Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 27: Chapter 27

"What's going on?" Dyn'ad called to Yerir'o as he flew closer to the palace. He had felt an active pull on the link, summoning the guards back but as he got closer to the palace Dyn'ad could clearly see guards rushing in two separate directions. Yerir'o was at the centre of a swarm of guards, directing them which way to go.
"Two sets of flyers are going different ways. Both have a flightless human with them, but the descriptions are similar, we can't work out which one is Eyeri," Yerir'o explained as Dyn'ad drew closer, "So we going after both sets." He said grimly. They could not afford to let anyone escape but they losing Eyeri was not an option.
"Understood," Dyn'ad nodded sharply, "You lead one, I'll take the other," he said firmly, his talons itching. When he got hold of Eyeri, he was going to make it so the boy couldn't sit for a week. This was not acceptable behaviour.
"North or West?" Yerir'o asked, seeing the look in Dyn'ad's eyes and not about to question his orders now. Dyn'ad looked about ready to rip anyone who got in the way of him finding his son.
"North," Dyn'ad decided, something in his chest telling him that was the way to go. An instinct he could not explain but the pull was there and Dyn'ad was a strong believer in following instinct. The Goddess moved in strange ways and could not interact directly in their realm but she could give them the sense to know what to do in a difficult situation.
Yerir'o watched the Royal soar into the air solemnly before lifting off himself. Powerful wings pushed him up into the air and then. Something hit him. Something heavy which sent him plummeting to the ground. Landing which a loud crash, he was glad everyone was busy and hadn't seen that embarrassing fall. He groaned and looked up to see what had hit him. He quickly discovered to his horror he was in a net laced with a paralyzer. Not a strong one, but strong enough to freeze his muscles to stop him pulling the net off.
"Damn. Oh well, one problem grounded, at the very least," a voice commented with a smirk in his voice.
"Fet..." Yerir'o wasn't even able to get the last sound out of his mouth. The poison settling into his system. He glared up at the man angrily as he hovered in the air. Yerir'o desperately wanted to yell curses at the human and demand where he had got boots that would let him fly. They were definitely Namya alchemy but not anything Yerir'o had ever seen before and was hoping he would never see them again.  If he got his claws into them, he was going to rip them apart.
"Don't worry, there is just enough to keep you down until we get Eyeri out of the valley," Fetmar reassured, hovered down and falling forward so while his legs were in the air his face was inches from Yerir'o. "I have to go now, but don't worry I'll see you soon enough," Fetmar fluttered his eyes and kissed Yerir'o's nose teasingly. Yerir'o stared daggers at him and Fetmar shot the frozen General a cocky grin before kicking his heels and flipping back up into the air. "Like my new boots by the way?" he chuckled before blasting off into the distance.
Yerir'o could only watch mournfully, as he flew off. Well shit.
"We got company!" Alesul yelled, drawing his pulse weapon and starting to fire at the k'nairi flying towards him. Monia joined him in firing. Screeches flew through the air, curses in a language Eyeri had only started to learn. Kinper gripped onto Eyeri's arms tighter. The man flying as fast as he could, trusting his teammates to back him up. This was always going to be the hardest plan of the plan and everyone had known it. The only bit of the plan where they were all exposed and the k'nairi would be able to see where they were. The final gap between the forest and the mountains.
Arrows whizzed passed Eyeri's head, apparently unconcerned about the flightless man in their grasp. Eyeri closed his eyes and held on tightly to the Sparrow. Arrows weren't in the plan. Unless Tai'ray was going to risk injuring him to get back. Eyeri swallowed, thinking back to the dagger on his neck. It was entirely possible, as fond as Tai'ray was of him and as much as they had promised not to hurt him, Eyeri had broken the agreement.
There was a cry of pain as Kinper as an arrow hit Kinper in the leg. The men fell from the sky. Eyeri expected pain but foliage managed to soften the landing. Eyeri rolled off the man's back as they landed, scrambling to his feet. Eyeri instantly went to check on Kinper, falling down to his knees and feeling around the shaft. The man pushed him away roughly.
"Run, you idiot!" Kinper yelled angrily at Eyeri, clutching his leg. Eyeri gulped but obeyed the order. Fetmar had told him to obey all orders given by the Sparrows. The Sparrows would be able to escape later, this was his only chance to get out before the brand was pressed against his back.
