by Shawn Sodman
“I won't,” says Kianna as she watches the drake riders ascend into the sky.
Belron leads the other three riders over the northern wall just as General Vork once again activates the magic gate. Carr distances himself from the gate as the orcneas begin to pour through. More ogres also begin to come through carrying battering rams.
Belron calls out to the other riders, “Drop one elixir, then fly northward. We'll circle around for another pass.”
Ashden, Laycor, and Re'ann each drop a fire potion upon the ground around the gate. Several orcneas are killed and many more are injured as they emerge from the gate and into the flames. Belron and the others fly off as the shamans begin to extinguish the fires.
“Next time, target those shamans,” says Belron.
“Captain, look!” says Re'ann as she points to the floating fortress over the sea.
The others look and spot twenty drakes flying towards Sheathelm. Within the drakes' claws are more barrels like the ones dropped on Damion's troops. Belron looks back at the city and says, “With all of airships brought down, we’re the only ones that can stop them.”
Laycor replies, “There are five of them for each one of us.”
“Make that four of them,” says Ashden as he motions towards the city.
Belron watches as someone flies on the back or Toren's drake, Blue Wing. “Who is that?” asks Laycor.
“It's Prince River,” says Re’ann.
“Come on,” orders Belron, “we have to hurry.”
The riders begin to make haste toward the young elven prince as he rides on the back of the sky drake. On the ground, A'ranah is approached by Baeldeth. “Where is the prince?” he asks.
“He is there,” replies A'ranah as she points at the sky drake flying away.
“That fool is going to get himself killed,” says Baeldeth angrily.
Now over the sea, River is joined by Belron and the other riders. “My prince!” calls Belron. “You should return to the castle, and let us handle this.”
“You need my help,” replies River. “I am just as skilled on the back of a drake as anyone.”
Belron looks at the oncoming threat and says, “Very well, my prince. Just be sure that you survive this, because if you don't and I do, I fear your father will have me executed.” Belron studies the enemy drakes and says, “Since we’re not fighting over the city, we can use our fire elixirs. Now let's get above them.”
Belron leads the others higher as the orcnea drakes pass by underneath in two groups. The drake riders circle around and begin to dive on the scaled enemies in the back. They begin to close in when the orcnea drakes start a dive as well.
Ashden throws one of his elixirs at the blue drake he is now following. Since they are both diving so fast through the air, the small bottle is blown off target and misses. Ashden leans back and his drake takes him up.
Laycor, following a spine drake, puts his fire potion away and draws his sword. He closes in, but the spine drake swings its tail, almost striking Laycor. He tries to fly above it so that his sky drake can attack with its claws, but the spine drake pulls up, as well, as they get closer to the sea. Laycor then dives under the drake, putting himself in a precarious position as they glide over the water with the spine drake directly above him. Laycor spies the barrel grasped within the talons of the drake. With an outstretched arm, Laycor swings his sword at the drake’s claws, causing the barrel to be dropped as the spine drake flees.
Laycor looks back at the barrel as it splashes down in the water, when the sea drake breaches the surface and bites down on the neck of the sky drake. The sudden stop throws Laycor from his mount. He hits the water as the sea drake coils around his loyal steed before pulling the sky drake below the surface.
Watching from above, Belron gives up pursuit of another spine drake and changes his course to reach Laycor. “Faster, Nimbus!” he calls to his steed. Nimbus races towards the fallen drake rider as Belron watches blood rise to the surface where the drakes went under.
Belron slows Nimbus as they get closer so that Laycor can get pulled from the water safely. Belron can see the dark shadow in the water below as the sea drake draws near. Belron positions Nimbus above Laycor and yells down, “Grab hold!”
A wave lifts Laycor up, and he is able to wrap his arm around one of Nimbus's claws. Laycor calls out, “Up!”
Nimbus begins to climb into the air, and as he tries to get a better hold on Laycor, the sea drake bursts from the water. Laycor is snatched from Nimbus's grasp by the sea drake's jaws and taken to the depths below. Knowing that there is nothing he can do, Belron orders Nimbus to fly higher.
