Lingering sparks jumped from the sides of the dragon's wounds, Leandros' armor even still crackled gently. When the sand cleared, his companions could see that shimmering aura that had surrounded him was gone, lost in the blast of lightning.

Some of the shaft of his halbered was burnt as well, especially around the areas where he held it. His own armor was beaten and battered, many bruises likely lay beneath all of the padding. The knight wiped away some of the blood coming from a cut on his forehead. None of the wounds were grevious or life-threatinging, but he wore the story of the battle in his body much like the dragon did. Though taking the ire of a dragon and remaining standing was a feat, though he would be far from one to boast about it so soon.

When Del feels for it, the heart beat is dull and slow. It quickly fades away with the last choked breath. Leandros sets the halberd in the ground, mostly to prop himself up.

"I should be asking after the two of you, you took the bigger risk in this fight not having the layers of armor that I do." In the chaos of it all, he did miss that Cyran and Del both had tricks to protect themselves through it all.

Connecting her gaze with Cyran's, ensuring he was indeed alright, her heart gives a small flutter at the sense of genuine surpirse and gratitude that she can barely feel at the back of her mind. It's met with a mix of sheepishness, relief and pride in him-- a security and assurance, a resonant echo of past words followed through on; I've got you.

They made a very good team. Better than that, even.

Beneath her hand, she feels it go still and quiet, unwilling to let her guard down before she knows it is good and dead. "It's done," She sighs after a moment, taking her hand away as she looks at both her friends. "I'm alright--, oh." she lightly touches the top of her head; her fingers come away wet with a little blood. "Huh. Just a minor wound on my part. I don't know if it's so bad that it needs an elixr, though I can't exactly get a look," she chuckles softly.

She turns to give Leandros an incredulous look; he was barely upright, leaning on a damaged halberd for support, covered in the remnants of his battle with the dragon. "Us! You're practically smouldering! Dust and ash, man," grumbling, she approaches to pull Leandros' armored arm over her shoulders, to help him at least stay upright should he suddenly pass out before Cyran can offer the elixer. "Thanks to you keeping the dragon's focus, which was incredible, we are both fine, at least compared to a man wearing metal armor who took a lightning bolt to the chest." She gives him a stern look, a little exasperated, but ultimately relieved. He was up and talking for the moment. "It's done. You've won the day, Dragon Slayer. Now; we're going to get your horse, we're taking you back to camp, and you can sleep for the next however long you need to. After we get you some healing, of course. Can you walk?"

She looks to Cyran, in his hands the elixr, if he chose to bequeath it on Leandros. Del gives him a wan smile, one corner curving crookedly as if to say; 'see? we were right, earlier.'

Cyran forced the elixir into Leandros’s gauntleted hand. “You need this more than either of us do.” He’d sustained little more than a few bruises from being tossed around - both Leandros and Del had taken much harder hits than him. They were fighters, used to taking more of a beating than him. That didn’t mean he wasn’t struck with some level of guilt taking stock of their injuries when he himself had practically none.

“Even the unmovable wall needs repairing when it is hit.” Cyran said firmly, in case Leandros had any notion of turning it down. “You just need to be in working order while we get back to camp.”

With both Del and Cyran partially offering to hold Leandros upright, the three could at least hobble their way back to Byrr, and get everyone some well-deserved rest. Dealing with the dragon’s corpse could wait for later, assuming Leandros didn’t have attendants to take care of such things. Given that this had been his war to wage, Cyran imagined he had come prepared.

He turned to Del, a warm smile on his face. Thank you, he mouthed. 

"You'll find a lion's pride is harder to kill than a dragon." He smiled and gave a coarse laugh as he returned the elixir back before whistling for Byrr. Leandros fishes in one of the saddlebags and pulls out a similar looking elixir to drink, downing that and feeling the weight of broken ribs lift as they carefully heal.

One deep breath before he gives another little smile, "Plus if I went back looking like this and hadn't used my wife's potion, things would be worse. This way we can all at least pretend I didn't forget it in the bag."

While still looking bruised and bloodied, Leandros was moving easier as he hooked his halberd into its spot on the saddle. The knight turned to the others, clasping them both on the shoulders. "What we've done here is something to be proud of, the amount of harm that beast could have done is immeasurable. You both have done this place a great service. As such, if we hurry back, I believe we can make it into town in time before the taverns close. Ales and rooms I will cover for you both tonight."

