Dispatch โ part 1. next.
The mission was a success. The dragon was dead and its head on a pike to be brought to Cade for whatever reason the strange aura demands it for. Dhuuls unconscious body was handed off from Raks to one of the Qestirs as they made the other operatives move to leave. Short goodbyes were said between Samiโa and the trio before they left, Ruby and Raks to Reunion while the strager left upon the Silverwings ship. Leaving Samiโa still standing near the body of the young, dead drake alone. His eyes watched the people Dhuul had brought to help, other Qestirs, ones he did not know and did not yet make a move to meet. Their hands moving quickly, a buzz of excitement despite the silence about them. A couple seem keen to take Dhuul back to Reunion and with some quick words he watches as they move with him down the hillside. His hands flex slightly, his thoughts moving to annoyance at the fact he could not help, far too weak to likely even drag the man more than a few fulms, much less carry him so far.
He clicks his tongue, accepting the fact he will have to meet back up with the aura later. His gaze turns to those left, watching their hands as they discuss how they will cut up and move the larger dragon. Seeing they seem to be making no move for the smaller he turns his attention back to it, prying his mask and storing it on his hip.
He lets out a deep sigh, having a moment to himself for the first time in the day. His face falls to a flat neutral as he eyes over the creature. He moves his hand to his back, pulling the athame from its casing. He kneels down near the dragons front talons, picking it up as his eyes scan for the bloodied one. He begins to softly murmur, as if trying to comfort the creature as he starts to wedge the dagger into skin around the claw, โSometimes, a creatures usefulness comes with its death.. This is not normally a fault of its own. It simply is the way things are.โ He pauses, focusing for a moment to get through a tough bit of hide, โI have met more than a fair share of people who will not be useful until theyโre dead.. Yet they live on. At least your purpose is served.โ He gets it loose enough to tug it away from the bone, holding it in his hands. โYou will not even rot, every bit will be of use.โ He says, moving his cape from his side he holds the talon up, matching it in size to the gash at his side before humming. Samiโa drops the talon into his bag, fishing around inside and pulling two jars before moving up to the dragons head. He kneels again, prying the dragons mouth open and starting to wedge in the dagger around its fangs, plucking them from its mouth. โYou served in other ways too, ways you could not understand. Truly, this was all very successful, despite the likely scar.โ His voice drops to a lower mumble, speaking to himself, โI suppose we will match..โ For a while he is quiet, prying teeth and dropping them into his bag over and over.
He sits back as he finishes, still looking into the beast mouth. โI should have opened the book before I started.โ He hums softly, looking to his bloodied hands before gently shrugging. โHopefully I remember enough.โ He moves the dagger under the tongue and around the cheek pouches, taking three bits of flesh that he drops into the two jars. Sealing them, he places them within his bag before standing, looking over the corpse. His tail twitches, his mind lost in thought for a few moments before he sheaths the bloodied dagger.
Turning he takes a quick look to the working Qestirs before starting the walk back to Reunion on his own. Upon his arrival back to the settlement he does not enter, instead moving for the running stream, starting to wash the blood from his hands and arms. Once hes done he turns his attention to trying to clean up the wound on his side.
In the throes of battle Dhuulย โ someone normally calm, careful, preciseย โ had devolved, something snapping in the back of his mind as events unfolded. The sight of a young drake, but nonetheless formiddable, pouncing upon Sami'a was enough to make him see red. It wasn't every day that lives were put on the line like this, even in Dhuul's line of work - and so the thought of placing Sami'a in harms way riddled his body with a fire he didn't know he had buried deep within him.
Already worn from the efforts of taking the largest of the beasts down in tandem with everyone, he forced himself to push past his limits in order to take the young drake atop Sami'a down, and down it went. Gutteral frustration and exertion were the only sounds to leave his throat, almost like a wild animal, as he sank his blade deep within the hide of the beast several times over until it finally stopped moving. Ripping himself from its limp frame, he heaved out his exhaustion in heavy breaths, body slump forward still on edge, coated in the blood and viscera of his kill.ย
He afforded a glance toward Sami'a, and the moment he registers that he is very much alive, his frenzy is replaced with a look of reliefย โ Dhuul's body immediately going lax as the danger is over, promptly falling to the floor.
In the aftermath, anyone who hadn't already left the Steppe found themselves in Reunion licking their wounds, with the normal bustle of the market being replaced with locals ensuring the safe return of everyone involved. Dhuul was carried off to one of the nearby Qestiri tents with a handful of others as local healers were hurriedly organizing and tending to anyone who needed it, both inside and outside the tents.
No one was left by themselves for long without being checked up onย โ Sami'a included even though he hadn't entered Reunion proper, as a xaela woman dressed in the traditional Qestir garments approached him with a wave. She bore a staff in her other hand, a clear sign she was a healer, to which she would then gesture to, communicating she would provide aid if Sami'a needed it. Even though she wore a mask like any other Qestir, there was something familiar about her, as if he'd possibly seen or met her prior.
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