"If we can crack the shell, I could use sound to further break it apart," Alastor said just loud enough for her to hear.

It reminded him of his first encounter with a noctaere two years ago with Yoshiya in the cave. It hadn't been very strong and neither of them had had any mastery of dreamotion, so Alastor had used sound to bring the roof of the cave down for them to get away.

"At the very least sound might be able to temporarily stun it into holding still long enough for a good hit from anything you have, my dear."

Alastor's ears twitched nervously. This noctaere was unhurried, completely unworried about anything they might throw at it. Perhaps it was because of his own predatory instincts, but he had the distinct impression that it wasn't confidence born of ignorance in what its sighted prey could do but that it knew it could overcome whatever they threw at it.

The prey instincts of his demonic form wanted to run far and fast.