meant to mingle with Hector’s soldiers to re-enforce the ranks, but they stayed to one side nonetheless. The entire force was an odd sight, strained with biased opinions toward each other. If Amaril had been there, he would have dealt with the matter, but none of his advising generals would hear of such an “amateur” move. To go into battle, he would be a prime target of the opposing forces, they explained. The half-dragon listened to them, though he made it perfectly clear that he would fight with the army at some point during the tournament.

Darith’s thought about the nobility of his leader was ended abruptly with the shrill cry of one of the Faoi. The sound traveled in a wave until the entire front of the army was screaming wildly. Too dark to see, Darith whispered to his own men, “Be ready to retreat.”

At that same moment, one of Kataneen’s children yelled toward the rest of the Split Breeds. “We’re being attacked by oily, shadowy things! They’re trying to wrap around anything they…” The voice was cut off, followed by a roar as one of the shadows tried to absorb the young dragon. The adolescent wouldn’t allow it though, swiping his claws and tail repetitively. The unnatural being didn't stop moving however, and the dragon was dumbfounded. "They can't be killed by normal means!"

Just then, several more of the shadowy figures came, seemingly from the ground.

“Cut them down. Don’t stop our advance!” Hector urged his men to move forward, regardless of the unnatural forms of their enemy and their inability to see properly. He didn't even care if the creatures couldn't be killed. That only increased the importance of getting out of the area and attacking the rest of the enemy instead.

Beyond the battle with the shadows, the unseen battle between the Split Breeds’ two enemies could be easily be heard. Hector perked up at the sound of more foes. “Footmen, come to the front and push these creatures back to the depths of Hell, in which they came! Archers, prepare to fire on the rest of our enemy!”

Hector only needed them to get a little bit closer.

--------------

The rogues found their plan immediately foiled.

The noise of the battle seemed to have just started diminishing when they heard Hector’s commands. Within minutes, they learned why the level of sound on the battlefield was quieting. The sound of hundreds of footsteps was all they could hear, but the situation was obvious. Their enemy was on the move.

“We’ve only got forty six of us. We can’t hold them off with such small numbers.” A rogue turned and started to dart back toward Amaril and Kataneen. “We’ve gotta warn our leaders.” Eight others nodded in agreement and followed.

Just before the rest joined the few runners, a second rogue spoke his mind. “What about Hector? He’s our true leader and deserves our loyalty more than that half-dragon beast.” The rogue’s statement met much more enthusiasm than the first and the rest of the rogues ran as silently as possible toward where they had heard Hector last.

---------------

“I should have gone with them…” Amaril paced back and forth restlessly. The sounds of warriors screaming their battle cries could be heard easily.

Kataneen shook her head. “You know why you need to stay behind. This is our first true test of companionship between our three separate forces. We don not know how it will work out and it would have been foolish to send our leader into what could possibly turn into a mess.”

“That’s exactly why I need to be there!” Amaril quickly toned down his voice. “I should be with the main force of the army, to lead them and show them that we are all in this together. How can I earn their trust by staying behind?”

“Even so, you can not change the past. You must deal with the fact that you will not be a part of this initial battle. There will be more opportunities if you are so willing to risk your life. I will not advise against your decision to fight again.” The elderly dragon turned to join her children, who were watching the cailpis and mearogs trapped behind their cages.

Amaril looked in the direction of the battle longingly and caught the faint outline of several figures in the moonlight. He grabbed the hilt of his sword, but quickly realized the approaching people were Hector’s rogues.

“Men, why are you here? You were sent to weaken the enemy from the side.” He sent a piercing stare into the foremost rogue, intent of showing them that he was indeed a leader.

“Sir, the enemy seems to have similar plans. We heard a significantly large force traveling in the same manner as us. They seem to be on a path directly between ourselves and Hector’s force. I think they mean to attack him from behind. If they do, they’ll be forced to fight the battle from both sides.” The rogue’s eyes and those of his comrades showed great fear at the thought of losing their general.

Amaril turned and ran toward the group of sibling dragons and their mother. “Hector and Darith are going to be caught between two armies. I don’t think we have time to reach them before the enemy does, but we can attack from behind as well. I think now is the time to send our angry friends here loose.”

The speed in which the dragons reacted startled Amaril. In a mere minute, they had every single horse that was connected to the cages under their telepathic control and had them start pulling the Dheathain beasts forward. The half-dragon quickly remembered that some of Kataneen’s children were in the same danger as Hector and Darith. His thought about the dedication to family was interrupted by an anxious statement by his elderly dragon general.

