The moon was dark and the starlight weak as they landed on a rocky beach and froze in place crouching in the shadows of a berm that rose over them like a wave of earth. The air was warm and still, with only the sound of the ocean lapping up the rocks beside them. After a few moments, Verana nodded to Janzel and they scrambled up the berm, onto the dry grass that muffled their footsteps as they moved stealthily through the dark down the coast.

As they shifted carefully around a bend in the sand it became obvious that stealth had not been needed. The village was dark and silent, the houses locked down tightly, with no guards on watch. Even a fair distance away, Verana could hear the inhabitants within their homes and the faint scent of small fires smoking into the sky but movement and sound was at a minimum. The people of this Irlen village were afraid of making noise.

Janzel looked at her curiously and Verana nodded once more, prompting them both to move speedily across the sand to where there were three ships pulled up onto the beach. They kept their wings folded to their backs, glancing up at the sky from time to time to check for a sign of more wings against the darkness above.

But the world remained still and allowed them to reach their destination with no issues. Verana frowned as they stood beneath the large wooden monstrosities, looking up at the frozen figures of Feysha, whose faces were masks of terror, pain and loss.

Janzel frowned as she looked up at the ships, glancing to Verana and then turning to watch the village and beach. "These humans are like moles, digging deep into the earth, hiding from the dangers of open air."

It was strange but the way Janzel said it made Verana realize how little the Vayan cared for human existence.

"If the darkness comes alive like the Irlen told me last summer, they probably do not want it to take notice of their village." Verana murmured softly before she moved to the first ship. After gathering her power, she reached up to touch the male Feyshan's foot and started unweaving the spell holding him prisoner.

The sound of screaming wood still caused shivers to run up and down her spine but experience had numbed her to the shock, letting it fade to the background as she continued to work. Verana tried to listen beyond the cries of pain for anything else moving towards them. There was a sudden cry and she let go of her power, catching the Feyshan as he fell from the ship. Forcing herself not to notice how fragile he seemed in her arms, Verana carried him up the beach to sit on the sand while he regained his awareness.

She regretted the fact that she didn't have her people here to help care for him, and could only hope that there was someone left somewhere in the Wild of this land for him to find.

"You're safe... I'm going to rescue the other two. You can wait here for them if you would like." Verana murmured to him, seeing the dazed male barely acknowledge her words. Verana glanced to Janzel in surprise when she smelled a flash of anger and disgust from the woman.

She braced for the woman's derision of the small, scared form, clenching her fists and half baring her teeth. He was one of the peaceful ones, something that she knew a Vayana had no concept of but she would not allow ignorance to subject him to further abuse.

Janzel looked at the remaining two ships, her words a low growl. "These humans deserve whatever the darkness will do to them... Whatever we will do to them."

The words were a shock to Verana, who was surprised that the stoic warrior was moved by their plight. Even after months amongst the Vayans she still did not know very much about them.

After a moment of meeting Janzel's eyes, Verana turned to the Feyshan and offered an explanation in Feyshan. "She can't understand you but she's here to protect you. If you hear or smell anything coming our way, get her attention."

He nodded but she was still hesitant when she looked to Janzel, "I asked him to keep watch for you, his senses are better than mine... but..."

"He may be in shock. Of course." Janzel turned back to look out into the still, silent land, motioning for her to continue. The General was standing guard for her and the Feysha.

Verana returned to the ships and settled into her work. It was such a long process that she barely noticed the night stretch out towards morning until she carried the third Feysha up the beach. The sun was not yet lightening the sky, though she knew dawn was not far off as she sighed and looked to Janzel. "That is it for tonight."

"Where do we take them?" Janzel glanced at the three Feysha, then to her with a censuring look. "And are you able to fly, Princess?"

"Give me a few moments and I should be alright." Verana nodded carefully as she tried to tell herself that she wasn't lying. Fighting exhaustion, she turned to look at the three small forms as well.

It spoke to how tired she was that she was surprised to find the male beside her and pointing to the darkness past the village, baring his teeth ever so slightly at whatever was there.

