The Eldest Syvrak, sensing the tide turning, let out a booming command in a tongue that predated human speech. The coordination of the horde shifted instantly. They weren't just attacking anymore; they were dividing.
Three massive creatures drove a wedge between Eris and Soren, their bodies creating a barrier of scale and claw that forced the two apart.
Soren fought to reach her, his glacier-spears shattering against the reinforcements Vetra brought to bear, but he was blocked. He was being pushed toward the western battlements, while Eris was being isolated in the eastern courtyard.
The distance grew, fifty feet, then a hundred. They were cut off.
Eris found herself surrounded by six Syvrak, their circling movement predatory and patient. They weren't trying to kill her quickly.
Their strikes were measured, testing her fire-walls, probing for the moment her concentration would break. They wanted the dragon. They were trying to exhaust the vessel until the seal failed.