“When we release these creatures, we must get away as fast as possible. My children and I will not be able to control them like we do the Faoi.”

[Twisted Infinitum]

Butterworth struck a dignified pose, one that unfortunately showed off his bloodied potbelly, when the blonde woman addressed him. He seemed to debate a moment, then he replaced his monocle and made a starchy bow. “If that is your name for the Queen, may she live eternal forthwit, I will see to it that you have a chat with her,” he shouted down to her. “But first, if I may suggest… princess, I would like to see the wounded tended to.” He bit his tongue before mentioning that he felt guilty for the whole situation. It was clear enough in his voice.

Without waiting for a response, he turned from her. “Every hare who needs a good salving, return to the tent,” he ordered, “Take one with you who’s laid too low to walk.” The command traveled through his ranks in crisp shouts, and the carpet of bodies quickly began breaking away. “Take the… ladies, also,” he added, glad that he had caught himself from calling them “she-devils” or something else inflammatory. They certainly didn’t need any more motivation.

As the wounded made their way up the earthen trough, the blood streaked hares offering their hands to blood streaked women, Butterworth was able to tally the numbers of combat. Though his forces had been twice as many as the women, they had been spread thin. The throng of attackers had been able to attack a few hares at a time, which made the contest of spear versus razor blades a fair fight. However, it was clear where the endurance lay. About twenty hares lay still on the ground, their brethren lifting them experimentally. Most of them still cradled the broken crossbows they had used to defend themselves. Twice that number of women lay dead. With the tide of battle slowly turning against them, it might have been a slaughter if their wounded hadn’t fallen from the front line of their bludgeoning formation.

It was a sobering sight, the dead and the large groups of wounded who walked up the lighted path. The adrenaline that had fueled Butterworth’s shouts quickly seeped out of him when he realized that a full half of either force was heading that way.

With his commanding presence muted, the lead hare slide down the wall to where his able-bodies brothers waited. No matter what excuses he made, that they couldn’t have expected such an uncivilized tactic, or that the darkness had hindered their measure of the enemy’s forces, the outcome was the same. They were handicapped, and the fault lay squarely at his feet. It was only the expectant eyes of his subordinates that forced his spirits up. Necessity before regret, after all. With a quick command, he got them moving toward the grasslands.

*~*

Halfway up the formation of pressed earth, Mau’s lone servant ran. Its footfalls were nearly silent upon the lip of the northeasterly wall. Below it was the dry, packed earth born of godly intervention, devoid of life. That quickly changed as the cat came upon a thick flow of creatures.

They approached in a few groups, then suddenly filled the path from one side to the other. Humans and hares leaned on each other for support, forgetting their momentary rivalry as only one thought rose up and united them. They were vulnerable.

The cat stopped as the bulk of them staggered past. Then, it turned and walked with them. A few of the hares recognized it and spread the word that they had someone watching over them. Many eyes looked up and nodded thankfully. The cat looked back and licked its starlit lips.

*~*

The students froze right outside of the transport’s single door, trapping Edgar inside. Loud, disappointed grumbles filled the air as their youthful excitement found nothing but a stable, if bloodied, truce in the making. Their helmets radiated a quiet voice in unison, one so low that Edgar could just barely hear it.

“Hostilities have ceased,” The Astounding Relativologist told his students. He sounded calm and composed, as if he had been expecting it, but they all suspected that he was as confused as they were. Some of them whispered as such. “Report your power levels,” the voice continued, and the whispering stopped as they looked at the displays on their guns and rattled off a torrent of numbers. The voice came to them again, dazed and annoyed. “One from each unit, in sequence.” The students all looked at each other worriedly. That mistake was going to affect their final percentage; they just knew it. Those who hovered at the loathsome bottom end of A+ seemed nauseous, and it wasn’t because of the carnage behind them, which seemed too cartoony and distant to be real.

Eventually, the numbers were all sorted, and their professor spoke to them again. Edgar had just managed to wobble his way into the night air when the speakers sounded around him. “Every unit that acted during the approach is left with negligible power reserves. Form a line to recharge at the stations. The thirty units that traveled within the vehicle will await further orders. The transmission cut off, but their professor’s last words were still barely audible from the top of the vehicle. “Conservative use should have only drained them to half,” he muttered. The students around Edgar cast their eyes down. The reprimand wasn’t directed at them, but none of them wanted to tell the others the bad news.

