Flames left the armor glowing red, burning her skin through the padded cloth that acted as a buffer against just such an occurrence. Ignoring the pain she put her weight behind the next blow and cut the jet of fire off at the source, driving the smile of her axe up into the wyrms jaw.
Scale split and bone shattered as the dragons head lifted, and Aurina pressed the attack with a vicious war cry echoing from her lips. Metal clad fingers took the beast by the horn and pulled it down onto the lancing tip of her weapon, driving it deep until it was buried in the creatures brain.
A roar of defiance was lost to the sudden embrace of death, and it nearly tore her weapon from her grasp as it died. The counterweight on the pommel lead her blow into the next of the dragons and drove it back, giving her time to stumble further away.
Her back met another and metal scraped against metal, the taller figure - they should have been nearly the same height - looking over his shoulder.
“First blood to you Hayle,” he grunted from beneath a crested helm, and then hurled himself back into the fray. Another of the dragons lunged at him, but its jaws snapped shut on nothingness- a moment later he descended from above like a bolt of levin, lancing the creatures heart betwixt its wings.
“Second to you Gaileneaux!” Aurina roared back, before having to throw herself behind the slain one to avoid its kins vengeful flames. Blood oozed from the scores of wounds it had taken to bring the beast down, and her twisted reflection - not hers, no, the REAL ones reflection - looked out of place staring back at her. Where such indecision might have cost her - would have cost her, oh certainly had this not been a - her life, she pushed past it and vaulted the dragons next, axe raised high and a war cry on her lips.
* * *
The woman whom lay claim to the name Hayle sat in her room alone, cross legged upon the bed. Years past was the battle, not even waged by this figure or this form. Yet her muscles twitched and tensed instinctively as every detail was recalled and played out across five years distance.
Clasped in her hands, the soul crystal fluttered and sparkled with an inner light. It sought no approval, offered no comfort.
All it desired was to make its chosen bearer complete, even if Aurina still struggled to know what that meant.
* * *
Her breastplate cracked but remained together even as the wind left her lips. She struck the ground and rolled, and only instinct saved her; she swung her axe down as she bounced and caught a crack in the masonry with the beard, arresting her movement ilms from the edge of the platform.
The dragon gave her no thought, the errant swipe of its tail like an auroch disturbing a pest upon its flank. It’s true prize was before it, Gaileneaux’s lance slick with his own blood and that of the creatures kin. He held it in one hand, the other hanging limp at his side as he backed away with a snarl on his lips.
Aurina lifted her gaze to see the man in peril - no peril, we know he yet lives - and felt anger suffuse her. Gailneaux saw what she was doing and tried to ward her off, but his shout was unheard as it landed in his ears.
The dragon turned in time to catch the axe in the cheek, its serpentine neck whipping about as it was rocked by the blow. Aurina let the momentum carry her blade up before bringing it down onto the beasts shoulder, blood pounding in the back of her head as she gave in to fury. Images flashed across her vision - visions within dreams within visions - a moon descending over a battlefield - the destruction is even further past - the birth of a draconic god - embrace this anger and you’ll only hurt yourself - Jaques outlined before her, aether crackling as he held back what he could of the fury - he’s long dead don’t surrender to thi - his body still, a pink crystal dropped from trembling fingers, his last words choked with his own blood-
The flurry of blows that rained down with each vision were unterrupted as the dragons wings beat, knocking her off balance and leaving her open. The fanged maw opened wide, and through a splintered helm she saw the molten fury burning in the creatures throat, ready to incinerate her. Then there, just as Jaques had been - too often does this repeat itself in these visions - stood Gaileneaux.
With but one good arm he thrust his lance forwards, burying it down the dragons gullet and piercing the back of its head. Then it collapsed atop him as flame and snow mingled, obscuring both
* * *
Mismatched eyes opened, and from the scarred one whose brilliance matched the crystal a tear fell. Aurina felt her heart pounding in her chest and struggled to stay upright through it all. Her fingers were clenched around the stone so tightly that it hurt to relax them, but as they did a thought came to her.
Sometimes, winning means you have to give up part of yourself.
Despite the sorrow the thought filled her with Aurina managed a weak smile at last, the emotion coming to her in solitude for what felt like the first time in ages.
An idea had come to her at last.
