The night had barely started. Can a lady not relax in a soft chair, listening to this magical device that produced music? No sooner had the spirit Asra finished their announcement of the fourth challenge that a cacophony of screeches could be heard in the distance.
Bayani leaped from her chair and ran to the nearest window, threw it open and launched herself out of it. She’d been told multiple times it wasn’t safe to do from only the second floor, and it was true. But she’d practiced so many times to get it just right. Wrap your wings around your body, then quickly spread them wide to glide to the ground.
It was always a hard landing, but it was faster than running down the stairs and out the door.
And what Bayani saw after she had landed? Bright, colored flames streaking across the sky. She could hear distant shouting, even in town there was yelling and frantic screaming. Her ears twitched at the sound of ‘Remi's Farm”. Oh no…
The bats had to be stopped. Before too much damage was done, to any buildings and to the livestock.
Bayani started jogging, gaining enough speed to easily pick up the air with her wings. She flapped strongly, gaining the altitude needed for quick gliding. Her direction Remi’s Farm.
The heat in the air tingled against her scales. It was warm, and not uncomfortablely so. Other finley soared through the sky, handling ropes or magic to bring down the beasts. And finally Bayani could lay her eyes upon the creatures.
Large, towering and bat like, they were a long cry away from the adorable Battle finley kept as pets. Their feet and wings tipped in razor sharp claws. Their colored flames licking past incredibly sharp fangs to scorch fur and skin. These feral animals were not happy. And even less so with being lassoed.
They didn’t even seem happy with each other. Possibly territorial animals? They started to break away, finley doing the same and following them.
Bayani looked to her right, spotting Blizzard a ways away. She waved at the lucky nyulop, who pointed towards the farm, angling her wings to descend. Bayani gently landed on the ground next to one of her best friends. The second one, Sage, gliding to them silently.
“What is going on?!?” The barely contained rage in Sage's voice was thick. Probably stuck in her books again, and didn’t hear the radio.
“Apparently our fourth challenge.” Mumbled Blizzard as she glanced at the still going battle in the sky further out. Her claws were clutched around a reddish-orange stone hung around her neck.
Bayani chuckled at the faces they were making, then cracked her knuckles. “We have to corral them. Let’s get started. Any plans?”
Blizzard nodded, jogging off. A few minutes and she’d returned with a heap of rope. “Lasso, anyone?”
Sage tugged at the rope to test its strength. “Do either of you know how to?” She seemed satisfied with it, though they all know one fire blast and it was ash.
Bayani shrugged. “We’ll figure it out.” We being her and Blizzard. Sage’s wings were more for gliding than flying. “You can support the ground efforts with traps and putting out fires… Unless you had a different plan?” Sage always had plans. And Bayani wasn’t disappointed when her friend nodded.
“I’m not the strongest” Sage glanced at Bayani. “Or the fastest” She tilts her head in Blizzard’s direction. “But I can help with strategizing. Helping others direct the efforts. And of course I can try guiding the animals inside for their protection. If they’re out of sight, maybe we won’t lose any.”
Blizzard and Bayani nodded. It was a good idea. Glancing at each other, they took off into the sky. The chill in the air confirming that it was yet untouched by the heat of battle. But once she amidst the bats and finley, Bayani stopped to survey the chaos.
“Who do we tackle first?” She said, moving to fly around her friend, protectively.
Blizzard smiled appreciatively, knowing she’d take fire damage while Bayani would not. Fire draken were so lucky right now. She looked over the fight, everyone tangling with a bat creature. There didn’t seem to be any openings.
“WATCH OUT!”
Blizzard looked up just in time to see Bayani take a purple blast of fire meant for her. It glanced off the draken’s scales, dispersing. But her eyes were drawn to the beast charging towards them. She grabbed Bayani’s arm, still hot to the touch, and yanked her backwards. The big bat with giant horns, its neck fur shimmering with greens and blues, barreled past them.
“It ignored us..?” Bayani’s brows knitted in confusion.
Shaking her claws from the previous heat, Blizzard nodded. “I think they’re more confused and afraid than aggressive. But, unfortunately, we can’t just let them be. It would be best to trap and relocate them.”
Bayani tilted her head. “What if we tamed them instead?” She grinned. “Yeah I think that’s a better plan.”
“How-“ Before Blizzard could respond, Bayani pointed to a struggle coming towards them.
The finley were struggling against a tan and brown bat. Its bright blue flames lighting up the night sky. “Woah…” Bayani didn’t notice their graceful flight before. The flames surrounding them more like a shield than a weapon. Another bat, red, striped and already lassoed, fell from the sky, a purple and different shaded blue draken tugging at the rope to keep it from falling. They crashed into the finley chasing the tan bat, everyone a tangle of limbs.
Seeing the opportunity to flee, the tan bat moved to escape until Bayani met their eyes. In sync, both draken and lop flew at the bat, circling it, the rope gripped in each of their claws. Looping up and under, over and around those blue flames. Bayani and Blizzard caught the bat in the rope, forcing it to land.
Blast after blast of fire, trying to break free, but nothing deterred them. A crackling burst sounded, and a quick glance showed the windows on the nearby house consumed by blue flames. The moment they landed, Bayani tugged the rope, dropping the bat to its stomach. “Back off!” She called to Blizzard, who immediately did so. She could see the fire boiling out of the bat’s mouth.
The flames rushed at Bayani holding the rope, but she pulled it high, using her wings to block. “Nice try!”
Sage appeared alongside Blizzard. “Why did you land the beast here? I haven’t gotten the livestock in this section inside yet? And now the house is on fire…”
Blizzard fiddled with the heartstone she wore. “No worries about that, Sage. Seems like some of the other finley are already here with buckets of water. Some of them look like they’re part of the Guards.”
The dark red finley directed everyone quickly. Poor guy looked like he just woke up. Probably had the early morning shift.
The angry tan bat expelled more blue fire, this time aimed at Blizzard. Angry, Bayani easily blocked it with her wings spread wide. Blizzard placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s scared and confused. Remember that.” She whispered.
Bayani took a deep breath. Dangerous or not, this was still an animal with feelings. And they were strangers to their town. Probably even lost their own homes by being sent here.
The bat prepping up for another blast, Bayani’s third eye gem began to glow, fire gathering in her throat. Blue heat spilled forth. Bayani matched it with her own red blaze. For barely a second, the colors intertwined, embers raining down. Both stopped at the same time. “You see now? Your fire doesn’t effect me. And I can breathe it just as well as you…”
The bat just sat there growling, trapped and helpless.
With wings spread wide to cover everyone as best as possible, Bayani loosened the rope and bent down. “We're not going to hurt you. You didn’t ask to be here, nor did we bring you here.” She stared deeply into its bright blue eyes.
Out of her peripheral, she noticed something flying towards her. Snagging it out of the air, it was the necklace Blizzard had been wearing. Bayani wrapped it around her wrist and held it towards the creature.
“We are not here to hurt you.” She kept her eyes locked to it. Wanting, needing for the poor animal to understand and stop rampaging. “Please. We don’t want to fight.”