Myron kept his mouth shut. A roar fell down the crest of the hill and slammed into them. The trumpet call of an elephant’s trunk.

It came again, along with stomping, heavy and rapid. Lose pebbles started to fall down the hill, kicking up larger stones and dislodging heavier objects.

Myron stood as a boulder careened down the hill and into the rock he sat upon, smashing it to bits on it passage. “Watch out!” He shouted and the others dodged out of the way.

The campfire and empty pot where smashed to a pulp the next moment. The call came again and the waves of its sound traveled visibly through the air. The forest bellow in the valley swayed as if enamored by the sound.

Then over the hill with a guttural screech an Aimon, not unlike Netek, flew over. Smashing into the rocks near them. Its chest carved open, its legs broken.

A heavy thump smacked the earth and the ground rippled. Myron grabbed Hana as they fell down. He yelped as rocks dug into his back, thankfully softer than they would have been in any other place.

Hana rushed to stand and Rhamon flashed next to her. He helped her up and took her in a hug with one arm.

“What is going on!” Hana asked but no one knew the answer. The detailed answer. Myron retreated, motioning for Rhamon to follow. The incline of the hill grew less steep and the tumbling rocks less dangerous as they begun their retreat into the narrow valley below.

The jutting piece of hill and cliff to their left as the kept their eyes on the top of the mound of earth helped the noise from above echo down below. The groan of trees and the shaking of the earth filled with the burning rage and pride of Dragons.

“They’re hunting.” Kenrou said. “They’re hunting something big, something unfamiliar.” Netek added. She sniffed and Dakini followed, her face alone turning vulpine, her pink nose twitching faintly.

“It’s an Earth type, not from here.” The little dragon supplied, his face scrounged up in worry, causing the little scales on the side of his face and above his ears to prominently show. Worried looks where cast upon Kenrou though the warrior boy did not notice.

Dakini nodded with the assessment. “It smells like the one we saw earlier today. Another refugee from the East.”

“How do they get so far down? Aren’t we really south compared to that place?” Myron whined as he let Mery grab him and spin him out of the way of a particularly large chunk of earth that rolled down the hill with deadly intent.

“The Matriarch’s presence keeps them away. If they truly come from the Plateus to the east then they have to follow the river until they find a point to cross it. This one was just too strong to not be noticed by the Dragons higher up in the Nest. They sent some males after it.” Netek provided the answer.

[Crack!] Myron clutched his ears and Dakini groaned as blood leaked from her own.

The Hill split open the sky visible through the crack. The four legged mountain of an Aimon stomped a tantrum of hate upon the ground and tens of Draconda fell down screaming and shooting balls of dark blue energy up at the Aimon’s soft underbelly.

Holes opened up in its flesh and blood washed out of them. It slapped the ground with a heaviness not belonging to blood and the metallic life water fell down into the crack in the land.

One Netek nearly took flight, disappearing from one spot and appearing atop the prey’s face. Two massive sets of claw marks gouged out its eyes, and the eyeballs crashed into the ground where Myron and the rest couldn’t see.

The Earth begun to quake and half the hill rose up, the other dipped down. The gap was plugged once more as the two pieces of earth smashed into each other.

“What in all hells is going on! What Tier is that Aimon?”

“Yellow.” Rhamon provided and sent with a flick of his wrist; a spear of howling wind; smashing into a rolling stone.

“Since when can a Tier 3 Aimon do that?” Hana was the one to ask.

“Every Aimon is different. This one is an old beast. Born to shake the earth.” Syl answered with awe in her voice.

Another attack, another dead Draconda, right on the edge of the fresh cliff-face. It broke off.

Rabble cascaded down in a shower of dust and anger. The rocks and dirt breaking apart on contact with the hard packed earth below and covering the valley with a purple veil.

“Cover yourselves!” Myron turned his back on the incoming cloud and put his arms over his mouth; nose; and eyes. Wind screamed from Rhamon as he fought back, but the cloud was too dense and heavy. Myron held felt Dakini’s tail wrapping around him, and he grabbed onto Mery’s mane. Syl was nearby crouched down low, half transformed with her sharp mantis legs digging into the earth.

