Flecks of grey and black dot the air above Talar’ikur, melding with the white snow upon the ground to form a drab medley. The ash-strewn landscape of the square behind the gates holds an eerie silence - a stark contrast from the recent chorus of steel, shouts, and beastly roars that marked a bitter struggle.
It had come from the sky. Idle blue-grey banners snapped and shuddered in the sudden wind, a thick black smoke descending upon the gatehouse and square amidst the piercing cry of Mali warhorns. Ivae’fenn rushed forth, cloaks of blue trailing behind them. The orders were given: “Berriran, iylanheran - sulieran - hiuweran!” The resulting volley of arrows found their mark, though the majority harmlessly bounced off of the beast’s scales - only a few managing to find flesh.
The response was swift. The wyvern charged, tearing through the hastily assembled wall of Ivae’fenn shields in its path. The cry of “Mahnihiian ihnsilan'ehya!” arose among the fragmented ranks as the beast smashed into the steel gates behind them, the Ivae’fenn turning and charging. Spears and glaives tore into the wyvern’s flesh, a lone Vanguard managing to jump atop the beast from a vantage point - driving his blade through its back and holding on tight as his green cloak billowed in the heat of battle.
An all-out melee ensued, the wyvern catching a few unfortunate soldiers in its jaws - its teeth sinking into their armor, before tossing them at their comrades. Another soldier managed to pry the beast’s maw open with his blade, leveraging his weapon to prevent it from closing its jaws.
Slowly, they hacked away at the wyvern - tearing its left wing from its shoulder. Spears, glaives, swords, and arrows hew away at its body, ripping it asunder, until at last it stilled beneath their blades. Crimson blood stained the scene, the stones of the square smashed and nearby wooden pillars splintered - several bodies of the vanquished twisted at odd angles upon the ground.
It was a victory - but a bittersweet one - for as the wild encroached upon Fenn, this fire-breathing wyvern was surely naught but a harbinger of more to come.