Eudora's hair flew in wisps, smoke and blackness in the face of the alien force. She could feel Ronan's breath on the back of her neck. He'd been hit by the strange beam of light that the ship propelled. Eudora saw him get bowled backwards for the first time in her life.

She'd known the Ronan since the dragon hatched from his egg. His mother, Laka, had belonged to her father. The entire kingdom rejoiced when Ronan was born so shortly after Eudora's birth. It was a sign of luck and prosperity for all. Another burst of light from the ship brought her out of her memories immediately. She lunged to her right, just as much to avoid the beam as to protect the ailing dragon.

"Ronan," Eudora yelled, "they're too much for us. We've got to run!" She pulled on his lead, but the dragon would not move. One of the horns on his head was broken off and he was missing several back spikes, but, as was customary, he would stand his ground. Eudora had no choice but to stand and fight by his side. He had kept her safe well into her 30s, more than anyone could expect of a dragon. She could not leave him now. They would fight together, to the death if need be.

Flames shot from behind Eudora and Ronan roared. He seemed to feel her dedication and put more into it than she'd remembered him ever putting forward before. The alien ship rocked. A small beam came out and she pounded her scepter, sending forth the freezing element. She and Ronan were fire and ice. Sometimes it worked in their favor. This time, though, she wasn't sure. The ship whirred to life again. Ronan shot out another blaze and the alien ship was decidedly crippled. Eudora brought more up from inside of her than she had ever mustered. She slammed her scepter to the ground again. At the same time, Ronan shot another fire ball at the aliens.

There was a rush of sound followed quickly by the absence of all sound. Eudora could hear nothing but the blood pounding in her ears. She was flash blinded, as if a sudden dessert snow had clouded her vision. She remembered the dessert snows from her youth and how they would steal away any land mark or sense of movement. One could travel a foot or five miles in a dessert snow and not know the difference. It was best to simply stop and wait it out, which is what she decided she would do.
"Eu," Ronan moaned, "We must go."

She held her arm up as far as she could and felt Ronan push underneath. Her muscles seemed useless, burning, as if Ro's breath had fallen upon them as well. The air shook with unheard laughter.
"We must go!" Ronan roared, lifting her up and past the ship.





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