Suddenly, Edgar spouted out words the way a drunk belches fumes. “Tea party,” was the phrase, spoken with mock excitement. The human youths stepped back in bewilderment as they relayed the strange occurrence to those who were too far away to hear. Eventually, the words reached the edge of their ranks and were audible to the approaching group of hares. There, it became an excited whisper, the kind that could perk any hare’s ears and put the life back into them.

Past the end of the half pipe, where the gathering of eye-beams marked the grassy earth like a flying saucer’s tractor beam, a wide peg of earth suddenly lifted inches in front of Kahlina. Three smaller stumps of rock popped up around the improvised table.

Edgar jolted where he stood, and students moved even farther away incase it was contagious. Those who were approaching the vehicle for a recharge froze and muttered questions to those who were already there. Most responses were nothing but a distraught shrug.

Then, Edgar’s head snapped back into its stable and upright position, and a feline voice exploded from him. “Tea party!” cried Calico in a welcoming tone. The students politely declined as they scrambled out of the puppet’s way. Calico burst from the crowd, albeit hindered by her form’s lopsided stride, and plopped down in the seat across from Kahlina.

From the mouth of the half pipe, Butterworth’s voice rose. “Tea party?” he shouted in a hurried frenzy that took him around the body of the army, only to emerge, puffing, on the grassy plain. “Sorry to keep you waiting, my Queen,” he gasped, “Can’t have a tea party without me, wot. Shall it be Earl Grey today?” With a wave of both hands, he summoned forth the party’s namesake. Steaming cups on dainty saucers appeared at every seat, their delicate porcelain leafwork glowing in the eerie light. Butterworth quickly took one of the two remaining seats and was the first to savor a long sip.

“There’s a spot for you too, TAR dear,” Calico called with a wave of her gooey hand.

“I’m quite comfortable here,” was the prompt reply, shouted from the roof of his bug-like contraption.

From the depths of Kahlina’s army, a familiar figure emerged and fell into the remaining seat. Butterworth was the first to greet him with, “Well, you’re looking worse for wear, boy. Nothing like a good capture to toughen up the hide, I say! How’s the tea?”

The naked and shaking Binky took a sip, though his jittery hand spilled about half the cup. “It’s wonderful, sir,” he said, his voice hoarse and weepy. Whether or not the rough treatment had toughened him up was a subject for debate, but it certainly left him looking more downtrodden with a furless streak going between his ears and his tail shredded to tatters. His armor was tossed from somewhere behind him and landed loudly at his side, causing him to jump and spill the remaining tea down his arm. Once he regained his composure, he stood and bent over to pick it up.

“Might want to cover what’s left of the puff, lad. It’s not very stately,” Butterworth noted around his cup as he pointed at Binky’s back end. The hare yelped and slapped his armor pieces to the area. Then, he scurried off to join the rest of his brethren, concealing himself so forcefully that the armor was likely to bruise his rump.

When Calico finished laughing, she took her saucer and cup in hand and struck a courtly pose. “Edgar has missed you, my dear daughter in law,” she said diplomatically. “You should write more often. We didn’t even know you would be here.” She tried to take a sip, only to have it run out the side of Edgar’s mouth as the half-wooden jaw grated on the porcelain. “I know! We should work together,” she quipped wetly, “Wouldn’t that be sweet for a husband and wife to lead their armies to victory? We even have fireworks to celebrate.”

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

“Kelly, we heard voices up ahead.” A Manda whispered to her as she ran up to her. Kelly gestured for her to be quiet. Then realizing that the Manda probably could not see the gesture hissed at her in a low tone.

“Keep your voice down. Spread the word out that I want the Mandas to stop here and stay with Eddie. He’ll be directing you from now on.” Kelly patted the Manda on the shoulder and crept forward, around her many voices whispered her new command. The tall thin shadowy form of Eddie stood out again the shorter shadows of the Mandas.

“Eddie, you wait here with the girl’s. I am taking the DDP’s ahead. I need you to have the girl’s ready every cross bow we have. I want half of them to have rags tied on them. Also where is the nearest crate you’ve dropped around here?” for a long moment Eddie looked at the dark land around them before he turned to look back at the trucks that were just barely visible.

“The nearest crate is about six yards ahead of us; well it’s off to the left a bit.”

“Good, how many crates did you drop total?”

“Only three others out in this area. I have three crates left in the void. It will take me a while to refill the void.”