He grins as he steps into a stirrup to lift himself up back onto his mount. "I don't imagine either of you want to be the center of a grand feast, but I will not be denied a good dinner between friends." The last few words are weighted with that same voice he used to challenge the dragon before he smiles once more.

Del shakes her head in quiet, amused exasperation as Leandros declines Cyran's elixir again, only to produce his own. A lion's pride indeed.

"We certainly wouldn't want Lady Arthurian cross with us." She agrees, following Leandros to his horse. Looking over, she catches Cyran mouthing the words 'thank you' to her. Her heart catches in her throat and she returns the smile, mouthing back, 'thank you'[/i]. He had saved her as well, earlier with the tail, and she had not forgotten. She puts a hand to where the gifted ring rests, her smile a little shy. "We make a very good team, no?"

At Leandros' offer, Del looks concerned for a moment, before exchanging a glance with Cyran. Normally, she tried to avoid places with a lot of people... but this was more out of habit, she realized, than any real danger she might presently be in. Between Leandros and Cyran, she was extremely safe.

"Well. Far be it for me to try and deny the likes of Leandros Arthurian." Chuckling, she looks to Cyran, before tentatively offering her hand. With Leandros astrde his steed, that left them to walk "What do you think? One night for rest and then we head back to Darkveil?"

He wasn’t particularly offended when Leandros brought out the elixir from his wife, nor was he surprised to learn that Leandros was married in the first place. Nobles often liked to see their heirs married young, but what came as a bit of a shock was the genuine affection in his voice as he spoke of her. He truly was a good person, Cyran decided. He liked to think of himself as a good judge of character - and the knight had character in spades. With an attempt at a wink that looked rather lame considering his other eye was covered in a patch, Cyran fixed Leandros with a smile.

“Your secret is safe with us.”

He and Del walked alongside him while Leandros rode on his mount, no doubt exhausted from the battle, though he did his best to keep himself upright. He couldn’t help but feel sheepish at Del’s insistence that they made a good team.

“Yeah. We do.”

Not that he was surprised about that.

Leandros was right - Cyran didn’t like the idea of a big banquet to celebrate this battle, but he wouldn’t turn his nose up at a private celebration. A small one, to new friends.

“I wouldn’t say no to a meal and a drink.” He nodded, excited at the prospect of spending more time with Del and her friend… in a more relaxed setting, at least.

Leandros was glad to see the two he'd essentially dragged along to this fight in such good spirits given everything. Beaten and bruised, but victorious is all a warrior can ask for some days. He gave a soft smile to seeing the interaction between the two before turning Byrr to head back towards the town.

The pace was likely faster than any of them would have liked, but it did mean getting back before sundown and not risking a night out in the desert. The knight's first priority would be letting their contact know the dragon was defeated. Despite his insistence, they were able to convince him to avoid throwing a feast. The condition of the three fighters made that an easy persuasion.

Once payments were settled, and this would be one of the few Lee ever took after all he wasn't helping poor farmers or desperate people he did just fight a dragon and the mayor of this town was wealthy enough, the three headed to a tavern. If there was a secret talent Leandros had it was finding decent taverns.

Leandros helped the two settle into a table, somewhere quiet and in the back where they would be away from most of the noise. Able to enjoy a quiet and pleasant meal between friends. He was sure to pick up the tab, offering for them to get as much as they want while knowing they likely weren't likely much for getting drunk either. Each room cam with its own tub, a chance for them all to rid themselves of the sand and grime whenever the night was through. A small comfort to put a bit of finality to the adventure here.

In the next day or so, retainers from the Aurthurian family would come to collect the head of the dragon for transport back to what would now be named Bluescale Manor. Del and Cyran were given a chance to collect any tokens they wanted from the dragon as well. They both played an equal part in it and Leandros had already laid claim to the head. The spoils were theirs to take, though this time there was no hoard of magical items and gold to take. For the three of them, the reward of a town and country safe from the ravages of a dragon was likely all they could ask for.

With the head loaded onto a cart and preserved through a mix of alchemy and magic, they were ready to go. The knight oversees the beginning of the caravan from atop Byrr, looking back to his partners for this fight with a smile.

"If you wish to avoid accolades and celebrations, now is your chance to escape. Follow me to Sol City and I make no promises that even I can stop that." He grins wider with a deep laugh, one that rings out happily with fewer broken ribs and broken blood vessels to stifle it.

Leandros will be sure to give them both a firm handshake before letting them go to wherever it is they plan to abscond to next.