Parlor trickery wasn’t a very nice way to describe a pain inducing talent, but at least it shut him up once the dome was completely sealed over. I’d learnt by hard lesson that these beasts would say anything and do even more to stir your blood; cause a normally leveled head to fall aside from reason. I’d not stoop to his level, just as he wouldn’t be smart enough to stoop toward magic. In the end it was the combination of brethren which halted his rant, my power only made it cease that much quicker, “Fina,” I rasped, breathless, “make a way. We are coming.” The warriors fell back, eyes wide and glinting with excitement from this short lived victory. She busied herself with pushing curious individuals back.

My teeth ground upon themselves, feet that had been planted hard into the earth felt tender when I shifted my weight right. Sand, flowing like a snake fluttered across the ground. Shifting under the large globe and drawing it up. One of throats own asked me a question, I stiffened and grunted hoarsely. I was unable to look away or break concentration out of fear that the whole thing would crumble apart. “For now,” I mumbled to her, straining to keep control of these multiple expenditures. “To the fountain, stand on either side of this all of ye.” I paused shifted the sand further ahead until the golden orb rose from earth a few painful inches, “if it cracks before we get below, be ready to subdue him.”

Last thing we needed was mass panic down yonder. Golden granules made a path for the orb to slide along; and like a belt of living aureate it slithered slowly toward the entrance. Armor clattered against bladed feathers as I shifted back and closed my wings, step by step leading them down the trail and back into the dark musk below. The hardened element surrounding said sphere shifted ever so slightly before tightening, bending to the shape of the creature inside so that it might fit through tight corners. I tried to keep the ball mostly upright…once or twice it slide over, likely shifting the individual instead inside on his head. “Make way,” I called, once we’d gotten to the bottom. Now to the fountain and an end to this horrible plight.