Re'ann and River continue to pursue their targets. Re'ann positions herself above a fire drake and her steed is able to create a gash in its wing. Re'ann leaves the wounded drake behind as it falls into the water.
Prince River carefully follows an ice drake as it pulls out of a dive and flies over the sea. River maneuvers Blue Wing next to the ice drake and veers into it. The two drakes collide as River thrusts his sword into the side of the blue beast. River leans back, and Blue Wing takes them up again as another drake is vanquished. The prince looks to the city as the first group of enemy drakes reaches the docks.
General Burton and his men hold their ground at the gate that was destroyed by the massive wave. The gateway and surrounding walls separate the city from the docks. The soldiers use their kite shields to keep the orcneas at bay while spear-men stand back and try to stab their long spears into the enemy over the tops of their tall shields. On the walls, archers take aim with their bows while occasionally taking cover from the orcnea archers.
Kel'ana and Ja'noa are still positioned on the wall along with Evelena. Ja'noa throws her star steel daggers at an orcnea at the base of the wall below her, but the orcnea blocks the daggers with his shield. Ja'noa holds out her hands to call for her weapons, and the daggers pull themselves free. The orcnea grabs for them, but in doing so leaves himself vulnerable for Kel'ana to shoot him with Glacies. Ja'noa's daggers return to her while Evelena begins to cast a spell.
“I can only cast the base spell,” says Evelena as a small stone appears in her hands. “I don't have the strength left to make them any larger.” She looks over the wall and spots an orcnea archer taking aim at someone one the wall. Evelena hurls her spell at the enemy, striking him in the side. The orcnea is injured, but not badly. Evelena slumps down and leans back on the ramparts. She looks up at the sky and sees the drakes above. The first ten drakes release the barrels from their claws. As they begin to fall, Evelena yells to the others, “Watch out!”
The three girls begin to run south along the top of the wall, away from the gate and the crowd of soldiers. They enter the guard tower where the wall branches into a “T” shape. If they continue straight forward, they will still be near the docks. They turn to their right and head across the section of wall that separates the city from the castle courtyard.
The barrels hit the ground and explode on impact. One lands next to General Burton, killing him, and many of the men nearby, instantly. On the castle grounds, A'ranah looks up at more drakes flying overhead. They, too, release the barrels in their claws before pulling up and turning back. Over the sea, Belron watches as the deadly explosives fall.
On the ground A'ranah closes her eyes and begins to channel a spell. In her hands a white glowing sphere takes form, and moments later she releases it into the sky. The spell rises higher, and just as the barrels begin to pass it by, the white sphere bursts in brilliant flash of light. The barrels nearby are set off by the spell, and their explosions set off the other barrels that target the courtyard.
Belron sighs with relief at the sight of the fires in the sky. He then shifts his attention to the fleeing drakes. He calls out to the other riders, “Everyone choose a drake and take it down!”
Belron leans forward and Nimbus begins to dive. An ice drake, heading in the opposite direction, tries to pass beneath them, but Nimbus rakes his claws across its ba
ck. Belron leans to the left and turns Nimbus to pursue the injured creature while Prince River begins to follow his choice.
Behind a spine drake, the youngest prince of Elonfar gives chase. The spiked tail waves back and forth, preventing him from getting very close. “Easy, boy,” he says to his mount. “We don't want to get hit by that.” River is still pondering what to do next when Re'ann swoops in and crosses the path of the spine drake. She slashes her sword across the neck of the beast as she passes underneath. The spine drake falls to the water below.
Back at the castle, Lord Damion leads his remaining forces through the west gate of the city. General Levin joins him and says, “Too many orcneas have entered the city. Everyone is falling back to the castle now.”
Damion calls to his men, “Everyone get behind the castle walls!” Though the men are weary, they begin to hurry down the main street of Sheathelm towards the castle.
