we'll just have to wave and sea

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us It’d been well past opportunities to explore past points of Halo’s summits and regions; he just simply hadn’t had the time amidst the Family plotting and devising to do much more than growl from their Citadel quarters or coil their efforts into Starfall. Now though, over ice and rime, he could slide past the treacherous eaves and waves, extend his plumage amidst the perilous rock and crag, to see how far the earth extended. There were ships out in the distance, wisely tending to the routes well beyond several icebergs, ensuring they weren’t going to crash into the outcrops. If they were careful, they might’ve been able to find more means by the Bay, but Deimos left that more to the sailor’s devices than his own – flying overhead, thunderbird intentions nothing but surveying the salt and sea air, the rush of glacial expanse bridging into frigid depths. The Crag jutted out there too – some level of irritation funneling through him – but he breathed and persisted onward, listening to Belial’s screeching as he maneuvered nearby, the peryton choosing acrobatic leaps in midair. the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

They spot the ships in the distance nearly immediately - all while Sunjata’s wings continue to beat against the different changes of air currents. This time, he takes his dragon shift out for a spin, long leathery portions of his shift guiding him through the skies beside Deimos with enough of a distance that they don’t batter each other with their wings (especially given Deimos’ additional sets).

Are they seeing anything but ships? He asks curiously, unsure whether or not they would stumble across some beast in the deep, ready and prepared to take on the thunderbird and dragon from down below. Pale blue eyes scan the surface of the waves, coming up empty from his vantage point, so he waits to hear if Deimos’ flying companion has seen anything.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us Not yet he conceded, as the peryton continued flying outward, screeching and hollering his way through the sky. If there’d been anything at all to begin with, it likely would’ve been scared off by the rampaging peryton and his raucous noises. Rising a little higher, his eyes scanned the surroundings below, narrowing slightly. We did have an old creature here before, by the bay near the Sea of Glass, back in the days of relic hunting and searching. All that was left were shards of its skeleton, which Deimos always found a little unfortunate – but perhaps he had a touch affection for the primordial. Though, just as he’d presumed before, Belial bleated out a signal – lowering himself to angle upon a flock of ningos nearby – who were likely not provoking anyone, but there just the same. Tilting his head a fraction, a streak of amusement rampaged through. Want to hunt some annoying birds? the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

Even if the Peryton was loud and obnoxious, the spark and startle of surprise might have been enough to spook the creatures into moving - making it easier for the Flood and Sword to see their movements. As it stands, though, there’s very little movement aside from the crash of the waves and their own wingbeats. As Deimos lifts himself higher, Sunjata remains below, eyes peeled for anything of note.

He comes up empty once more, listening at the mention of an old creature that was near the Sea of Glass. Interesting. He murmurs mentally, having not heard of it — but that wasn’t surprising. Sunjata had helped and been the opposite side for a few different relics, while only getting one in his possession within the past season.

There’s the movement, though, and Sunjata dives down with his wings to draw him closer, a laugh leaving him audible enough for Deimos to hear through the bond as he pulses with a sensation of excitement. Yeah, sounds like a good time. Way better than the adventure into Starfall they had done.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us While, in truth, the ningos had done nothing wrong at the moment, any opportunity to rid themselves of the irritating pests had become something of a sport for most Halovians. That they were far more useful dead than alive was another fixing point, so as soon as Sunjata said the word, Deimos was already beginning a steady decline, wings mustered to catch at the wind as he dove. Belial rounded on a few immediately, fangs clutching at one bird’s plumage as it squawked and spun midair. The peryton played more of a ruthless, catlike game, batting at it, toying with it, while the Sword swerved, waiting for the birds to notice another descending upon them before reaching outward with his talons, plucking one entirely in his grasp. Two, dumber than a fencepost, reeled over to see the dragon nearby, stupefied and ridiculous, charging headlong for the much larger creature. the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

Sunjata, to his credit, has very little experience with ningos aside from the pests when he’d built the Kraai years ago. What he did know was that they didn’t seem to have a self preservation bone in their bodies - and that much is evident when the bird and dragon swoop down to join the peryton as he aims for one of the birds.

