by Bryan Davis
Sir Devin rushed toward the king, Palin running at his side. Both men raised their swords. “The dragons have deceived us!” Devin shouted. “They have concocted this plan to expose us and kill us all!”
“Nonsense!” Arthur said. “They have destroyed our enemies.”
Devin pointed at the charred bodies in the battlefield. “They don’t care what colors a human victim wears as long as they end up in black shrouds!”
Thigocia landed and trumpeted a loud note. “Arramos is not here to kill humans,” she shouted, “he is trying to draw Makaidos into battle.”
“If that’s true,” Devin said, “then why doesn’t Makaidos respond?”
White-hot sparks flew from Thigocia’s nostrils. “Because he is busy making sure your worthless backside remains intact!”
Arramos and company angled toward them, picking up speed with every second. Thigocia sent a warning fireball that splashed off Arramos’s neck but did nothing to alter his course.
“Everyone under my wings again!” Thigocia shouted, but before they could duck for cover, another red dragon zoomed into view.
Edward thrust his finger upward. “It’s Clefspeare!”
Clefspeare smashed into Arramos, chest to chest, sending the elder dragon tumbling through the air. As Clefspeare passed by the other two attackers, he snaked his tail around Goliath’s neck, then, taking a sharp turn, slung his body right into Roxil, collapsing her wings. Both dragons crash-landed in a deserted portion of the battlefield but scrambled quickly to their haunches, shaking off the mud as they made ready to fly again.
Merlin held up his closed fist. “Clefspeare!” he shouted. “I have dragon’s bane. Keep Arramos away, and I will fend off the other two.”
Without a word, Clefspeare flew in the direction he had thrown Arramos. The fierce red dragon had righted himself and was heading back toward the king. Clefspeare, his claws extended and teeth bared, crashed into Arramos again. Both dragons fell toward the ground, biting and slashing each other. At the last second, Clefspeare fanned his wings, threw Arramos into the mud, and, with a mighty flap, ascended again. Making a sharp, one-eighty turn, he dove toward his fallen opponent, shooting a blinding torrent of flames, but Arramos leaped to the side and launched into the air. He zoomed away with Clefspeare in pursuit, and the two faded into the rainy backdrop.
Goliath, now skimming the clouds again with Roxil, swooped toward the king and smacked into Thigocia, knocking her to the ground. Roxil followed with a stream of flames, but King Arthur blocked it with his shield just before the torrent could slam into his face.
Merlin held up his fist, opening his fingers slightly. Goliath and Roxil faltered, their wings out of sync. As they flew away, they alternately rose and dipped in the gusty winds. Merlin closed his fingers again.
Thigocia pushed her wings against the mud and righted herself. “I saw a new horde of Saxons swarming on the hill! They are coming this way!”
Arthur shouted, “Make your defenses!” The king’s soldiers formed a wall of sword-wielding men and a cadre of bowmen behind them, their arrows bending their strings.
“Edward!” Thigocia shouted, lowering her head. “Mount! We will thin their ranks!”
As Edward climbed into position, Sir Devin stalked toward them and raised his sword. “This is more dragon treachery! The barbarians waited for their dragon allies to join them before they brought their second wave.”
Merlin leaped in front of Devin and blocked the knight’s thrust with his own sword. “Don’t be a fool!” Merlin grunted as he pushed against the crossed blades. “Thigocia is no friend of Goliath or Roxil. She was a victim of their attack!”
“You fell for their ploy!” Devin growled. “She spawned the scaly beasts! They wouldn’t kill their own mother!”
King Arthur lifted the flashing Excalibur high. “Devin! I command you to desist!”
Devin scowled at the king and backed away from Merlin, muttering something unintelligible.
Barlow’s voice rose above the clattering rain. “Bowmen! Pierce those devils!” A hundred arrows shot into the downpour. Edward raised his sword and stretched to see over the wall of men. The savages were closing in, some dropping into the mud as arrows rained on their advance. Shifting his gaze to the sky, he counted three dragons sweeping the enemy with waves of fire, but he couldn’t tell who they were.
