Book One – Chapter 5

With three giant leaps, Midnight retreated from the battleground, just as a pair of winged aberrations shot down from the sky. The clash that ensued was a battle of beaks and claws and storm, as the hookbilled Wyrren tried to snatch up the crustaceans. One avian beast succeeded in capturing the injured creature Midnight had been fighting, while the other was ripped out of the air by the combined onslaught of the three remaining crustaceans.

While the screeching beasts tore each other apart on the ground, Yves rushed forward, onto the mainland. Midnight’s instinct to wait, to remain sheltered below the bridge, hammered against his mind like physical pain. She was no coward; she understood the strength of beasts. Yet Yves knew that they needed to leave the bridge immediately, or even deadlier creatures would be drawn to the amassing energies. As he ran, Midnight followed.

They fought and ran and stumbled with the storm winds to gain distance from the cliffs. The remnants of the bridge dissipated into the ocean abyss, while ever more wyrren dove from the storm-laden sky to snatch up the emerging crustaceans and galebiters hurling themselves at the foreign energies. By then, the lightless lighthouse had already vanished from Yves’ vision. His illusions hid it equally well from second sight. With the promontory gone, there was not a single trace of the lighthouse’s presence. It was even more isolated than before, no longer offering unexpected shelter to the once-in-a-decade desolate wanderer, but only accessible by those who knew that it existed and risked their life to get there.

Yves needed to get away. He wove a tapestry of physical illusions and energy overlays, attempting to conceal himself, Midnight, and the floating chest as best as possible. It was an effort, nothing to rely on. His illusions only worked if he could tailor them to the sensory perception of his adversaries. He had scant experience with sea creatures and no noticeable practice deceiving beasts from the air, especially of this size. At best, his illusions might bewilder, but even that could provide unexpected salvation, if only to delay the first assault of a wyrren.