Chapter 61
Chapter 133
Overview
Rhiannon commands the defense of Medaro Pass as seventeen wyvern attack during an infernal windstorm. With Quinn, Violet, and Mogen absent, she must lead a depleted force of dragons and gryphons to protect evacuating civilians while keeping the enemy engaged away from the cliff face.
Summary
Rhiannon oversees the evacuation at Medaro Pass when a devastating windstorm forces all airborne creatures to land. Once the wind clears, she spots a horde of gray wyvern emerging from the valley. She coordinates her limited forces—three dragons (Feirge, Aotrom, Sliseag) and four gryphons (under Kiralair, Sawyer, Bragen, and Maren)—to intercept the enemy far from the cliff to prevent civilian casualties. Feirge launches first in thorn formation, then Rhiannon orders a switch to vertical formation for maximum effectiveness. During the engagement, Feirge and Rhiannon take down multiple wyvern through aerial combat, with Feirge using her agility and strength to snap necks and shred wings. Ridoc demonstrates an unexpected ability to freeze a wyvern's scales using his hand, causing it to lose flight and crash. However, seven wyvern breach the defensive line and reach the cliff, threatening the evacuees. Rhiannon orders a shield formation regrouping to maximize their collective strength and save as many civilians as possible. Throughout, Rhiannon struggles with her worry for Violet, who is alone somewhere in the storm with Tairn, but forces herself to focus on the immediate crisis at hand.
Characters
- RhiannonDragon rider and squad leader defending Medaro Pass; directs tactical formations and coordinates her forces against the wyvern attack
- FeirgeRhiannon's dragon; engages in aerial combat, kills multiple wyvern, and provides tactical advice and warnings to her rider
- RidocDragon rider on Aotrom; demonstrates an ability to freeze wyvern scales with his hand, causing one creature to fall
- AotromRidoc's dragon; participates in vertical formation flying and aerial combat against wyvern
- SawyerGryphon rider; participates in the aerial defense and finishes a kill hundreds of feet below the main engagement
- SliseagGryphon who forms the third point of the triangle formation during initial engagement
- CatGryphon rider; engages wyvern at the cliff and holds one by the throat during the breach
- KiralairGryphon stationed at the cliff to protect evacuees with rune arsenal; tears into an immobilized wyvern with talons
- MarenGryphon rider; uses a fire rune on her crossbow to set a wyvern's wing ablaze
- BragenCommands gryphon forces defending evacuees at the cliff; chases wyvern up the cliffside
- NeveParticipates in defense at the cliff; chases wyvern up the cliffside
- CathProvides status reports on dragon positions in Draithus and wyvern sightings
- VeirtRelays visual information about wyvern count from Baylor
- BaylorSpots and counts seventeen wyvern approaching the pass
- GraycastleFirst-year at the pass; Rhiannon notes them as undisciplined
- MairiFirst-year at the pass; Rhiannon notes them as undisciplined
- VioletAbsent squad member; last seen heading into cloud cover with Tairn; source of Rhiannon's concern
- TairnViolet's dragon; flew into cloud cover carrying Teine in chains before the windstorm hit
- QuinnAbsent squad member defending elsewhere
- MogenAbsent squad member defending elsewhere
- RaeganRhiannon's twin sister; referenced for her graceful acceptance of Zihnal's will
- TaraReferenced as someone who makes her own luck
- TeineMentioned as being carried by Tairn in chains
- MarbhEscorting dragon accompanying Tairn
- RiorsonLast spotted near the city walls
- DurranLast spotted near the city walls