[E] Heart Attack

[Shoki]

79.01.10
Just after midnight

It was an hour which nothing good came from. In the pitch of night, a few dragons appeared near Rainbow Mists Weyr. They flew low, quiet, to the agreed position. A clearing in the jungle, not too far from the Weyr itself, but far enough to avoid prying eyes that might be up at this dark hour.

The humans dismounted, leaving the dragons to wait for their call. Each of the riders prepared weapons, but one tall broad shouldered man who went to the last dragon and held his hand out for the woman who sat there.

“We are ready. We begin at your command, Anaela.” The gathered party nodded, though the faces of the Telgarans ranged from serious to uneasy. This was not a light undertaking. They followed their Weyrwoman here, but it was no mission they would ever claim after it was completed.

After all, by the break of morning, two Rainbow Mists riders would be dead.

[Kaya]

The spattering tropical rain mingled with sweat. The northern Riders were ill accustomed to the heat and humidity. A sudden change from a Telgaran winter. It felt sickly and unnatural for rain to be warm. This was the place it would happen.

Anaela took the man's hand and met the others on the ground. She looked at the group she had assembled, loyal Telgarans who understood her cause. Her eyes narrowed at one nervous looking man. She was well suited to blend with the night itself.

"Then begin," she ordered, fists clinching. She watched the first small group move away, fingers running over the sturdy handle. She removed the knife to stare into it, the weakest reflection of her dark hair and wild eyes spurred her on. She quickly put the dagger away and smoothed back her straying hair. She had waited so long for justice, it had become the time to place it in her own hands.

"With me," she ordered the broad shouldered man and they melted into the midnight hour.

[Shoki]

Those that remained went down a different path, heading toward the Weyr. No words were exchanged, only the sparse glances as they made sure they remained close. The jungle was treacherous enough during daylight hours, they would prefer not to get lost before they had begun.

Eventually the undergrowth thinned and they approached the Weyr proper. The tension in the silence could almost be felt, though they all pressed on through the atmosphere. They drew close, finding an entrance to the buildings themselves. All was quiet, and they avoided much. With any luck there would be no one that spotted them in the shadows.

Luck is a fickle mistress though.

Just after they entered, and they began to turn down the hallway, they heard a gasp. A guard had been reclining against a wall, apparently slacking, but now saw the figured. Before he knew what was what, he was being charged by two men, each with swords. The guard desperately began to defend himself, while those he couldn’t focus on ran down the halls. It was all he could do to keep them at bay, though he began to shout. The riders were intent on silencing him, but he held his ground. For now.

The other riders, having escaped, started to run. Secrecy was now less of a concern. They had to move quickly. They ran toward the personal Weyrs, hoping that their target was not up already.

[PhoenyxStar]

The little grey woke to a feeling of hunger and one that was not her own for the first time in days. Her eyes whirled as she propped her front end up on the cot. "Nyx darling your tummy is making off noises perhaps we should go get something to nibble on in the kitchen?" The tiny grey crooned as she pushes her dainty muzzle under her riders arm trying to wake her as gently as possible. Toriath shifted as she tried to prod her darling riders chest.

"Alright, alright I'm up silly"  softly so as not to wake the others that shared their room.

"Good you were making me hungry Nyx" the grey purred as her eyes tinged red into the green.. the small dragonet slide off the bed with as little noise as possible. She could be a ghost if it weren't for her eyes that would give her away. Her eyes followed her rider's movement as Nyx got some proper clothes on before following her quietly out the room into the halls headed towards the kitchen... She tilted her head and stopped after a while of walking.. "Mine" the dragon whispered into her riders mind with her eyes a brighter red. "Mine did you hear that ..?"


"Hear what? I don't hear anything... Sure it's not your stomach?" Phoenyx joked as they turned a corner not fully aware what was going on but was definitely hungry. She strolled with a strong but slow pace not want to leave Tori behind. She then to heard a noise much louder unsure of what was causing it. Her curiosity pulled her towards it as she laid her hand low hopeing that Tori would hide as she checked it out. She crept up against the wall as she tucked her white hair under her shirt to keep it out of her way and make her less noticeable as she couldn't just melt into the rocks like her dragon.

