Two figures drift slowly down from the sky, landing with no sound in front of us. One male and one female, both lean, muscular, and practically radiating violence. There's an unnatural grace about both of them, and they wear stylized white leather armor with cloud-like patterns and masks that completely cover their faces.

"Windborne," Raith whispers.

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The windborne advance, their movements synchronized and predatory. They say nothing. Give no warnings or dramatic speeches. Their intent is clear, and it's deadly.

The taller windborne raises a hand, and the air ripples with power. An elemental materializes beside her—not an eagle or falcon, but a creature of pure air, its form constantly shifting, eyes glowing with ancient intelligence. It doesn't look like any elemental I've ever seen.

The female summons a similar elemental.

Both pause for only a heartbeat and I think they're looking at Typhon—probably wondering how the hell any of us tethered something so massive. But Typhon only gives them a moment of hesitation.

And then they're attacking, movements so fast my eyes can't begin to track them. The air around me compresses, squeezing my lungs, lifting me off my feet. I can't breathe, can't move, can't reach my rapier.

My legs kick uselessly as I float a few inches above the ground, invisible hands squeezing in around me from all sides.

I hear the electric sound of stasis tokens triggering behind me even though the windborne hardly even seem to be paying the others attention.

They're wiping us out like we're nothing. No games. No speeches. Just pure violence and efficiency.

Raith charges the woman who is squeezing the air around my head, sword flashing, but the male windborne intercepts him, his elemental blocking Raith’s path. I feel Raith's desperate need to protect me, but the male windborne is impossibly fast, dodging his every strike and preventing him from interrupting the woman.

My vision darkens as the air compresses further.

Small, pin-like daggers of air form and try to slide into my body. I use the last scraps of essence I have to hold them back, just barely, but it’s a losing battle.

Typhon roars, a sound so deep and terrible I can feel it through my entire body. He launches himself upward, flips, and then begins a death spiral straight for the woman as he tucks his wings tight and gains speed like a projectile.

The woman's focus falters as she lifts her face toward him and has to float backward, invisible winds lifting and yanking her away as if she's being pulled by strings.

I collapse as the distraction breaks her spell, gasping for breath. Typhon's jaws snap at her, but her elemental moves to intercept, the two creatures clashing in a maelstrom of water and air magic.

I look behind me and see there’s nobody left. The windborne have already sent every last survivor into stasis.