Thunder boomed overhead. Rain pounded even harder. Suddenly, a spear flew in, striking Edward in the chest. He fell off Thigocia’s back, but she caught him in her wing and laid him gently on the ground. As he writhed in the mud, a wave of barbarians slammed into the front lines. Arthur, Merlin, Devin, and Palin charged into the fray, Excalibur flashing in the king’s grip.
Stretching her wings, Thigocia created a shield over Edward. He grimaced at her, pain crushing his words. “Break. . break the spear. I must. . fight.”
“You cannot survive this wound,” Thigocia said. “It has likely pierced your lungs.”
Edward felt blood seeping into his throat. “Let me die. . fighting. . not wallowing in the mud.” He struggled to his knees, feeling for the spear at his back.
“The point protrudes several inches.” Thigocia laid her tail on his shoulder. “Stay as still as you can.”
With Edward holding the front end, Thigocia chomped the shaft near the point and broke it into splinters.
Edward clenched his teeth. “Now break the other end.”
Thigocia clamped her jaws around the shaft, but as she crunched the wood, Edward collapsed to the mud, faceup. The spear broke somewhere inside his body and part of it jerked out. Blood flowed freely from his chest. He arched his back, and his arms and legs stiffened.
Thigocia wrapped her wings around him and pulled him to his feet. “Battle or no battle, I will not let you die in the mud. I can try to heal you, but you have been mortally wounded. First, I have to find a dragon to breathe fire on me.”
Edward stuck his head through a gap in the dragon’s wings, but darkness shrouded the battlefield. Everything moved slowly, like a somber dance in a house of mourning. As King Arthur’s sword swept from side to side, one barbarian after another fell to his blows. Suddenly, the blade flashed with radiance as if struck by a bolt of lightning, but instead of knocking the king flat, the bolt seemed to penetrate his body, lighting him as bright as the sun itself. A brilliant beam shot out of Excalibur’s tip, and as Arthur staggered backwards, he lowered the sword. The beam slashed the ground, sending a streak of lightning along the muddy field. The glittering streak shot into Thigocia, creating a shimmering white halo all around her.
A sizzling sensation burned into Edward’s skin. Everything in his vision flashed so brightly, he couldn’t see at all. Blistering heat surged into his lungs, making them feel on fire. Seconds later, the light flickered off. His pain vanished.
Fighting against the dragon’s leathery wings, he bounded through the opening, then laid his palm on his chest and took a deep breath. Blood dampened his fingers, but not even a twinge of pain hampered his lungs. Even the shaft of the spear had disintegrated. He grabbed his sword and gazed at Thigocia. “What happened?”
“I have no idea.” Thigocia lowered her head and sniffed the hole in his vest. “A miracle?”
“I’ll have to accept that. No time for guessing.”
Edward saluted her and rushed into the battle. As he raised his shield, he heard the dragon call from behind him, “Praise the Maker!” An arrow thumped into his shield, then another. He glanced back at Thigocia and nodded. She nodded in return.
The king swung Excalibur’s beam back into the horde. The savages in its path disappeared as if disintegrated by its energy. Arthur swept the enemy’s lines. Dozens of men blew apart in splashes of sparks, their swords, shields, and helmets falling to the spots where they once stood. The Saxons began fleeing once again, many slipping and falling under the tide of trampling feet. Arthur drew the sword back, and the beam disappeared.
Goliath plummeted from the sky. Makaidos
zoomed behind him, snapping at his tail. With his wings stretching wide, Goliath leveled his flight near the ground and reached down with expanded claws, seizing Arthur’s clothes and jerking him upward. As the king rose into the air, his shield went flying and Excalibur fell to the ground. Arthur’s bowmen turned their aim toward the sky, keeping their arrows drawn back as they awaited orders.
Scattering water droplets from his wings, Makaidos landed next to Merlin, breathless. “Do not think. . for a moment. . that Goliath fears killing the king. We must. . take great care.” The other dragons, Hartanna, Valcor, and Legossi, settled in next to their king. Clefspeare, however, was still nowhere in sight.
