Neira gestured with her sword, “Form up!”

With that the conversation was done, and Neira came in on one side, opposite Finic, Terry in the middle.

Leon cupped one of the three gemstones in his bracer with his shade, ready to pull free the contained aura when needed. He gave the other three plenty of room, but kept himself behind them. His plan was that he wouldn’t be directly visible to the creature as it emerged from the tree line. Given the option, it might see him and leap past the rest.

The beast in question took it's time emerging from the trees. And Leon realized at once that it was larger than he had expected. It might have been slouching in the trees as it was stalking them, for now it was nearly twelve feet tall, and looming, a long tail thrashing behind it. It stood atop four appendages, though the front and rear sets angled differently making it's gate more of a lumber.

The beast sniffed at the air in front of it, it didn’t seem to look directly at any of them, which Leon considered a bad sign. It was relying on smell and likely the aura as it's more keen sense. It's fur was a smattering of browns and greys, black lines cut across in various directions.

The other three’s lyzards all seemed to realize the potential danger it posed, all raising their heads and tensing, teeth exposed as they all released a rapid ticking hiss.

Terry waited no time in beginning their plan. He beat his sword against the side of his shield trying to draw in the creature’s attention.

The creature clearly heard it, it shifted its head around, angling it so that it's two ears were centered on the source of the commotion. It's new orientation made it clear that the creature lacked any eyes at all. It's mouth opened, and revealed within it's maw were rows and rows of teeth, sharp and pointed.

Neria shouted to the rest of them, “Careful! Keep your distance and don’t risk yourselves.”

The mounted three continued to circled around, flanking on either side, while Terry continued his efforts in the front.

The creature seemed to be inspecting the group around it, perhaps Leon was included within that scrutiny, though it was difficult to say. For the moment Leon was observing, his shade ready to deploy a gemstone of aura in offense if the moment of opportunity presented itself.

The moment lingered, the tension drew tight in the air, then motion. The creature leapt over Terry, and went straight for Leon. It came crashing down on a fast course to bite down on Leon mid stride.

Leon’s shade acted quickly pushing out, then solidifying the air in front of him creating an impromptu shield. The creature rammed into it. The beast, and shield, rammed into Leon, who leaned into it to keep his balance rather than be trampled.

He slid across the ground drawing paths in the dirt as his boots turned up soil. Then Finic struck from behind, his long spear point lancing towards the beast from behind.

The creature deftly dodged to the side, which put him closer to Neria, who slashed out with her blade. She was close enough that the lyzard felt obliged to bite at their foe as well.

The creature took the slash, but it's tail whipped around in the next moment, tossing the lyzard and it's rider to the side.

The plan had crumbled instantly, and now Neira was pinned under a lyzard that was panicking, and Leon and Finic were the only ones close enough to do anything about it.

Leon however wasn’t at a good angle, he wasn’t ready to put all his cards on the table, but the situation was looking bad, he grit his teeth as he debated with himself.

The creature wasted no movement to check it's surroundings, it's tail lashing out towards Leon in the next moment. Leon deflected it's motion with more air while trying to move to the side to line up his shot.

That was when Terry arrived slamming his shield into the creature's tail as it tried to rebuff the charge.

Terry was thrown clear of his mount, leather straps snapping. However his shield had done bloody work on the tail, which was now oozing red blood from several gashes. The lyzard now relieved of it's rider lashed out in the same motion, clamping it's jaws onto the creature's bloodied tail. The creature howled in pain, and tried to shake the lyzard from its tail.

Finic struck from his side, and the battle seemed like it was nearly over. Then it's front claws came up, swiping the spear and throwing to the side. In a follow up motion it lashed out at Finic, his lyzard scrambling backwards at the assault. The lyzard’s panicked backpedaling saved both of them as the creature swiped, and bit at the air where Finic had been moments before.

Wounded the creature was, but it wasn’t slowing, which meant one thing, the wounds were too small, even if they were deep.

It was time to act, Terry might be on the other side, but Leon was close, and he could hit it on the underside, aiming skyward. He committed himself to it, pulling the aura from the gem in a smooth motion he gestured with his hand to emphasize the direction, and focused. His shade like his muscles knew the motion well. His shade created a lens, the aura from the gemstone broke out of the gem in an instant, the gem cracking as such a large amount of aura burst from it in an instant.

