Flashback to The Verdara Trial...
Cassian's sword bounced uselessly off the bark-like scales.
Again.
And again.
Blades of light. Searing flame. Mental attacks. The collective fury of his remaining dragons. All rained down on the wooden dragon in a desperate attempt to stop what was happening.
Nothing worked.
The dead-eyed wooden dragon didn't even flinch. Its jaw remained closed around the juvenile light dragon it had swallowed whole, and even the pressure of Cassian's soul bond screaming in panic did nothing to sway its slow retreat toward the center of the massive floral chamber.
"STOP!" Cassian shouted, raw and guttural. His voice echoed off the pulsing walls inside of the giant flower. The Dream Dragon, perhaps the most empathetic of his contracts due to its mental attribute, sensed his panic and let out a high-pitched cry beside him, half-mad with confusion and rage, and lunged again. Still, the bark held.