Eyeri pushed back to his feet and started running through the forest. He didn't get far before he was stumbling to a stop and gripping on to a tree as a cliff appeared in front of him. There was a fast running river below him.  It was almost too reminiscent of the night of the storm in Tayagwe. The spray from the water cold and the sound of the rushing water threatening. Only this time, Eyeri was not going to try going over it. Not this time.
Pushing off the tree, he moved deeper into the forest before running again. The forest thinned out and Eyeri was running in fields. He tried to keep low but there was nothing for him to hide against. He could see Monia and Alesul still fighting guards in the sky but the guards were too numerous and they would have to flee soon.
"Keep running," Monia yelled down at him and Eyeri moved. "I've got you," she warned before hands wrapped around his armpit and pulled him up into the air. Eyeri gripped tight to her arms, uneased to being carried like this. "Hold on tight," Monia called, before suddenly flying faster, desperately trying to get Eyeri to the end of the valley where he would be safe from the k'nairi.
"I'm slipping," Eyeri cried out as he felt his hands slipping. This was not the safest way to fly in the world and he could see the ground far below him. The undergrowth wouldn't soften the blow this time.
"Just a little longer," Monia grunted, sounding strained. The sweat from both his and Monia's hands meaning their grip on each other was loosening. "Just a little longer" She repeated, looking focused.
Suddenly Eyeri was falling again. As he fell, watching as Monia drew further from him, her face one of horror. She hadn't meant to drop him and seem frozen at the moment. An arrow was sticking out of her shoulder. As he fell, his life didn't flash before his eyes. Instead the words of Tai-ray did. "I won't let you fall." A tease at the time but it had been a promise the Winglord had kept. Part of him felt like he should have been screaming but instead all he wanted to do was cry. Closing his eyes, he prepared for death. Idly wishing he hadn't been so stupid. The Winglord had promised to protect him and take of him. Ryraso promised to always love him like a son. He would have been safe and loved and he threw it away to escape the brand.
Then arms wrapped around him and his descent slowed to a halt. Eyeri opened his eyes hesitantly, almost afraid of who he was going to facing, knowing there was a good chance he was going to be the arms of an angry k'nairi. He looked up into the eyes of the man who had caught him slowly, only for relieve to move through him, "Fetmar!" Eyeri exclaimed shock, "You're flying?" he said confused.
"Yes," Fetmar grinned back. "Thank Wiljam," he winked at Eyeri.
"Wiljam?" Eyeri looked down to realise Fetmar had a strange pair of boots on. Not to mention a strange pair of gloves. "Cool," he murmured, before gripping on tighter to Fetmar as an arrow of fire went past. Wrapping his arms around his older brother, who flew off heading away from the battle scene. "We are leaving the others?" he asked, watching as Monia changed paths and headed in a different direction.
"They will be fine. But we have to get away now!" Fetmar growled, "Wrap your arms and legs around me and don't let go!" Eyeri did as told, clinging to his brother as the man let go of him. Fetmar flew as fast as the machine he was using would let him. Dodging as arrows that came, until finally, it was the last spirit to the edge of the mountain. Once in the mountains they could go into the caves were the k'nairi would not follow. They couldn't stand being underground away from the sky and no k'nairi would willingly go through the mountains that way.
"No," an enraged yelled filled the space.
"Dyn'ad," Eyeri whimpered, recognizing his voice easily, gripping Fetmar tighter. Fetmar glanced over his shoulder and cursed as he saw the k'nairi man catching up with them. He put all power into thrust, he began to weave trying to lose the man and move faster but Dyn'ad was catching up, fast.
Flying upwards, Fetmar tried to gain some momentum. Just as they reached the highest point he could go safely, Dyn'ad tackled them, sending them flying sidewards. Eyeri was pinned in between two men. Both gripping onto him tightly as they once again descended fast towards the ground. Fingers bruising Eyeri's arms and nails digging into his skin painfully. He cried out in pain and fear.
"Eyeri," an animistic voice growled, yanking at Eyeri, trying to pull him off his brother. Fetmar wrapped his arms around Eyeri to keep him. Kicking and trying to get Dyn'ad to let go. "Mine," Dyn'ad snarled, his eyes turning blood red. His talons elongated and his fangs grew as the berserker rage inside of him grew. However, before he could strike and drag the boy from the human they crashed into the ground.
All three men crashed into a stone wall, a loud bang ripping throughout the valley and for a moment, all was silent. Before the sound of collapsing came, bellowing around the valley as the remains of the wall fell on the three men. Eyeri blacked out. Wings surrounding him.