On the other side of the city, the orcneas have overrun the docks and are now trying to enter the castle grounds through the hole in the wall where the first goblin airship fell. Soldiers of Sheathelm surround the breach and engage in close combat with the enemy. The atrium of the castle overlooks this area and the guards within the archways step back from the edge to allow the archers to step up and attack.
King Arioch paces back and forth in front of the Lunar Gate. Chance enters the atrium from the stairs and says, “Your Majesty, Lord Damion has entered the city and is on his way to the castle now.”
Arioch nods. “Once his forces are in, close the west gate. We cannot risk keeping it open any longer for those in the city.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” replies Chance.
A'ranah ascends the stairs to the atrium as Chance heads to the west gate. Arioch asks, “How are the walls holding up?”
The Amazon queen replies, “We are successfully fending them off at the north gate of the castle so far.”
“Good,” says Arioch. “One breach in the castle wall is all we can afford. If they break through either the north gate or the west, we will have to retreat to the southern stronghold through the Lunar Gate.”
A'ranah looks at the magical gateway that is now surrounded by barrels of black powder and asks, “Once everyone is through the gate, you plan on destroying it, don't you?”
Arioch sighs. “That gate not only leads to the southern stronghold and Elonfar, but it can also open a gate to the magic school of Dicean. If the orcneas possessed this gate, they would be able to launch an attack on the other side of Bruen. I cannot let that happen.”
Chapter 64
Last Defense
Out past the coastline, Belron and the drake riders continue to fight the enemy drakes as they try to flee. Ashden passes over a spine drake and throws a fire elixir over his shoulder. The glass vial breaks, and the potion inside scorches the creature’s spiny back. Ashden throws another, and this time the fire damages one of the spine drake's wings, forcing it out of the sky.
Not far away, Belron has positioned himself above an ice drake. He firmly pats Nimbus’s side and says, “Catch me!” The captain leaps from his saddle and lands on the back of the drake below. Belron steadies himself before drawing his sword and driving it into the heart of the drake through its back. The ice drake begins to fall as Belron pulls out his sword and sheathes it. He jumps from the blue beast and whistles loudly for Nimbus. Belron spreads out his arms and legs to slow his fall as Nimbus matches his speed while diving alongside him. Belron reaches for the saddle and pulls himself back onto his steed. Once he is safely on Nimbus's back, Belron commands his sky drake to pull up.
With half of the enemy drakes defeated, Belron looks ahead to the floating fortress. He calls to the others, “Don't get any closer to that city!” River, Ashden, and Re'ann lean back on their drakes as the remaining enemies continue to retreat. “Return to Sheathelm while I get a better look at this city.”
“Yes, sir,” says Ashden.
The three sky drake riders head back to Sheathelm as Belron takes Nimbus higher into the air. With the floating city now lower than himself, Belron looks down at the immense land mass. The enemy drakes land on the flat space between the two pyramids. Orcneas rush out to harness the flying creatures as they return. All the towers are manned with archers, while behind the walls are catapults and pairs of ballistae with nets run between the two harpoons, making them the perfect weapon to take drakes out of the air. Two hundred orcneas stand at attention in front of the entrances of each pyramid. Belron, seeing enough, turns Nimbus to return to Sheathelm.
At the west gate of the castle, Damion is the last one to enter. As the heavy doors are closed behind him, he says to Chance, “I lost a lot of good men out there.”
“The orcneas have been relentless in their attack,” replies Chance. “We have lost many good men and women.”
The courtyard is now crowded with soldiers, Amazons, and the few remaining residents of Sheathelm. Arioch makes his way to the center of the courtyard. With the fighting continuing at the breach in the wall, he begins to give his orders. “We have opened the gate to the stronghold,” he says loudly over the sounds of battle. “Everyone who is not a fighter is to help the wounded through the gate. General Levin and his troops will go, as well. If the orcneas enter the castle grounds, everyone is to fall back to the keep and we will begin to evacuate as we discussed previously in our meetings. Now go!”
The crowd begins to move as nearly one quarter of the forces heads into the keep. Arioch sees his daughter and immediately makes his way through the people toward her. “What are you doing out here?” he asks, infuriated.