"The hunter of humans is here. Our blood is poison to it but you winged ones... you should leave. It hunts her kind." The male nodded to Janzel, then gave Verana a careful look. "You are part Fey, but I do not know if your blood is like ours or hers. It is dangerous for you now."

Before Verana could respond, he let out a slow breath and glanced between the two of them, the serenity in his expression warring with pain and understanding. "This village does not need your vengeance, the humans never survive the darkness of tonight."

Verana thought about his words for a long moment before she translated to Janzel and then looked back to him. She weighed her emotions and thoughts about the humans and her conscience as she asked him softly. "Can you get safely back to your Wild?"

In answer, the first female she had rescued stood and joined the male in helping the third one to her feet, providing her support. They paused for a moment to glance back towards her before they turned and slipped easily through the shadows into the nearby trees. In a heartbeat, they had faded into the weakened Wild beyond and disappeared from her senses.

Verana strained her senses after them and instead found the sound of heavy claws gouging into the earth at the far end of the village. The sound was quickly followed by the smell of unnatural danger and memories of death and gore.

She glanced to Janzel and nodded in the direction the monsters of the dark were approaching form. "I can hear two. I don't know what they are but human weapons don't work on them. Rulin weapons and fire do, if King Drakos is to be believed."

The General's expression told her how far she was going to trust the word of a Rulin, though the woman inclined her head. "Vayan steel is the same as Rulin. But if it does not work, we leave while we have the chance to."

Verana frowned at the general, shaking her head slowly. "We fight."

Janzel let out a slow breath before finally nodding. "We owe these people nothing, Princess."

Verana couldn't tell if it was an argument or an acceptance at the realization that they would be fighting the creatures. Still, Janzel's expression was resigned, telling Verana that the woman was following her lead.

"Guilty or not... I can't let all these people die. Not if I think I can do something." Verana murmured. Her guilt weighed on her until she saw Janzel nod and they walked together towards the village.

"You keep watch..." Janzel murmured as they walked, before turning to an unlit torch hanging on a wall. With a flash of Janzel's power, the thing lit and the General picked it up, drawing one of her swords as well.

Then Janzel nodded toward another unlit torch down the laneway.

Verana nodded and grabbed the torch, touching hers to Janzel's as they continued walking through the village. Verana unsheathed one of her blades as they walked, pausing along the way to light the torches they found.

Soon, the village was flickering behind them as they paused at the edge of the village, staring off into the darkness.

Verana could hear two creatures moving, their heavy movements shifting back and forth without getting closer. It appeared that they had halted in their advance by the smell of Feysha and perhaps by the sudden appearance of flames. At least, she hoped that their posturing had done some good, that the Rulin hadn't lied to them about flames mattering to whatever the monsters were.

Before more fear could build within her, she spread her wings and fell into stance. She let out the musical howling Feyshan battle cry and braced herself as she sensed the darkness' attention turning toward her. Janzel laughed and let out her version of a battle cry, falling into a stance of her own.

Silence stretched before there was an answering howl from the Cassaei in front of them, shaking the air and filling it with the smell of decay.

And then the darkness moved. T\wo forms separated from the depthless black of night, taking reptilian shapes roughly twice the size of the largest bears Verana had ever seen. They had spiked tails, four feet with wicked claws and a head that boasted a crown of spike-like horns and a snout filled with razor like teeth.

"You like the taste of Rulin blood? You'll love Vayan steel!" Janzel yelled at the creature that charged her, launching the woman into a fierce fight that Verana quickly lost track of. For she was charged by her own opponent, finding herself ducking under a spiked tail and back pedalling away from the following claws and teeth that snapped and sliced through the air after her.

Fire caused screeches of pain and retreats where it slashed along the creature's hide, allowing Verana to use her torch to create the momentum to follow through with her blade. Back and forth they danced, with Verana taking the advantage before losing it and going onto the defensive until she could halt the merciless attack. Her sword scored only shallow hits before the battle would turn in favour of her opponent once more, leaving her back pedalling and scrambling to stay out of reach of the variety hungry claws trying to catch hold of her.