“Okay, you’re in charge of the Mandas. I’m heading out now.” Calling for the DDP’s to follow her she backtracked a bit to avoid the glass littered ground and came up the other side. Beside them, the water from the stream glittered in the soft light of the stars. Kelly though about pulling her 9 mil from its holster then though better about it. After a brief debate, she pulled out the flash grenade.

Waving the DDP’s back and to wait a moment she slowly crept forward. Making use of her stealth abilities and moving from shadow to shadow, she moved within a yard of the front lines of the enemy army before she threw the flash grenade. Spinning, she ran back towards the DDP’s abandoning all attempts at stealth for speed. Behind her, the bright flash of the grenade lit the area up in stark relief for a moment.

~~~~~~~
Eddie jumped, startled as the light flared, showing him exactly where the enemy army was. Around him, howls from the blinded Mandas filled the air. For a moment, Eddie blinked away the bright spots in the vision, his heart pounding in his chest, threatening to break free.

“Fire! If you can see, then fire!” Eddie shouted. Around him, a dozen crossbows were fired, a moment later several more were fired. Upon hearing the crunch of wood and glass Eddie snatched a cross bow from a Manda. Ignoring her protests, he set the cloth wrapped around the bolt on fire and aimed for where he knew the closest crate would be. A moment later blue flames slowly spread in the darkness and Eddie smiled.

“Spread the word quickly, that crate is going to explode in a minute. After it does, I want everyone to charge.” Eddie hunkered down behind large rock, mentally ticking down the time it would take for the fire to cause the alcohol in the bottles to explode.
~~~~~~~~

The small group of dark elves lurked near the rear of the enemy army. Using the shadows of trees and bushes to hide they waited for an attack to begin. The bright flash of light blinded them for a moment. One dark elf stood, making ready to attack. The others waved him down.

“Now is not the time, we wait. This army is full of foolish measures.”

“Then why assist them?” Another voice near by hissed.

“We are not honorless. Foolish measures can be effective with the right tactics.”

~~~~~~
The Shadows, realizing that their tentacles where under attack, began to retreat into the earth. They shifted positions as swiftly as they could within the ground and extended more tentacles to grasp at the ankles and legs of those above them. Any unlucky enough to fall where immediately pulled underground and smothered.

~~~~~~~~~~~
I looked on in astonishment as the ground reformed to make tables and a seating for Calico’s tea party. The large rabbit that I had mentally dubbed the ‘Fat Rabbit’ materialized the settings for tea. My eyes followed the wounded Mandas, as they were help up to Calico’s camp. I wondered just how many I had lost and how many more I would lose from wounds.

Directing the Shadow that held me over to the table, I nodded politely to Edgar and the Fat Rabbit. Noticing my fidgeting, the Shadow quivered around me. I glanced back at my base camp. The fact that every light was turned off and I saw no movement worried me.

“Calico, it’s great to see you and Edgar again but I really, really need to get back to my camp. Something is going on down there.” I shouted at the nearest able-bodied Manda to find the others and bring them to me.

“Perhaps if we have time, if we survive that is. I can introduce you to the General and Kelly. They are this world’s clones of my mother. I’m sure you would love them.” I silently apologized to the General and Kelly, knowing that Calico would most likely drive them insane. At the bright flash of light form behind me, I turned as best as I could, the slower moving Shadow caught up with me.

“Calico, any help you could extend would be most welcome. I’m sorry but I’ve got to go.” I called as I urged the Shadow to hurry down the half-pipe to my camp. Just as I reached level ground. Several Mandas caught up with me.

“I want two others to take a truck. Everyone else pile in back of them. Where going to run down anyone not with us. I want everyone in the back of truck to make sure you have a weapon and several empty bottles.”

“You are not doing that. If you die then the battle is over for us.” I jumped startled when the General appeared out of seemingly nowhere. I glared at her for a moment looked around; several more Mandas were popping up from hiding places and gravitating towards us.

“I’m going, don’t worry I have no intention of dying.’ I said as the Shadow released me. ‘Keep her here and keep her safe.” I shouted back at the Shadow over the General’s shouts as I slid into the closest truck. I smiled at the protesting squawk that came from behind me as I started the truck.

[Amaril Torrun]

“Where’s that army you were talking about?” Amaril glared at the rogue he now deemed the leader of the others.

“I swear, they were coming. I… I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe they heard the others that we left behind.” The undesirable rogue leader stood a few feet back, head bowed.