“I’m helping,” Kianna answers.
Arioch looks at Isen and says, “Get Kianna and Ya'leigh through the gate now!”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” says Isen.
Kianna sighs. As they begin to leave, the drake riders return. The crowd makes room for them to land. Prince River dismounts from Blue Wing as Arioch, A'ranah, and Baeldeth approach. River turns and is met with a fist as Baeldeth strikes him in the jaw. “Don't leave my protection again!” barks Baeldeth. “How would I ever be able to explain to your father that you died while riding on the back of a sky drake?”
River rubs the side of his face and replies, “You forget your place, Baeldeth.”
“No,” the bodyguard replies. “You have forgotten yours. You are supposed to give directions and leave the fighting to us.”
“Then why aren't you fighting?” the prince retorts.
Baeldeth, holding back the urge to strike the prince again, replies, “That sounds like a brilliant idea.” He starts to walk towards the breach in the wall when he passes a wounded archer heading away from the fight. “I'll take your bow and arrows,” says Baeldeth to the archer. The man hands Baeldeth his bow, then takes off his quiver before handing it over, as well. Baeldeth inspects them and says, “These will do.”
Baeldeth resumes his march towards the wall as Nimbus and Belron land. The captain of the drake riders climbs off the back of his mount when Nicari grabs him and hugs her husband tightly.
“I was so worried about you,” she says while holding him.
“I told you I would return safely,” he replies. Belron turns to King Arioch and A'ranah as they make their way over to him and says, “Your Majesty, we managed to kill about half of their drakes, but we lost Laycor in the process.”
Arioch nods then asks, “Did you manage to get close to the floating city?”
“Yes, I did,” he answers.
While Belron begins to tell the King what he saw, Baeldeth climbs the stone stairway up to the top of the wall next to the breach where the fighting is currently located. Archers from Sheathelm stand and fight alongside the elven troops.
Baeldeth spots an opening in the line of men along the top of the wall. He fills in the spot and readies his bow. Down below on the docks are hundreds of orcnea forces. At the breach, they clash with the defenders of Sheathelm, who continue to use their kite shields to hold the invaders back.
The orcneas are unable to break through the human wall. When an orcnea is injured or struck down, he is pulled back by the others and led away from the melee. Then another takes his place in the fight. On the other side, a similar strategy is employed as fresh soldiers are brought in to take the place of anyone who is injured or exhausted from holding back the raging enemy. The orcneas that are not engaged in close combat are either defending themselves with shields or firing back at the archers with bows of their own.
Baeldeth says, “I’m surprised their shamans are not shielding them like they did this morning.”
The archer to his left says, “I haven’t seen a single shaman on the docks.”
Baeldeth ponders for a moment before drawing back his bowstring and shooting an arrow at an orcnea archer below. His arrow is blocked by an orcnea shield bearer standing in front of the archer. Baeldeth draws another arrow from his quiver, and as he pulls it back against the bowstring, he channels a mystic force. The arrow takes on an ethereal appearance as it is imbued with Baeldeth's magic. He aims at the orcnea archer again and releases the arrow.
The shield bearer puts himself in the arrow's path and tries to block it again. This time, however, the arrow passes through the shield and strikes the orcnea holding it. The shield bearer falls as Baeldeth draws another arrow from his quiver. He looks to his left, down toward the breach in the wall between the docks and city, and notices six ogres carrying a battering ram made from the trunk of a tree.
There are three ogres on each side of wooden ram. Walking next to them are two shamans. Baeldeth commands his men to target the ogres, but when they do, he realizes that the shamans are using their magic to protect them. The shamans’ spell deflects most of the arrows away. The few that do manage to hit their targets, out of sheer luck, do little harm to the massive beast-like ogres. Even Baeldeth's magically imbued arrows are stopped or deflected.
A thunderous boom comes from the north gate to the keep. Baeldeth looks back over his shoulder to the adjacent side of the courtyard, where the gate begins to splinter and buckle from the orcnea attacks from the other side.