Ankyra Sound There are times that walk from you like some passing afternoon

She waited for the strike to fall, the sweep that would end it all. Somewhere in her pounding chest, came the whisper to fight, to claw, to survive - yet as she opened her eyes tentatively to the beserker that would end it all, Raleska did not see fierce warrior. She saw a kid, just as scared as she. She was transported back to the beach when she had discovered Tux; how she had wanted to hold onto that burning hate, and turn him away.

In the end she was too tired to even hold onto that flickering flame; and like a blaze doused in saltwater, it hissed and gave out.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, it was all she could hear -- her breath in rapid hitches. She tried to crawl away but could not - instead, she found herself shakily looking over the spectre that had almost assailed her, troubled first by his familiarity.. and then, by the latent realization if he was here, it meant Drageda surely was --

Raleska firmly believed there was no such thing as coincidence. She distrusted it more than she distrusted fate. Two Dragedans, within a week apart -- Raleska's eyes widened as she made a connection that was not quite there. Had it all been a trick? Had Tux lied? And had she unwittingly spelled Rusalka's end by trusting him..? And was Ephraim's fear -- or revulsion -- or whatever it was -- all because he had not expected to kill his sister that day?

There, limbs folded in the sand, and as helpless as a fragile fresh-born foal, Raleska whimpered: "don't hurt me."