"This is..."

The sensation almost made her feel ill long before the creature itself appeared. A growing knot in the bit of her stomach, her bombardment of the camp following.

But it was far from the worst that she'd ever felt, now, now matter how much it made her feel as if she was about to throw up.

Fio straightened, her blue eyes gleaming as the monstrous dragonkin slithered out of the trees. Its gaze conveyed every bit of the hatred that she felt radiating from it all the way to the core of her being.

There was no time to be distracted by fear. No time to panic. Whatever shock she felt had to be pushed to the side as quickly as possible, even if for a moment it felt as if her heart was about to jump from her throat.

First, as she swung her blade, she used a wordless spell to push her distance all the further. Just enough to put her out of range as quickly as she could.

But the beast had made a mistake, in one way in particular.

At least, provided its underside wasn't as well-armored as the rest of its body. If nothing else, this would be an unpleasant experience for it.

"Sura! A dozen blades! Release!"

They would not have particular strength or sturdiness behind them, but she had to form and launch them as swiftly impossible. Indeed, on her words, a dozen ghostly swords materialized in the air and just as swiftly sent themselves hurtling towards the underside of the draconic serpent's head as it came crashing down, rushing upwards to meet it just as it attempted to use its form to crush them.

Fio landed on her feet, skidding across the ground.

Her breathing was already heavy. Every second that passed made her heart beat even faster.

And yet---

"... Dame Elnith, Dame Lunalel, Cecil-" she addressed each of them in turn as she pointed her blade forward.

"Today is the day we kill a monster. Keep its attention as long as possible. Attack its flanks! Cecil, can you aim for the eyes?"

Her mind was already racing. She wasn't used to being placed in a direct position of command, so she was entirely going off of the observable shape of the monstrous dragonkin that had appeared before them.

It was without limbs, so its sides would be harder to defended. If it were to be blinded, it would struggle to continue its assault, and allow her a safer position as she bombarded it from a distance.

Already, she was pouring magical energy down her arm, preparing to create another volley the moment she had her next opening.

[@Rune_Alchemist][@Pyromania99]