Goliath landed in a nearby patch of grass and threw Arthur against a large stone. Trumpeting a great roar, he planted his claws on the king’s limp body and shouted at the soldiers, “Are you willing to bargain in order to rescue the human king? He is alive, but if you refuse to make a deal with me, he will be dead before sundown.”
Roxil landed close to Goliath, but he pushed her away with his tail.
Merlin reached for Excalibur. The moment he snatched it up, the beam returned to the blade and shot into the sky. He angled the light toward Goliath, but when the dragon raised his claws to strike the king, Merlin pulled it back. “With Arthur in his clutches,” he said, “I dare not strike the dragon.”
Sir Devin drew his sword. “I will give that demon an answer he will never forget!”
Merlin pressed his forearm against Devin’s chest, stopping him. He then stepped to the front of the group and faced Goliath. “What would a rebellious dragon want from the two-legged creatures he despises?”
Goliath spewed a stream of fire into the air and let the sparks sizzle for a moment as they fell to the grass. He laughed and stretched out his reply in a low drone. “War.”
“Between humans and dragons?” Merlin asked.
“You catch on quickly for a human, but I do not make agreements with the lying sons of Noah. I am addressing the dragons, those who follow the so-called king of the dragons. I want them to break their alliance with the humans, so that I and my followers can freely wage war against the stupid bipeds. If they give me their word, that will be all I need.”
Makaidos snorted a spray of smoke through his nostrils. “Don’t give in to the demons within you, my son. They have sung lies to you, and they will bring you to destruction.”
Goliath spat a ball of sparks onto the ground. “When you chose the love of humans over that of your own kind, I ceased being your son.” He spread a wing over Roxil’s back. “And your daughter agrees with me.”
Makaidos whipped his tail down, splashing mud all around. “Roxil, was rebelling against me and birthing a youngling with this beast not enough for you? Will you now fight humans with him?”
Roxil turned her gaze toward Goliath. “We are not merely allies in war. We are mates for life.”
“Enough idle chatter!” Goliath roared. He clutched the chain mail on Arthur’s chest and lifted him into the air. “What is your answer, O King of the Dragons?”
Makaidos turned toward Merlin, his eyes flaming red. “I am too angry to think. Do you have counsel?”
Merlin spoke in a low tone. “We must protect the king. Tell him you’ll break the alliance. A falsehood to save an innocent life is not a sin.”
“You do not understand,” Makaidos said. “I cannot utter words I know to be false. Goliath knows this.”
Merlin lowered his head and folded his hands over Excalibur’s hilt. “Then do whatever you must, but I advise that you make no covenant with one who uses threats of murder to gain an advantage.”
Makaidos bowed to Merlin. “I understand, but Goliath is not bluffing. I must prevent him from killing the king.” As he turned back toward Goliath, he lifted his head high. “We will break our alliance. I will no longer fight alongside the human race.”
Goliath’s toothy grin spread wide across his snout. “Very well. Meet me at your cave within the hour, and I will turn the human king over to you. Come alone.”
Goliath flew into the air, Arthur’s body dangling in his claws. Roxil followed, glancing back at Makaidos before turning her gaze to the skies.
Makaidos bowed to Merlin. “I regret this course I had to take, but I do not regret our long friendship. I only promised to refrain from fighting alongside you, not from being your friend. I will not forget what you have taught me over the years, how you became my mentor after Joseph died. You have given me hope for the future.”
Merlin laid a hand on Makaidos’s neck. “It is an honor to be your friend, noble king. As far as I know, you are the only dragon who truly understands the path we all must take. I look forward to seeing your influence spread from one dragon mind to another, for even dragons must be enlightened by the truth.”
“Well spoken, Merlin.” The dragon nuzzled the old man’s cheek. “I will deliver your king to his throne, but, with a dangerous war looming, I cannot say when we will meet again. Farewell.”
Makaidos turned to the other dragons. “You have performed admirably and defeated the enemy, but your mission is now over. Go to your caves and await my instructions. Although we will no longer battle alongside the humans, we still have a war to wage. When I return, we will plan our strategy to bring Goliath and his followers back to their senses.”