The air blossomed with luminance, a tiny sun forming above Leon’s arm. It drifted forward in the space between moments, moving before Leon's hand. It reached his finger tips, the leaking rays of light shimmered as it closed with the lens. Then he released one side, and like forcing water through a tiny whole, the light burst forth all at once. In a sharp eye blinding streak that lanced between them, and upwards into the side of the beast.

Leon had to close his eyes and rely on his aura sight for what came next.

The beast released a great howl, and tried to get out of the path in one go, however the attack wasn’t something you could dodge once released and so it struck the creatures side. The smell of burning flesh and fur filled the air around them. The creature dropped low after an instant limping at the wound, even as it howled it's pain in an ear shattering wail.

Leon considered using a second gem, but the beast had dropped, and was now low, which meant Terry was directly opposite him. The worst situation if he needed to hit it with a follow up.

Finic pulled a second spear from the side of his mount, and urged it forward to make the killing blow.

Leon took a moment to study the situation. Neira and her lyzard had recovered, though shaken she was back in the fight. Terry looked to have broken something, and was down still, his lyzard however had taken to guard him and was hissing towards the beast.

Finic stabbed towards the creature, but even wounded as it was it possessed incredible agility. It's maw snapped closed on the spear shaft and without delay pulled it free even as it swiped a claw towards his mount.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The lyzard cried out in pain as the long claws took it across the neck.

The wooden spear shaft shattered between rows of teeth. The monstrosity reached its neck out, aiming to finish Finic or his lyzard. Snapping its jaws it lunged low. But the lyzard put space between them just in time.

Neria approached, but this put herself in range of the massive claws which came snapping around with terrifying speed. Claw met steel as she pulled back and using her buckler to guard, getting closer was a fool's errand.

That was the limit, if Leon delayed further Neira or Finic might die, the creature's tail, and claws would make certain of that. Even if Neira managed to wound it, this creature wasn’t properly deterred by pain. The sizzling burn that ran the length of its side was proof. Meanwhile Finic had been disarmed, leaving few options.

Leon discarded any notion of hiding who he was after this. He breathed in, his arms coming up in a familiar martial pose. His shade spread out along the ground at the same time. His mind knew how to do this, so very familiar, even if it had been years it wasn’t something he would ever forget. Through training and action, it had been forged into him, body and shade.

The creature shifted its weight, it's tail flaring out in the opposite direction to keep balance, it's powerful back legs propelling it forward. It's claws weren't good enough for what was next, it was going to strike with it's maw.

Leon rotated his shoulders, and threw a hook, his shade mirrored his body’s motion. But down, in the ground. Rock and stone snapped free. Stone, dirt and grass shot from the ground and angled in as a single hook thrown from the ground, like a massive fist from the side, it cracked into the maw of the creature even as it tried to close it's jaws around Neira’s head. Flowing rock and stone met flesh and the weight of both colliding forces met in the middle. No amount of beast however could match the density of stone. And the beast reeled backwards from the force.

Thankfully for all of them Neira had pulled back, ready to at least get one last stab in. But then the mass of stone had come in at an angle, cutting off that possibility entirely.

The creature struck ground with a thump, and rolled. But it wasn’t done, it pushed itself up to its full height a moment later. Cracked teeth and jaw and blood leaked from it's maw as it let loose a howl of agony and rage. It's stance wavered however.

Leon had already shifted his weight, and with it his shade was ready. This time his fist flew straight, and stone and dirt lanced upwards curving in towards the head, the creature was clearly panicked, and without a doubt dizzy, it couldn’t fathom the first, or the second strike that came a moment later. The ground struck it's jaw, and the creature’s entire frame went backwards. Then almost immediately after, an uppercut from right next to the beast's body impacted his head and sent it’s maw skyward.

Leon closed the distance with a sprint, and arrived just as the creature crashed to it's back, still on the ground. His shade came up around the creature, like rising swamp water from the ground. His shade permeated the aura around the beast, then without pausing he lengthened the aura, causing the heat in the air to crackle into spark. He didn’t even try to move it, rather he simply released it. As all spark does, it snapped back into heat in a dazzling display as soon as it was released. The air crackled and the spark lanced across the body of the creature in a dance of motion and light, it zipped across the creature's body in lines, dipping in and around its body as it went, then no sooner had it started, then it finished.

The Creatures entire body shivered at the influence, and it let out a wheezing gasp. It's muscles flexing and shivering involuntarily.