[Kaya]

"That was fun," Lithena curled a strand of her blond hair around a finger, gazing at the chest of the man near her. She rolled over and off the bed, rising up into a tall stretch, hair tickling the skin on her back. She crossed the room to pick up an oversized white riding tunic and slipped into it, though it was plenty comfortable in the warm summer air without. "But you should go."

His grin towards her fell, clumsily attempting any other expression when she turned to look at him. She crossed her arms over the loose shirt. "I though you just said-"

"I did. And you're not staying," she said firmly. He took the hint and started to gather up his things, pulling on a pair of pants.

"You'll miss me," he warned, standing there with his belongings under one arm.

"And when I do I know where to find you," Lithena said, ever the flirt even in dismissal.

He shrugged and moved towards the door, still moving forward while something in his mind nagged that there was something he missed. Something he was forgetting? No. Something he should have said? No. ...something. The slamming footsteps emerged around the corner, men from Telgar, who quickly assaulted the man. He yelped. Lithena tensed, leaning into her bond with Hrith. Someone was out there.

[Shoki]

The two Telgaran’s knew they had to act quickly. The Guard took in another deep breath to shout again and they charged him with their swords. It was both a grand success and a failure for them. The guard, in his last moments, was able to bellow out his last words.

“Intruders! Guards to-“ He ended with a sword in his gut, and could only groan in pain as he slumped to the floor. The Telgaran looked over their deed and then to each other. One of them began to scan the area, looking for any evidence to more people coming. The hall was long, but he could have been out of earshot of others. The other man looked slightly distant for a brief time. Riders would recognize the look.

However, for a moment, they remained where they were, swords still out.

--

Lithena’s unfortunate friend was immediately targeted when the door was opened. A man with a hand axe lunged first, causing the yelp as he stumbled back. A Telgaran woman with a short spear followed up, apparently very accustomed to working with her confederate. The unarmed man had little chance under their combined assault, but he was evading as best as he could.

The remaining two, a man with a bow and a woman with knives gave each other a quick glance. The man went forward toward Lithena’s room as the woman with knives looked back along the hall, watching for movement. The bowman raised his bow as he entered the doorway, spying Lithena. Confident this was who he sought, he aimed and fired a shot.

[Kaya]

He had been lucky once to miss the axe. The spear bit into his arm, passing by. He hissed. The attackers had no hesitation in their coordination. Axe, spear, axe. He was gone.

Lithena had a moment's advantage for his alarm. She saw the bowman come into her door, felt the surge of cold panic, and fled. She heard the angry buzz of the arrow over her shoulder, the fetching on the back cutting into her left cheek. She sprinted for the back of her weyr to get to Hrith. Salvation had wings and could carry them to the air.

[PhoenyxStar]

Phoenyx Turned a corner less wary then she probably should of been. She thought the worse they could make her do would to be helping with the numb weed or firestone and wasn't really bothered by it. That was the worst mistake of her life as she got to see the final moments of the guard being murdered. She stood there a moment before letting out a blood curdling scream turning around and running back the way she came. She was so not ready for that and even though she had some training in healing she knew she couldn't take on those men not when she had a dragon to look out for... "Toriath alert the weyr now!!!" She yelled unintentionally at her grey before making her hide in a crevice in one of the walls before she continued to run. Her dragon couldn't run but she definitely could and probably out maneuver the men as they probably didn't know the place that well.

