"Yeah." Devon's answer showed his nerves.
"Three. Two. One."
Kithe color of sunlight burst out of his back briefly giving the image of two wings before the flare became impossible to watch.
At the same time, Kira stomped on the thrust.
Miraculously, the board jerked before correcting. Their flight was unstable and wobbly but infinitely better than the tailspin.
At least now she could steer.
Kira scanned the terrain, her lens computer assisting. Potential spots for a crash landing expanded and contracted, dismissed one after another.
Kira locked onto a glint of blue. There. That could work.
Landing in water wasn’t without its risk. At this speed it would feel like hitting concrete. If they survived, they'd have to worry about drowning.
If Kira's armor had been heavier, she would have dismissed the possibility. As it was, she thought she could drop their speed enough to live past the impact.
As long as neither lost consciousness, they would be fine—theoretically.
Kira shifted her weight, the board whining as it adjusted their direction. By now, smoke was spewing in a trail behind them. Kira could feel the heat under her feet as flames licked up its sides.
As if things weren't bad enough.
The lake neared. Five hundred meters. Four hundred.
She could do this. It was the same type of maneuver she'd practiced a thousand times.
She flicked her eyes up and to the right, glancing at her speed.
It was still much too fast.
Kira tapped Devon's shoulder. They both leaned back, pointing the bottom of the board in front of them.
The board coughed once then sputtered, its rumble abruptly silenced.
Just what she needed. Another dead board.
Left with no choice, Kira kicked it away. "Shield."
Two shields, one golden and one a violet-blue snapped around them.
The ground rushed up to meet them.
Kira braced. This was going to hurt.
An invisible hand squeezed, popping the shields.
Fear touched her seconds before a shape surged out of the depths of the lake.
A long serpentine body armed with a head filled with very sharp teeth launched itself at her.
With no board and no way to change their trajectory, Kira could only watch as those teeth got closer.
Thelu-ong's mouth closed around them, swallowing Devon and Kira whole.
*
