"Even deadly bio weapons get mercy killings?"

Manteau halts his assault.

<p>'I don't recall any one of us choosing to be borne as we were. If we can spare a creature, by all means we ought to: it will not attack again if I heal it's wounds.' </p>

Dolenus dismisses his daggers.

<p>"Borne? That thing was created, having a beating heart doesn't differentiate it from any other sword or spear or arrow. It's a weapon and nothing else" </p>

<p>Astron immediately halts any attacks "This is the closest we have to dragons, they deserve life." </p>

"So says the one who was born to kill dragons" he scoffs "fine"

"Kill it and be done with it. We cannot have it harm more innocent lives."

"Let it go. It has suffered enough today."

<p>'I say we let it live,' Azarias remarks, leaping off his perch and striding to the side of the shuddering hydra, slowly suffocating under its own weight. 'And as I have authority here, we will let it live. Unless you'd like to challenge that?...' he asks lightly, but they all understand his intent. If they wish to kill the hydra, they must go through him to do it. Azarias waits for a moment, looking at each of them in turn, making sure they lock eyes with his cold blue orbs. His message understood, he places a hand against the hydra's side, gently stroking it as several hundred of his magic circles of all shapes and sizes spiral into existence around the creature. </p><p>'To you, spirit of care, I entrust the words which bring forth healing.' he murmurs, and steps back as the hydra's flesh quickly begins to knit back together, veins pulsing with fresh blood. It stands up shakily, looking at Azarias with a strange glint in its countless eyes. The ancient mage sighs. 'Would that I had the gift of communicating with beasts like Iris,' he murmurs. 'But one cannot have it all. In any case, I believe...' He nods to the creature. 'Away with you, and feed on no more travelers. Slay those of your kind that continue to do so.' </p><p>The hydra drags itself back through the defile in response, and Azarias turns back to them. 'While I doubt that worked, they may have given the creature the intelligence to understand commands, as a dog might.' That done, and without a word more, he walks away, only to look back at them from the entrance to the defile out of the mountains. 'Well? Are you coming?' </p><p>End of Arc II </p><p>Beginning of Arc III </p>