Kolara frowned. Arlen had one job.
"That," she mentioned in a low tone, "Is a sky serpent. And they're relatively blind, this far down. They only dip this low when they're hungry... think, whales... bobbing for apples."
It wasn't exactly a spectacular analogy, but it'd have to do under the pressure. Kolara's eyes darted from shadow to shadow, her field of warmth and embers shuddering as the echo of another massive, unnatural growl, followed by a distinctly serpentine hiss cascaded through the nearby clouds. "You hear that sound? That growl? It's like echo-location... except that's not all it is. When they're ready to pounce, they'll let out a... call it a 'death roar'. Big things like them, it might sting their ears a little, stun them— small things like us? Your lungs, ears, your brain could all rupture— you'll pop like a balloon. And then they just 'bob' and catch you right out of the sky." A grim, almost horrifying explanation for an equally horrifying situation.
"Listen, I know what you're thinking. I'm as Yoreiqi as you— hell, I'm twice the Yoreiqi you are— and I could probably take ONE of these things in a— Okay, what's done is done. Arlen, when I give you the signal, dive. Low as you can, fast as you can without losing balance. DO NOT LOOK BACK— just dive."
This wasn't a test— another bead of sweat ran down Kolara's face as she tried to prep her ward the best she could before the inevitable occurred. "I'm going to let off a flare— their eyes are underdeveloped for this height, so it should blind them a bit and buy us some time. That'll be the signal, got it? You dive, I'll be right behind you to guide you from there. I'm not screwing around— when I say dive, you dive!" Another heavy growl echoed outward into the cloud— louder than the one prior, practically deafening. The shadows shifted, almost as if agitated. They were posturing. Time was short.
"...Now! Dive!" She screamed, before her wings began to glow hotter and brighter than they had ever shone before. There was barely time to argue, if any— a flare was truly set off— a flash of light, almost like a second sun, whipped through the thundercloud. The creatures hissed— Kolara's plan worked, and the massive, winged serpents began to slow down, distracted by the light. But there was barely time to rejoice— perhaps out of panic, or spite, a low, powerful echo was ringing— so heavy that the sky itself seemed to shake in response. With every split second it grew— as if it were building up energy, soon to explode. This was it— the 'death roar' was coming, and it was coming fast.