The Fight for Salvus

Though Syntyche dwelled away from the action, content to live a more quiet life on Tsotska De-la-mer, she still knew what went on in Salvus. Teeba, though quite busy, often sent her little mental updates as to the recent events. Even more recently, he had come by to visit the island itself, to ask for help from Syntyche and Ashgar if trouble arrived. And with the worry she saw pooling in his mind, she was sure it would be soon.

So when Teeba reached out to her in a request to help Fox evacuate some of the more vulnerable citizens of his little town, she agreed to help right away. With Archie and Leif at her side, she grabbed her bow and her arrows, and made for the nearest portal. It was two hops, to Salvus - one that led to the Bestia isles in general, and a second to reach the forest outside town. She rode on Archie's back, clutching Leif protectively to her chest, and together the trio hurried towards the conflict awaiting them.

Syntyche had been hoping that their arrival wouldn't be quite so... violent, but Fox's dragons swooped in to help, and Ty fought as efficiently and as bravely as she could. When the Militia around the portal was defeated, and Fox confirmed that everyone that was leaving was with him, she turned, to enter the portal again.

"There's two hops through the chronoscape. A bit confusing, but since we're all together it should be alright," she said, to reassure herself as much as those she was now leading. She was not a very confident person, not inclined to be a leader like this, but she could tell that Fox was ready to take a step back. For still technically being just a kid, he had done incredibly well.

Leif stayed behind to make sure everyone else got through the portal. Dragons, riders, and others alike hurried inside, each one breathing a sigh of relief as they made it in. But Leif knew better. She could hear something in the forests around them. They were being followed.

But whomever was tracking them, they weren't attacking here and now. The bush dragon thought they'd follow through the portal and attack wherever they came out of. Instead of saying anything out loud, she followed the group into the chronoscape and sent a mental note to her rider. 'We've got company. They're trailing us.'

Leif kept a solid gaze behind her, but she couldn't see anyone, or anything. Still, she was getting the feeling that she was being watched - that a shadow, unseen, was creeping alongside her.

Ty was concerned, up at the front of the group, but she didn't show it. She and Archie kept everyone walking quickly and calling encouraging things, about how they were almost there and that Ty had a warm fire and hot chocolate for everyone once they arrived.

At last, after what felt like hours but was surely only minutes, the group emerged on the other side of the second portal, the cold mountains of the Tsotska isle in front of them. Leif ushered everyone out, and as they stood in the freezing air, some breathing out cries of relief at being safe and somewhere else at last, the bush dragon knew this wasn't the end.

The feeling of being watched grew worse. Leif found her eyes drawn to the shade of a tree. The shadow underneath it started moving, and shifting... and then, a humanoid dragon emerged from the darkness. He grinned, and in a dark voice said, "So this is where he's sent all of you..."