The grey's eyes whirled with alarm and sounded the the alarm to the queens and kings in hopes that the word would spread fast enough before talking to the weyrlings master partner to make sure the riders and the her bothers and sisters would be safe. "Done Mine.." her eyes were a dark red of outrage and fear as she was shoved into a hole not really big enough for her but luckily she blended well enough into the stone as to not be noticed unless someone took the time to go over that spot. ".." the little one was drained of her positivity  and thus was at a loss of what to say to her rider without stating the obvious

"Good now stay there and don't let anyone see you or hear you" She turned a corner as she tried not to crash into the wall as she slide on the rocks. By the shards she hoped she would not die.

[Kaya]

Quietly they went, the rain making dark clothes darker. They escaped the pull of the weather on their clothes not long after, disappearing into an even darker hall. They moved in silence, Anaela and S'han. He navigated them through the tunnel. Their communications indicated surprise would not last long, speed was their best tactic. Their target was predictable, methodical, they would find him.

A breath of relief leaving the larger passage for a small residential hall. Deeper into the Weyr, closer to their goal, further from the others. The only way in. Anaela clinched her fists as S'han checked around a corner. Clear,

Anaela stalked towards the door. She felt the rage of her injustice bubble up. This was for B'telli. He had deserved many things, death at the hands of Rainbow Mists was not one of them. Betrayal by the diplomat of his own Weyr was not one of them. Dismissal by the Weyr that had slain him was not one of them. Power had failed, negotiations had failed, the leaders that should have protected him and his memory- failed. It was up to her. This vital strike would ensure the world knew of their error. It would balance the scales for her brother. Blood for blood, she curled her fingers tight around the dagger. S'han loomed behind her. Bronze for Bronze, her throat was cage to her protests, she had found V'lan, the heart of the problem, and she intended to put a stop to his. Hate and tunnel focus, she struck him.

[Shoki]

The bowman’s eyes narrowed, and lip twisted down. He swiftly pulled another arrow, and it seemed he was moving too fast. The window for firing was closing so he had to move quickly. He first once, then went for a second one, very haphazard. The pair of confederates in the hall arrived, axe and spear in their hands to see if they could possibly aid the bowman at this juncture.

But seconds mattered when it came to reaching dragons.

---

The two in the hallways were greeted by a blood curling scream. They turned, swords at the ready, and faced the weyrling. She ran away, and the one who had already been at the ready ran forward. Sort of. When she screamed for her dragon, he slowed to a stop, and turned back to his ally, frown on his face. He looked toward where the grey had gone, and they both turned and ran out the way they had come.

What the weyrling had done was noted, but they knew what their next actions had to be.

[Shoki]

Doramath had been sleeping. Other dragons woke him, and he listened respectfully before deciding if he should be angry at this. His eyes whirled quickly when he processed the news. Intruders? This would not stand. He knew not their aim, but he would have to rouse V’lan.

V’lan, rise, your Weyr needs you. The Bronze commanded, trying to pierce through sleep with his words. His rider was groggy, not awake and remained in his bed. But his mind reached out.

What is it?

Intruders have killed a guard, we know not their aims. The Bronze’s words left little room for doubt, so V’lan was forced to open his eyes.

He almost a heart attack.

In the night he could see the figure above him, rage in her eyes. Time seemed to slow as he recognized Anaela, Senior Weyrwoman of Telgar, knife poised. His mind worked quickly as he realized what was going on. He knew the following. One, Anaela had somehow decided that he must die, and very likely it was for her brother’s sake. Two, that if she was here, he would never be able to reason with her. When she moved, she would not accept calming words or reason. She had decided he was going to die so the only way to stop her was force.

Force he didn’t have time to employ.

He moved, as much as he could, which was enough to not get stabbed in the heart. But the knife went deep and he gasped, feeling fluid leak. His breath was catching in a way it shouldn’t but he made no attempt to speak to her. Doing so would only anger her more and cause his swift death. His swiftly approaching death was hard to bear, but he was trying to think of anything he could do to make it worth it, to change something for the better before he left it.

He wished he had more time to help Rilora. She would just have to arrange peace without him.

MINE!

