Lasair's morning had been going great! She had gotten a new [LIEUTENANT], said bird was rather interesting, and she had even found another use for [ASSIGN]! The link provided by the [SCOUT] title was useful, but weaker than her and Apollo's [SOUL BOND]. While the bond with the wisp was full of emotion, sensations, and flashes of each other's view, the bond with Mirage was rather bland. Just conversation and a singular image every minute or so. More like a report than a means of communication really. But then, said view had shown a group of eight elves marching towards her cave. Was made her sure of their destination, was that one of those eight was elf boy. The one who took her wand. Six of the others seemed to be simple soldiers, wearing armor and carrying swords. But the one who stood next to elf boy was dressed in an extravagant robe, holding an elaborate staff, and exuding an air of arrogance. Gave off the same feeling as a used car salesman. And this motley group was marching towards the mountain that Lasair was situated in. Based on the amount of weapons they had, and what elf boy had done last time he was within her cave, she had no doubts that they were on the way with violence in mind. Based on the distance to the mountain for anyone who wasn't a magic bird, and the fact that they probably wouldn't want to attack at night, she assumed she had about a day to prepare. That was about four charges of energy, and she would have to spend them wisely. Lasair pulled up the status of herself, Apollo, and Mirage. She needed a full rundown on their capabilities.

[STATUS LOADING...]

[STATUS]: LASAIR

[CLASS]: {SOUL BOUND} DUNGEON CORE

[ROOMS]: 2

[AFFINITY(S]): FIRE, MANA

[LIEUTENANTS]: {SOUL BOUND} [WILL-O-WISP]{APOLLO}, [FIRE-BIRD]{MIRAGE}

[ABILITIES]: SHAPE SELF, EXPAND, INSPECT, SPAWN, LESSER MANA CONTROL, MINOR PYROMANCY, ALERT, A DUNGEON'S PURPOSE

[STATUS LOADING...]

[STATUS]: APOLLO

[CLASS]: [WILL-O-WISP], [LIEUTENANT], [ALLURING SONG]

[LEVEL]: 8

[AFFINITY(S]): FIRE, LIGHT, SONIC

[BONDED]: [DUNGEON CORE]{LASAIR}

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[ABILITIES]: FLIGHT, MINOR PYROMANCY, BEACON OF LIGHT, ADVANCED SENTIENCE, MANA-DRIVEN SONG, LESSER LUMENMANCY

[STATUS LOADING...]

[STATUS]: MIRAGE

[CLASS]: [FIRE-BIRD], [LIEUTENANT], [THERMAL ACCELERATION]

[LEVEL]: 5

[AFFINITY(S]): FIRE, WIND

[BONDED]: [DUNGEON CORE]{LASAIR}

[ABILITIES]: LESSER PYROMANCY, LESSER AREOMANCY, ADVANCED SENTIENCE

Not bad overall. Her control of mana and fire was useful, but Lasair would likely want to use her energy for more [CREATURES] and a few [TRAPS]. Apollo's control of [LESSER LUMENMANCY] and [MANA-DRIVEN SONG] would be useful as distractions. He was still limited to controlling his own light, but he could shift it very fast and with a large range of brightness. He still lacked the skill to make specific sounds like speaking, but the range of sound he produced went well into high pitched. Combine sudden incredibly bright light with a sound loud and screechy enough to ring for hours and what do you get? Flashbang. Mirage was definitely more combat-oriented. Her haze blades seemed to be quite strong even at level one, so at level five? Those, along with her heightened maneuverability from her hummingbird-like fore, would make her a force to be reckoned with in the tunnels. These two, along with her fifteen wisps and whatever else Lasair summoned before the elves got here would have to do. She had four charges of energy. It was time to make them count.

The first went to more [FIRE-BIRDS]. She could get six at full capacity, and she did. The little terrors settled in the cracks of her second room. She decided to call it the Aviary from now on. Though the birds were all level one, hopefully their numbers and innate power made up for it. She made them into a [HORDE], and directed them to obey Mirage. The bird was already running through different plans and tactics, paranoia paying off in a situation where it was actually warranted.

The second went to [TRAPS]. She outfitted the corridor to her core room with a set of hidden [SMALL FLAMETHROWERS]. They only sprayed about a foot of flame in a cone, but hopefully the shear number that she placed would be enough. When they all activated, the corridor became a solid tunnel of flame, not a single crack or crevice spared. It would hopefully act as a trump card, to be used if all else failed.

The third went to [SHAPE SELF]. She could not drastically alter the shape of her rooms, but Lasair could still make a difference. The floor of the aviary and the small section of tunnel leading into it were soon a mess of uneven ground and small spikes, all of her [CREATURES] flying above it as if nothing had changed at all. But for someone who had those pesky little things called legs? This would be a shit show.

The fourth, she decided to save. Her control of mana could be useful if she could disrupt the magic of others, and she could send it through the [SOUL BOND] to Apollo, who had a much lower capacity. Hopefully he and Mirage could handle themselves in a fight, but she felt safer knowing she could help at least one of them directly.

With all these preparations in place, Lasair sent out Mirage once more. It was once again sunrise, but this time she drew no comfort from the sight. It just meant her time was up. Mirage found the elves in front of a cave entrance a little ways away from the Aviary's exit. Likely the entrance elf boy had used. One by one they filled in, ready to invade her home. Calling Mirage back, Lasair steeled herself. It was time to show them why you don't play with fire.