Kenrou and Netek where nowhere to be seen, even Rhamon and Hana had disappeared.

“Shit, this is bad.” Myron grunted dropped the arm covering his features. He couldn’t see more than a meter in front of him, the purple mist too thick to make out the tree he almost smacked in.

He walked around it - slowly going further away from the danger zone.

Around the bend of the tree, there was a belly. Myron looked up and two eyes peered down at him. Burning neon blue in the mist. A warm breath flowed out in a puff of blue smoke, and the heavy swish of a tail through the dust filled air tingled the ears.

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“Hello.” Myron meekly waved.

A gravely growl was the only response he got.

Mery stepped in between Myron and the Aimon which towered over her. Dakini transformed. Gaining weight and mass into the spitting image of the threat. The two butted heads.

Blue static seemed to spark around them. “Hey, stop it. No need to fight.” Myron pulled on Dakini’s tail, and Mery’s pig-tail too. With a beat of its feathered wings the coiling dragon cleared the area of dust.

The light of the sun fell upon them, and its scales shown with resplendent purple; red; and blue. It’s tail, past its tucked in legs, swished, while its torso bloated with air.

Wings circled out around it and curved upwards almost like a halo. Its head elongated with bony protrusions and sharp teeth. The Dragon took off in flight, and it didn’t take long for Syl’s heart rate to shoot through the roof, bloating their bond in the rush of emotions.

He felt her spend Aether as the trees moved and swayed. The Dragon roared and the world fell to silence. Even the battle at the top of the hill seemed to quite for a moment.

Then Rhamon was blasted back holding onto Hana. A set of sharp teeth - whole - stabbed into his back like dentures. A hound with drooping ears and a savage face rushed after him.

Mery moved. “[Aqua Bullet]” She and Myron called out together and the punch landed heavy on the pup. Its body broke and blood burst out. Only for it to freeze in the air and move into a form. A spinning drill launched at Mery and dug into her belly.

Her palms shredded as she clamped on it to stop it. Rhamon was atop the dog with four devilish tails hard as metal, sparks flew when his sword met with its tails. Another dog rushed in, but this time Dakini was ready to meet it head on.

She dove upon it and her eyes shone with an eerie light. [Induce] she giggled seductively and the Aimon faltered, and thus met wide jaws and sharp teeth. Dakini used [Crunch].

The crisp sound of bone shattering, resounded through the forest. With a whip of her head she threw the Aimon into the sky. It broke out of its paralyzed state from the pain and sent a deluge of blood spears down at her. Dakini dodged out of the way and the Aimon took the chance to roar.

Red waves spread about in the air, Aimon felt the copper tang of blood clog his mouth and throat. He gasped for air but couldn’t. His vision swam with black dots and he fell to his knees, nails digging into his flesh.

{ROAR} Sounded out the pair of Dragons as they clashed. Raging blue energy tore trees from the earth and blasted the veil of dust away.

More light fell down, even as the hill threatened to topple over form the fight that had picked up.

Myron recovered his breath when Mery appeared next to the roaring hound and snapped it’s snout down the middle with a [Karate-Chop].

Syl’s Shield suddenly fell. A massive burst of Aether overflowed form the battlefield a distance away.

“Dakini, take flight and help Syl! She’s in danger.” Myron called and took off running. Leaving Hana behind with Rhamon having killed the other hound.

“Watch out for the Hounguine. These Dogs are vicious Dark Types. They won’t hesitate to attack you.” Rhamon said as Myron passed by.

He sprinted into a newly formed clearing. Trees lay flat upon the earth, some whole and some torn to splinters. The massive dragon bled from a wound in its massive belly while globs of thick poison fell down upon her enemy. Kenrou commanded Netek to dodge while Dakini and Syl fought off against a group of armored men and ten of those Aimon, Hounguine.

“Commander, there’s of them.”

“Take them into custody! Branch out!” A man without a helmet and short cropped hair, as short as Myron’s current state called out. The two men’s eyes met through the chaos and Myron could see the steely glare of the soldier.