Leon raised a hand skyward, his shade unfurling out above him into a sphere, it moved violently fast, carving through the air greedily. The edges converged high above him, and the sphere slammed down on itself, compressing with increasing force.

The creature below him tried to turn its head, it attempted to move its tail, even a leg, but it's body wouldn’t listen, it's muscles were unnaturally tense.

Even as Leon brought the collapsing sphere down in front of him he lengthened, then twisted the aura, moving the aura from one form to the next with practiced ease. The aura shifted, sizzled into spark, before collapsing and snapping into light and becoming visible for one glorious instant as a shrinking orb before it was lensed into action. Violent light burst forth and this time his aim struck true. The beam struck the head, and while it wasn’t as bright, or as powerful as his earlier beam. This time he had perfect aim and close range. His hand was steady and his aim was true. It didn’t stand a chance.

The beast lay still, it's skull bored through as smoke poured from the wound. Only when Leon could see the shimmer of it's shade in the aura fade did Leon allow himself to relax, and allow his shade to fold back into himself.

Faint sparkling ice crystals drifted lazily through the air around Leon and the beast, the air having dropped in temperature as a new balance of warmth was achieved.

Leon breathed out and rolled his shoulders, glad that it was over. Adjusting himself, he turned his eyes towards the others. Finic stood behind his lyzard, Neira holding a sword in hand, Terry was still down. They were all quiet. Leon naturally evaluated them all, Terry was the only one still down, so he spoke breaking the tension in the air. “Terry probably broke a rib.” He offered in an attempt to open dialog with the stunned guards.

“Who are you?” asked Neria.

“Like I’ve said, I’m Leon.” he answered back nonchalantly, though he knew where this was going, he dreaded it.

“Your distinction?” Neria demanded, her voice rising, anger already present.

Leon sighed, “De’Heron.” He reluctantly let his shade expandly slightly, as he rolled his shoulders, half expecting a second fight so soon.

“I should have known you were the traitor after you claimed that unul brat was yours.” Neria spat.

Leon narrowed his eyes at her, “I never betrayed anyone.”

“You betrayed all of Vonin!” She snapped back.

“No.” Leon said simply trying to explain, “I was forced into retirement.” his eyes flicking towards Finic who held up his hands and shook his head. Clearly Neria was the only one who wanted any part in this argument. Some small grace that was however.

“You expect me, the daughter of a legionnaire to believe that the legion just released their strongest war magus in the middle of the war?” She said with increasing hostility.

“It's complicated.” Leon replied, keeping his tone calmer, even if his volume raised. It was hard to not yell back.

“Traitor.” She condemned her voice like venom.

Leon took a breath and decided he was done with this. There was no point. “I’m clearly not going to change your mind, so I suppose I’ll just go my own way.” and he turned, striding towards the wagons, with his mind decided.

Behind him she yelled out again, “You’re a dirty rotten traitor!” One small favor however was that her assault remained verbal.

The rest of the caravan had slowed, and eventually stopped. Most of them had started watching once they had given the fighters space. Though most of them were now staring at Leon.

Leon ignored them all and went to Amanda, “We’ll walk the rest of the way.” He explained, leveling his tone and trying to control the complex of knots in his chest.

Even Amanda seemed to have a strange air around her. Which made Leon’s heart clench when she opened her mouth and spoke. “Was that you?” she asked in awe. Leon immediately relaxed. Before snatching her up, and slung his bag on his other shoulder as he started walking.

“It was indeed.” He said, strangely having a new found grin on his face. No doubt she had felt the shifts and the aura even from that distance. Probably the first time she had witnessed his real skill as a magus, directly or indirectly. Strangely the fact that she couldn’t help but look impressed, maybe even proud helped Leon put the previous conversation behind him.

He didn’t stop watching Neria until he could no longer keep a metaphorical eye on her.

After they had put some space between them and the caravan Leon let Amanda down and she asked, “How come we are leaving? Is it cause she kept calling you names?”

“Something like that.” Leon admitted, “Sometimes it's easier to leave then to deal with other people who don’t want to listen to reason.” He explained, though the pain in his tone was clear.

Amanda ran towards him and hugged his leg. “It's alright!”

Leon patted her head, “Thanks.”

Amanda didn’t complain once as they walked. Either because her legs had recovered, or because he didn’t want to cause trouble. She didn’t even notice that they kept going after the sunset, or hours after that.

Which was how Leon found himself approaching the walls of Synovo in the early dawn light. Amanda snoring softly in his arms.