[KQ] twinkle, twinkle

Anju

tried to wash you down with something strong
But the taste of blood remains

The alarm rouses Anju the same way it spurs Koa into action. Old trauma from the war sets fire to her adrenaline, making the headlong race to the Spyglass a blur she doesn’t remember. Riya flies ahead - never out of sight, but far enough ahead to scout and report back in half-formed images and impressions what she sees, their lifelong bond making it a language Anju knows blind and deaf.

Sohalia and Koa are standing together, and it makes her heart drop to her feet. No, no, no, her heart thunders. They’re too young. And Koa - her best friend’s son - she can’t afford to fail him the way she failed Lizbeth.

Anju grabs whichever Dragoon is within reach - they better be fucking answering the call - and snaps, “Begin evacuation immediately!” Clearly none of the others are doing anything yet, and as the oldest and most war-weary, Anju feels the burden heavy on her shoulders. “Get every lamp lit!” They need to see as much as they can with the dark all around them.

Finally turning to the three youth in attendance, Anju extends a forbidding arm. “Do not enter the building, we have no idea if it’s big enough to take it down.” And only Koa will remember, but falling buildings have killed more Stormbreak citizens than anything else in recent history. To Riya she sends her heart (for they never know if this fight will be their last together) and sends her higher into the night. “See if you can get a better visual but stay out of range,” she bids, saying it aloud for the sake of her companions.

- - -

Anju arrives with everything on her profile, her Dragoon sword and shield, and Riya.

She verbally commands any NPC Dragoons around to begin evacuation of the building and to have all street lamps lit, then has Riya fly higher from a distance to try and get more visual information on the mothman.

Cold, empty mattresses and falling stars
My, how they start to look the same