Ahead, the battle could be heard perfectly and if there was some form of light, the half-dragon knew that he would see strained muscles, blood-stained metal, and countless bodies on the earthen floor. Even his imaginary battle brought on sorrow and sickness from all of the violent deaths that were taking place. He was glad to not have the ability to see in the dark, like his dragon allies. His mind wandered to Kataneen and all the things she must have seen in her long life.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure your children out there will be safe. They are one of the few that can actually see what’s going on, not to mention they’ve been raised by one such as yourself.” The words didn’t seem to make an impact on the fearful mother.

“War doesn’t only take the weakest from the pile. My children are just like any other creature or warrior in that mess.” The elder dragon sighed.

Amaril nodded knowing that he couldn’t give such a wise creature a false glimpse of hope. “We aren’t doing any good just standing here. I don’t think we should rush in, since we apparently don’t know where the main army is, but we can set a few things up.” He turned to the rogues. “Men, set up the cannons. If our enemy does come up behind our main force, we’ll be ready for them.”

---------------
Darith and his squad flew high up into the air, carrying those draconians without the blessing of wings. Fighting was pointless if the strange creatures couldn’t be killed and the draconian general wasn’t going to let any of his men die for no reason.

“Return to Amaril and Kataneen. Staying here will do us no good and we need to let our leader know what is going on.” The draconians gave a shout of praise as Darith instructed them to leave the death trap.

Down below, Hector roared as he spun his dual swords in arcs around his body, keeping the shadows at bay. The mythril blades cut down two of the oily creatures trying to cover him, but did no real harm. They merely picked themselves back up and returned to their advance on the general. The ex-Radasanthian lieutenant started to feel the same fear as the rest of his men, but quickly pushed it to the back of his mind.

“These things are nothing! Keep them off of you and keep on moving.” He quickly shot two bursts of invisible energy through his swords and at the shadows, knocking them backwards. “They’re nothing!” He continued to shout that final phrase over and over again, running to aide any of his men that sounded like they were in trouble.

At some point during the terrifying battle, a sudden burst of light revealed the entire area. Almost everyone involved in the battle shielded their eyes, but some wiser soldiers took that brief moment to take in as much of their surroundings as possible. At that same instant, the shadows disappeared, taking several warriors and faoi with them.

“There’s an army to the left of us!” The entire army turned to face in that direction.

“There’s an army to the right of us too!” The right side of the army turned to face that direction

“We’re doomed! There’s people up ahead too! We’re being attacked from three sides!”

Before Hector had the chance to give any orders, a strange whistling sound came from the right. He quickly recognized the sound and yelled, “Bow fire from the right!” The soldiers, trained to obey their leader’s warning instinctively, threw their iron shields over their heads. The archers, thinking that Hector was issuing a command to attack, released their readied arrows in the same direction that the crossbow bolts were coming from. Completely undefended, almost half of them began to drop to the ground either wounded or dead after the second volley of bolts.

The Faoi were just as defenseless as the archers and began to fall in the same manner. Crying out for their lesser-dragon comrades, Kataneen’s five children stood there as bolt after bolt glanced off of their scaled bodies harmlessly.

Just as the remaining force was recovering from the shadow and ranged attack, an explosion sent a few of the front line soldiers flying. At that same moment, the thunderous sound of the right side enemies approaching was all the Split Breeds needed to bring their morale down a peg.

“Men! Don’t lose hope now! Charge!” Hector charged forward, leading the way toward the oncoming enemy. Hope slightly rekindled by the sight of their courageous general, the soldiers began charging as well. Hector’s archers quickly let another volley of arrows loose upon their enemies before Hector got too close.

One of Kataneen’s children called out to the archers. “We need your help on this side too! Don’t forget that we have enemies on our left!”

Losing no time, the remaining archers readied themselves and let two volleys of arrows fly into the air.

---------------------

Jerichol’s battle against the wolves was temporarily halted by the bright flash of light. As the darkness of night returned, both sides continued to kill each other in what could only be described as a single-minded, brutal brawl.

On the ground lay the dead bodies of half the Faoi and half the wolves. If nothing changed, neither side would come out victorious.

[Twisted Infinitum]

“Okees!” Calico called after her shadow-borne daughter-in-law, “Bye bye for now.” Then, Calico left and Edgar convulsed forward in a manner reminiscent of a plane crash. His head struck a pit into the earthen table. The teacup disappeared, amid a horrendous cracking sound, between the two clashing surfaces. Earl Grey formed a puddle around his skull, though it really looked a lot like blood.

