Run, Dima told himself. Scream.

He tried to call for his father, but it came as little more a puff of breath. The thing listened, as if the word was somehow familiar. It cocked it's gnarled, evil head. Dima took three steps back.

The monster's eyes snapped to him, and suddenly they were much too close- the beast standing but a few inches away. On closer inspection, it looked like a young man, only to shatter any sense of relief Dima felt when the being curled back it's lips to showcase sharp, yellowed teeth.

Just as it was about to pounce, the barn doors blew open. Inside came two women- one of which did not look any sort of feminine at first glance.

The first one had an odd wind about her, dark hair floating, and Dima cried harder because she was so beautiful. He knew, in almost an instant, she was Grisha.

The second woman, however, amde Dima stop crying entirely. She was tall- taller than his father, even.

She had a jagged scar that ran across her face and proved her blind in one eye- the eyepatch tipped Dima off. This one's fingers were stained in either ink or the blackest charcoal and they were scarred, rough.

When he had seen the first woman, he had wondered if they were Saints, coming to escot him to the bright lands

But she did not take him up in her arms, no, neither did the second one. The first one controlled the wind- using a gust to force the monster back and away from Dima.

The tall one closed her eyes and made a symbol with her hands, straining. The beast seemed to slow and become dizzy, swaying on it's feet until its muddled eyes caught upon the first woman.

Both the boy and the monster were looking at the dark-haired maiden, but her eyes were on the tall woman, who now had her hands on her knees and was panting.

The shorter woman moved to her and tilted her head up with a soft smile, prompting a sweet look from the woman that looked almost as scary as the now-subdued monster itself.

Dima noticed with a start that these women must be lovers- if from they glances shared. The ravenette tossed the boy some coins and he ran back to the safety of his home.

Once they had subdued the monster, Zoya managed to slip Nikolai a sedative. He began to become less beast and look more like a man as she sunk to the barn’s floor. The Squalled hoisted one of his arms over her shoulder, and the you groaned as you took the other one. Because you were taller and more muscular, you bore the brunt of his weight.

The pair dragged him back to the carriage, which took them back to the manor they were staying at, which belonged to the Earl of Rock Ridge. It was really a mining town called Solonchak, but al of the locals knew that part of Ravka by Rock Ridge.

When you arrived back at the manor, you collapsed on the bed you’d been provided. You were exhausted, your back hurt, and having to slow the heart of a creature that large long enough for it to be more permanently subdued had taken a lot out of you. Zoya watched as you collapsed into the bed, and began to undress before starting a fire in the grate and drawing a bath for the both of them.