Can you tell Archith it was Anaela? V’lan could dimly feel the rumbled of a very angry Bronze dragon attempting to destroy the weyr to gain entrance to the human portion. Dormath’s claws were trying to gain purchase but at the same time, he knew the lay of the land. So his mine reached out.

My Queen. Anaela is here. V’lan… I’m sorry I will not be able to remain.

[Kaya]

Hrith alerted to the pain, scrambling up, eyes spinning rapidly with color. She felt Lithena’s fear next, the ache in her feet pounding the stone floor. She roared out at the burst of agony that spiked through their shared consciousness.

[smear:#151814]Lithena![/smear:#233f1e:0] Hrith screamed into any mind that was close enough to listen. She clawed at the little tunnel that lead deeper into their weyr. The stone was hard and cold, like the world.

Lithena staggered forward, deep and shallow arrows clinging to her back. Brilliant red ruined the thin shirt that covered her. She could see the way to Hrith, she could see her, she sprinted. Would it be enough? It had to be enough.

Hrith!

[Kaya]

Archith stirred to alarm and worry, floating up into turbulent consciousness. She thought first of Rilora, and then her hatchlings. She was moving to the great ledge over the Bowl, nudging her Rider awake, when she heard Doramath. The rain speckled her hide as she stared out over the dark Weyr, her Bronze's distressed message punctuated by the pattering on the smooth stone.

Anaela. V'lan. remain. She felt the cold dread slip into her veins as an insidious poison. I am sorry too.

Doramath was alarmed, the Weyr was filled with cries and roars. The great Gold lifted into the dark skies, searching for them, claws ready.

---

Rilora rubbed at her eyes. She scanned her room at Archith's urging, seeing Bel retreat under her desk as a silver blur. Her Gold's fear hit her mind hard. It wasn't like Archith at all. She tried to roll out of bed with the swiftness the Gold had urged but found her legs unwilling to wake faster.

[PhoenyxStar]

Phoenyx ran as hard as her legs could carry her back to the kitchens in hopes to find a knife. She scrambled to find one that would be light enough but long enough to give her enough of a reaction time. The only time she ever needed a knife was for food she never thought she would have to hurt someone. She ran towards the exit after putting the knife into her belt. Thank the shells that she was wearing dark blue tonight not that it would hide her much. She cursed as she hit the edge of the door to the weyr bowl wincing in pain she tried to calm her dragon "It's okay.. Toriath head to the bowl and tell me if you feel anyone if you do alert them I need help" She sighed not knowing if anyone could truly help with this attack and the way it was planned. Her feet turned to glance across the bowl only to look back at the barracks unsure who to go to first.


"Mine.. There is some.." The grey screeched as she felt the scream overtake her mind causing her eyes to be a red to yellow mix in pain and fear. "Make it STOP!!!" The young grey screamed as she knelt on the ground with her wings flared in pain.



Nyx ran to the voice in a panic throwing her arms around her dragon trying to support her dragon while baring the pain that was being shared between there link not caring about the rain that poured over them.. She got the strength to move them both under the trees to be out of view and the rain as she ran her trembling fingers over the hide of her beloved grey as they were forced to feel something so horrid. Nyx tried hard to be the rock for her dragon as she tried to think of her next move.

[Kaya]

Anaela stared at her work. Her accomplice behind her watching the door. She gripped the handle tighter, as if doing so would make the moment solid. He looked into her eyes and was still, no resistance. How? The force of such a strike... "B'telli," she whispered, grasping for purchase on some thought. Speaking his name seemed unnatural, as if to dredge it up here dirtied it somehow. Yet she was doing this for him! Killed and cast aside, her brother, he deserved this blow of justice.

And still she stared. It had been but a flash of satisfaction, now pulling away from her as a terrible tide racing back to the ocean's depths. Her mind reached out for Hasepsath, but even in her bond the connection felt unstable. Her hands tired of the tense grip, she stepped back, only to feel a steadying hand take her arm.

"Anaela," the voice rang hollow in her ears. "We must go now," and he started to lead her away.