Butterworth squawked and nearly dropped his own tea. “How’s the head, my Queen… or Sir Edgar?” he asked as he craned his head to the side for a profile view of the ruination.

Wordlessly, Edgar popped up and stared back at the hare. His face seemed undamaged except for the chipped porcelain sticking out of his forehead like prehistoric spines. The hare winced and made a quick motion over the table. “I say tea time’s over, wot,” he said nervously. The chips disappeared from the gooey flesh, and the holes began to close slowly and sloppily.

*~*

Calico hadn’t been separate from Edgar’s control device for three seconds before she launched into the joyous tirades. Edgar’s mother-in-law. My family feels like its getting so big! she said with her arms spread wide. Her gummy half of Edgar squirmed as if startled. I guess that makes her my sister-in-law? No, sister-in-law-in-law. That’s sounds strange, though. With a hand to her chin contemplatively, she turned and paced away from the bubble. Immediately, she froze at the sight of Possum. He was once again lost in study. However, he wasn’t looking at the rifts. He was staring at her. What? she asked suspiciously.

You are actively engaging mortals… in many ways, he mused while looking through her.

Calico scrunched up her face, though it could have meant anything from offense taken to a strenuous bout of thought. You do the same thing with that Father Brain Doodle, she said blankly as she pointed to an invisible microphone at the side of her mouth.

No, he quickly stated as his eyes focused on her and he pushed his glasses further up his snout. Your interactions are more familial, and yield no productive results. It’s unheard of. He said it in a tone reserved for children eating off the floor. … For our kind, he added pointedly, as if she needed to be reminded of her nature.

Calico cocked her head to the side as her eyes widened with slow surprise. Then, she snapped her head back up and gave him a winning smile. Oh, Possy-Poo, you’re trying to make me angry, she scolded mockingly. I could never get angry at you! He began to ask her why, but she interrupted him. Cause you’re my favorite out of everyone here! She gestured grandly to the farthest expanses of their realm.

Possum’s eyebrows tried to crawl underneath his hat. Granted, the population of stable dream demons was small these days, going so low that Ruby Lynx was the only other one they could account for. But, even a mind as analytical as Possum’s could read between the lines of that statement. With an unnecessary cough, he turned back to the rifts and pretended to care about what was happening on Althanas.

*~*

The Astounding Relativologist tapped his fingers briskly along the metal arm of the turret seat. The tea party panned out before him, looking much like an elementary school play. A glance over the railing showed the teetering helmets of students who weren’t very impressed either. He was tempted to ask Father Brain for orders, but a short contemplation of the idea made him shake his head. Soldiers were dependant upon their superiors for guidance. He was a professor, a far more independent being, though also more uncomfortable in the rumbling vacuum of suspense between skirmishes.

It was this new, and equally unorthodox, ally that gave him an excuse to end the stagnation. The first blast of light filled the grasslands ahead. From his vantage, he could see the troops it revealed. Some were shaped within human guidelines. Others were reptilian shapes that flickered with scales in the momentary burst of radiance. Before he could make out the more precise details, the scene returned to starlight and a growing, though still comparatively faint, burst of fire. With his eyes shining in the firelight and an excited smile on his face, The Astounding Relativologist activated his microphone and was about to order the hovering contraption forward. However, a quick calculation of the DMT markers’ landing points told him that there would be no heavenly hand to flatten the ground should he head out, and it was far too dark to leave the craft’s stability to the driver’s reflexes. None of these students had a proper operator’s license, after all.

His voice carried a bitter resignation as he spoke to the thirty students who waited with energy and nerves both at maximum. “Join the friendly forces on their vehicles and aid them,” he ordered. Some of the teens hesitated, their eyes casting over an army that looked odd in the light of the eyes, let along what it might contain in the darkness. The low drone of the vehicles reached them as faint points of light appeared. “Be punctual,” the voice in their helmets chided them, and they were off running.

Wheezing and flailing, they threw themselves into the beds of the trucks and braced themselves on their knees as the world lurched around them. Anti-gravity technology must have pampered them, for most of them clung to everything in sight to keep their balance. “You are dealing with a flat expanse, so redirect 45 below horizontal,” their helmets hummed. Some tried to laugh, remembering that technique’s test run and the hare it had popped in the behind with a piston of earth, but the laughter didn’t catch. With each surrounded by strangers and jostling about on archaic vehicles, everything about this war felt far too real. Some of the students readied their gravity grenades, non-lethal but useful, just in case.