Deimos takes on his own and before Sunjata has a chance to join him with tormenting the avian, the two spiral out into the open air straight at him. He can’t help the laugh that leaves him through the attuned bond, the dragon’s wings beating a bit quicker to draw him up enough to angle himself to let the crackling flicker of lightning bloom around his mouth. He aims the blast toward the middle of the ningos, sure that the lightning’s fingers would be enough to reach out for the stupid creatures.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us The lightning from Sunjata flashed; and that would be enough for the two birds who’d opted to strive and try, rather than duck away. They were electrocuted instantly, frying what little brain matter remained or existed, and began immediately tumbling downwards towards the waves. Belial made a great show of maneuvering sea-bound after them, tucking his wings in and beelining at a hazardous pace – but even at his speed, he was no match for the pulls of gravity, and the white birds would hit the undulating portions. Meanwhile, Deimos kept the ones already mauled in his talons, but set his sights on the wandering force, watching as some separated, grouping off in pairs or tertiary divisions, another one going far too close to the dragon for their comfort. But he targeted a segment of the flock banking to the left, likely striving to make it back towards the bay’s shoreline – unlikely, given the sudden sparks and lightning he unfurled from his gaze. the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

A pulse of a thrill leaves him when the lightning flares out, striking the two ningos with the brief sound of sizzling feathers. Not that Sunjata would complain - not even as he catches a whiff of the charred, burnt bits of the avian. His wings tuck in, dropping him a bit as if to follow them when he spots Belial arrive, swift and certain, descending along with them. He turns his attention away, then, the rumble of flickering lightning around his maw one that crackles as it hisses.

Looking back up, his wingbeats draw him up higher again toward Deimos just in time to catch the careening one toward him — not that he thinks it’s the ningo’s intention. It’s the last decision it makes, though, as his maw parts and he sends another bolt of lightning out toward it, aiming to strike it as he continues to barrel right toward it - timing it hopefully a way that he’ll blast it enough to not drop it out of reach so he can catch it with his powerful jaws.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us Belial screeched, content and ebullient with the fixtures below. As the birds kept dropping, he snagged, either pulling them along the neck or the wing, hardly careful in his sieges. It didn’t much matter, one would suppose – unless they were wanting to utilize the flying heathens for future pillows. Deimos chased and mauled, pleased, satisfied, when the marked beasts were wholly annihilated at his insistence. Sparking in place, they went still immediately, falling below, leaving the peryton to dive bomb them as he wished. Thereafter, the thunderbird twisted and turned towards the remaining portions, watching as they flew faster and faster, representing it as a challenge as his larger form began to stalk and loom. Sunjata’s victims became exactly that; blasted and fallen, caught outright in his jaws, an impending snack if need be. Only several more of its brethren seemed intent on doing the exact same thing, banking upwards, as if they might be keen and swift enough to simply glide by the dragon. the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

It would almost be amusing to blast the little avians, if only to watch them poof in a cloud of feathers left on the wind. But the Flood is so focused on snatching the one he’s currently dazed if only to actually make it a snack. Devouring it swiftly beneath the powerful set of his jaws, Sunjata’s maw glows as the crackle of lightning glows in his throat to try and clear out the lingering multitudes of feathers.

Of course, by the time he’s finished with that he’s taking note of the other ningos heading his way – trying their best to glide right by him without getting involved immediately in the current massacre occurring. He pivots, one wing dropping to swing him around to glide his wing right into the many ningos aiming to swarm their way past him, interrupting their process and flight pattern to snatch another ningo by the tail feathers before he devours that one too.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us Sunjata’s snacks were claimed easily – the mindless droves became no more than that within an instant. Only one managed to evade and escape, and perhaps survival of the fittest would be its claim to fame, because none of its other constituents made it past breakers and waves – tiny wings flapping, unless the dragon opted to cull the lingering vestiges there too. Deimos hunted and stalked the other portions broken off from their main flock – the first walloped by one of his wings as he dove (spiraling downward, towards the waiting peryton below), and then the rest immediately rendered to cinders and sparks as lightning ripped through – decimating, demolishing, disastrous edges for the birds. When there was only a singular portion left for his segment of the pests, he persisted, intending eradicate the congregation entirely. the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

With his maw parting and lightning crackling within from tooth to tooth, Sunjata snatches up the ningos that have evaded his way, taking advantage of their stupidity for the free meal. Not that the amount of birds would do anything for the large stomach of the reptilian creature, but it sated the predatory hunger within him enough that he banks on the wind and watches the one singular bird continue to take off.

Amused, Sunjata swivels back toward Deimos to watch as he pursues the last bird. He leaves Deimos to focus on it, instead dropping along the thermals of the wind to let it flare along his wings as he slows his pace a touch to watch the carnage from afar.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us The last portions came to an abrupt end – sizzled, sparked, and annihilated along the toils of the sea. Belial screeched in some glorious tandem with the spiraling bird as it fell to his gluttonous maw below, jaw filled to the brim as his intent to carry them home seemed all the more difficult. Deimos lowered himself to skim along the water, long enough to take a few more in his talons, shaking his head – amused, unbothered, content, and satisfied with the progress of demolition they’d made. Thanks he murmured to the dragon, that same distant rumble traveling through the Attuned bond. We are going to head back for now, as he figured both of them would have more than enough to tend to in their regions after this happenstance – but with more ventures out on the horizon. [FIN] the Resurrected Sword No one can separate us For we are all that is left