Should have been faster
A high pitched whistle filled his ears, the sting of the wind as it slapped his face making his teeth ache. The spinning motion was enough to throw his stomach into his throat, the blurred landscape around him an unrecognisable mix of blue, white and green.
Should have seen it coming
His hands were numb, frozen. Fingers knotted through the thick fur of the dragon's mane, his body pressed against her neck as they hurtled towards the ground. He could feel the blood seeping into the leg of his pants, making the fabric stick to his skin, warm and wrong.
I'm sorry, Riy. I should have been faster
The first branch broke their fall with all the force of a mountain. The earsplitting snap it caused only the first of many. The wild, uncontrolled landing was a haze of harsh hits and bone rattling shakes. The impact with the ground was worse, their speed still too much for the near vertical fall. He was thrown forwards nearly immediately, his frozen fingers ripped from the reins as he flipped over Riy's head.
His back collided with the ground, his momentum enough to send him rolling until he hit solid rock, a thousand sharp needles searing through his spine as Riy's pained moans filled his head, before his vision tunnelled and darkness descended on Tahir Lazslo, a blazing trail of destruction left in his wake.