“What is going on here? We have done nothing illegal!” Myron shouted as Mery picked him up. He dodged out of the way of a spawning twister of Dragon Aether.

“Dakini, [Terrorizing How], Syl, [Shrieking Mandrake]” The horrifying sounds clashed together into a cacophony of paralyzing noise. The Dragons had to halt as well. ‘Calm now.’ Myron sent through their bond.

‘You’ve got time.’ He continued. “[Polished Sheen], [Alloy Body]. Set up first.’

Myron ducked down under a tree as the flying Dragon descended upon Myron for the transgression in her battle. It’s claws clashed with Mery’s [Hard Right]. The Pygmaleon stayed her ground long enough for the Dragon to disengage.

“Dakini, [Astonish]!” Myron kept up with the commands. The dark purple snap of the Dark Aether resounded through the battlefield, accompanied by the yelp of a pair of Hounguines. More dove upon her and one scored a bite on her legs.

Spikes grew from that leg that tore out of the hounds jaws causing it to push back in pain and sock. Blood fell from its open wounds and gathered into spinning scythes.

“Raise a platform!” Myron shouted as finally, he reached Syl and Dakini, Mery smacking another Hounguine away as the roots of trees, freshly dead, gathered and moled into one at a massive expense of Aether. Pushing them above the earth and away from the enemy.

“Netek! Show that girl who’s boss!” Kenrou called and the smaller dragon took to the skies. Her feet blasted purple gas from under the soles and she jumped up in quick succession.

He appeared before the face of the climbing serpent who had committed too much into attacking Myron. “RAGE!” Kenrou punched as a ball of blue and purple fire gathered in Netek’s mouth. She snapped her neck forward and sent said rage into his opponent’s face. The ensuing explosion sent Netek flying, the Draconda straight into the ground with a whimper and Kenrou to the ground.

Myron ducked down in the chaos, ignoring the clash behind him to dodge under a lunging Sanguine. Syl turned around and cut the thing in two. It flopped like a dead fish on the wood before sliding off, reforming thanks to the last of its shield and digging its claws back into the cube they stood upon to climb up.

“Why do battles always end up like this?” Myron whined.

Then he fed Syl more Aether. “Syl, make the forest move!” He called out.

“Mery, [Surge] make this place a waterfall.” He said and then put Dakini on guard as the forest literally came to life, a dozen trees snapped their branches and roots, smacking the soldiers into the ground, banging their helmets like morning bells.

The Hounguines howled and bit at the moving trees even as they were swallowed up by the water. Mery spent nearly all her remaining Aether as she sent one [Surge] after another down their little cube of a fort.

So much water was created and dumbed that Kenrou had to move away, taking his eyes off the fight for a moment, paying for it dearly with a poisoning claw carving through Netek and sending him rocketing into the dirt and wood.

The trumpet call sounded out once more and it stilled Myron. He turned to look at the crest of the hill, crowning it was the titanic body of moss and rocks. Green and dark gray, blood leaking from all over and seeping into the greenery growing along its legs.

Its neck was sliced open, blood doused the earth like rainfall. The sound of its trumpet petered out into a sorrowful note. Its big eyes stared into Myron’s soul as it swept its gaze over the land of trees and streams.

It snorted and stomped on the earth. Myron was sent up with a bump. He fell on his bum as another stomp sent him up into the earth. Dust rose from the rippling earth.

Then, the massive Aimon stared down at its attackers, those that ended its life and hunted it to completion. A near human emotion appeared on its face. It ducked and jumped. All thousands of tonnes of body weight took a short flight before it fell back down hard.

The booming sound of an explosion came with the shock-wave and Myron was blasted off the cube of coiled up trees. Syl jumped after him. Rocks shot up into the sky like a volcano erupted and a massive chunk of the cliff fell upon the winged Draconda. The beast roared as it fell to the earth, incapable of resisting the sheer weight of its burden.

The noise of the hill cracking once more was the last thing Myron heard before the sun disappeared for good.

Stone and dirt swallowed him and Syl whole in a massive landslide.