Thigocia shuffled close to Makaidos. “Will you return to me safely, my love?”
Makaidos’s eyes flashed. “Are you suggesting that my own son and daughter would try to harm me?”
“Roxil? She did not attack me directly, so we cannot predict her intent, but Goliath frightens me. His eyes burn with the same evil that inflamed the hearts of the Nephilim.”
“I understand. But if a son I raised is willing to obey the demons within him, even if they command him to kill his own father, then perhaps I deserve to die.”
Thigocia swung her head around and scanned the dozens of sets of human eyes watching them. “I will not respond to that in public. Just return to me, and we will fight together to win their hearts back.”
“You have spoken well,” Makaidos said. “Do you know the proper steps to take in naming a new dragon king?”
“I do, but I will not entertain a faithless option. Just come back to me safely.”
Makaidos sighed. “You are right. I will come back to you. Just see to it that none of these loyal dragons tries to follow me to our cave. Let us meet again back at the castle hill, though I cannot be sure when I will arrive.” He reared to his haunches and leaped into the air, his wings unfurling in the same motion. “I will not break my word,” he called, swinging his head back around. Seconds later, he was gone.
The other dragons beat their wings and rose into the sky Legossi, Hartanna, Valcor, and last of all, Thigocia, each one sailing off in a different direction through the dark, stormy skies.
Devin growled through his grinding teeth. “Makaidos doesn’t fool me. He is in league with his son. They will form an alliance and plot the destruction of us all.”
“Ridiculous,” Merlin said, keeping Excalibur at the ready in front of his belt. “Makaidos said our friendship is intact, and a dragon never lies.”
“Perhaps we should all trust in the words of murderers, old man.” Devin lifted his sword. “But when it comes to protecting the king and his rule, I will trust in the edge of a blade.” He slid his sword back into its scabbard and waved toward Palin. “Come with me. I will want a witness to record what happens.”
Palin withdrew a parchment book and stylus from his saddlebag. “Yes, my liege.”
Devin raised his shield, covering his chest. “We will make sure the king comes back alive.”
“No!” Merlin shouted. “Makaidos was supposed to go alone. Your presence will surely inflame the dragons’ parley.”
“I care only for the king!” Devin turned and sprinted away. Splashing through the mud, he and Palin ran up a slope that led into a sparse forest where they had tied their horses.
As t
heir forms blended into the trees, Edward joined Merlin at his side. “If you please, Master Merlin, may I offer a suggestion?”
Merlin kept his gaze fixed on the clouds. “You may.”
Edward stepped in front of the old prophet and cleared his throat. “As you might know,” he said, watching Merlin’s eyes dart from side to side, “I don’t trust any of the dragons, and I trust Sir Devin even less. It seems to me that a human loyal to the king should attend to this matter and make sure he is brought home safely.”
“You are exactly right,” Merlin replied, still gazing at the sky. “I am working on that already.”
“You are?” Edward looked up at the empty gray skies. “How?”
“Through a prayer passed down to me by Noah the patriarch, a prayer for the assistance of a dragon.”
“But the dragons have departed, and Makaidos ordered them not to help us.”
“True, but there is one dragon who did not hear Makaidos’s command. I would trust him with my life.”
“I assume you mean Clefspeare.”
“Yes.” Merlin slid Excalibur into his back scabbard. “You saw him in battle against Goliath and Arramos. Is there any doubt about the heart of such a warrior?”
“He certainly convinced me. His fierceness could not have been an act.”
“Indeed.” Merlin gripped Edward’s forearm. “I will ride Clefspeare to Makaidos’s cave, and I will see if this deal between dragons is kept.”
“Shall I go with you? Another witness could be valuable against the likes of Devin and Palin.”
“I doubt that he would let you ride him, but even if he would, I need you to do something for me.” Merlin pressed the candlestone into Edward’s palm. “Take this gem to my quarters. Clefspeare might not be able to fly if I have it in my possession.”
Edward gazed at the stone and tensed his brow. “Begging your pardon, good prophet, but I believe my abilities can be used more efficiently. I am a warrior, not a trinket courier.”