Above the Keep, Volume 21
This page contains the text of a book that can be found in game and is IC knowledge.
Above the Keep - By Lorelai Silvermoon Volume 21
The officer from M'Chek is once more seen in the presence of the small group of skirmisher dragon riders, their training continuing only after the funeral services for those comrades lost in the Southern Isles is completed. Thaylis is painfully aware their small group is smaller by one pair of riders, Orym and Emmerick having fallen in battle over the distant island to the south.
Thaylis' sharp eyes search the skies and locates other pairs practicing in various facets of flight and weapons training. His thoughts he keeps to himself, but he is concerned about their dwindling numbers and is troubled about the losing battle of attrition against Truth's numerically superior numbers of stone dragons she has at her disposal.
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, his focus snaps back to the training at hand when Skyla calls out to him as they start their next practice run...
With resumed training, further information is provided as has been acquired ...
The Champion relays the unfortunate matter of Kisshet and Laeroth, both still yet plagued with something the druids are calling 'wasteland madness' ... for the foreseeable future both shall be considered grounded as they continue to be treated, costing the air corps another pair of wings in the sky.
Rinedra is brought back into the fold atop the keep by Cole, though all notice a hard change in her demeanor ... a broiling hate and determination, with the loss of Atalaya, her desire for retribution. The decision is made to give her that opportunity, pairing her with Seraph in the skies from there on, believing they may temper well. The pair will fly with the skirmishers, filling the hole in formation left by Emmerik and Orym.
Flanking the Champion a few moments later are two men with pairs of shortswords in their belts and longbows looped over their shoulders. Introduced as officers Connor Black and Jack Thompson, each having momentarily traded in their special forces uniforms for black leathers.
Each is paired with a new dragon from Nor'seere ... Black to the copper, Ryriszu, and Thompson to the bronze, Maroven. Both will be following Thaylis' path of being pulled up to speed as fast as possible, and at the moment hesitantly put with the largely depleted archer and scout group ... though that shall be subject to change.
To any wondering at the disappearance of Gek and Franceska at any training in the past many months, to no real surprise it is explained that they maintain vigil at Hel'Byssia.
Cole briefly mentions concern at the lack of word out of the north from his fey scouts, and muses upon scrying ... though decides against it considering the power of Truth's illusions and misdirections anyhow ... sending more conventional agents to search seems to be his avenue of choice ...
One more thing to note that he brings to bear ... is if whether he was mistaken or not, but he believes that they fought some Gravel dragons upon that island. If so, then the Stones have managed to draw some hybrids to their ranks as well, which is troubling ... something worth talking to Astoria about perhaps, whether they can sway the middle-lying dragons, the hybrids such as Gravels, Sandstones, and Slates to either stand neutral or stand with them ...
With that he dispatches each group to their own means of training, before stressing formation work later in the morning from the back of the Gold.