Ychthorn sliced at the other dragon, opening gashes along his shoulder, causing him to pull back sharply. The motion made the man drop the arrow and he swore and hit the beast with his bow as he pulled another arrow from its quiver. As the man struggled, Lana calmly nocked her poison-tipped arrow securely onto her own bow and took aim. She waited patiently until the dragons had parted and were coming around again, took a deep breath, exhaled, and loosed her arrow. It flew straight and true and met its mark without faltering.
The man had been looking down at his own bow, fumbling with the arrow in his hand. His eyes widened with shock as Lana's projectile sunk deep into his throat and he reached up to grab the shaft. Blood bubbled in his mouth and ran down his chin as he stared at the girl. She returned the stare cooly, but her heart was aching. She had never enjoyed killing, even when it was necessary. She watched in pain as the man's eyes grew dull and he slumped in his saddle.
The dragon did not realize his master had been killed and attacked Thorn again. Thorn battled viciously, fighting for both his and Lana's lives. When the two dragons parted, Thorn pointed at the other dragon's back.
"Your master is dead. Surrender and you will not be harmed."
The other dragon paused, confused momentarily until he realized the weight on his back felt differently than normal. He glanced back, reluctant to take his eyes from Ychthorn. Pain, sadness, and vengeance flooded the dragon's eyes, blurring his vision. He roared a roar so loud, dragons all around them paused in their battles to stare at the beast. Ripping the saddle from his back, the dragon threw his master to the ground and turned to face Thorn and Lana. Lana straightened, her heart lightening as she congratulated herself and Thorn on freeing another enslaved dragon.
"You are dead. Both you and your master. I will tear you apart with my own claws and watch your blood water the earth. The queen will have your heads displayed on the city gates for all to bear witness to your failed rebellion."
Lana gaped at the dragon uncomprehendingly. She had not expected his reaction to be so vile and hateful. So many dragons had surrendered on the battlefield, she was unprepared for one to show loyalty to their master, much less the queen. She was not ready for the sudden sharp turn Thorn made to greet the incoming beast and her body whipped like a lifeless doll in the saddle. Grasping desperately, she slipped a hand into the leather strap and pulled herself into Thorn's neck, barely avoiding the raking claws of the opponent. Thorn and the other dragon battled fiercely, a battle both knew was to the death.
The other dragon slipped a claw through a gap in Thorn's armor and ripped a jagged hole in the red dragon's flesh. Thorn screamed and returned the attack, tattooing parallel stripes on the dragon's flank. The battle continued for several minutes, both dragons growing tired and battered. In a last, desperate attack, the other dragon lunged at Ychthorn and ripped with both claws.
The armor guarding Thorn's chest tore free and the other beast took advantage. He grabbed at Thorn's head with his front hands, kicking at the son of Sigurd with his hind claws. Thorn tore himself free of the hands quickly, but not before the back claws ripped a huge hole in his chest. He panted in pain as blood poured from the wound. The other dragon lunged at Lana, trying to take her out while Thorn was off balance.
Seeing his best friend in danger, Thorn reacted on pure instinct and reached out with his mind, imagining the beast's throat exploding. Both he and Lana were covered in blood and flesh as a hole opened in the other dragon's neck. Its eyes grew wide and it struggled for breath, its hands closing around the unexpected wound. Understanding flooded its face, to be quickly replaced by peaceful serenity. Lana watched as the creature's wings stilled and he tumbled unchecked to the ground, landing beside his master. She realized with distress that she, too, was rapidly approaching the ground and the world grew black as her head hit the earth.
Chapter 38
Bolgor and Bellithana made their way through the palace carefully. As they rounded each corner, they prepared themselves for a fight with a servant or guard, but their path was eerily quiet and deserted. When they approached the main entrance hall, they paused. Bolgor leaned around the corner, surveying the situation. A few servants milled about near the doors, watching the skies, but no guards were present. They moved out into the open hall, keeping close to the wall.
Bolgor's clanking armor drew the attention of the servants, who looked at him, then looked back at the skies again. When they returned their gazes to him, fear shone in their eyes and they backed away toward the opposite side of the hall. He let them go. He and Belli had a far more important task than to chase down servants. With the doors clear of bodies, they stepped out into the courtyard in front of the palace. To the north, they could see the dragons battling and Bolgor paused. He couldn't distinguish the individual dragons or their riders from that distance, but that didn't stop him from searching for the woman he loved.
"They'll be OK." Belli's hand on his shoulder brought him back to his task.
He nodded and headed toward the palace gate. It was guarded, but not heavily. When they were halfway across the courtyard, soldiers began streaming through the gates, running toward the palace and shouting, their swords pointed toward the towers on the far side. Bolgor and Belli stepped to the side, preparing to defend themselves, but the soldiers ignored them, continuing on into the palace itself.
The pair looked up and saw a small group of dragons approaching the palace towers. One smaller dragon outpaced those behind him and flew through a hail of arrows shot from the windows of a tower. Ignoring the stinging bites on his wings, he darted at the tower, ripping with his claws. Bolgor watched as several soldiers tumbled out of the hole the dragon tore in the side of the stone structure, but he was too far away to hear their screams. Looking away grimly, he and Belli headed through the gate toward the south entrance. The guards remaining at the palace gate had their eyes riveted on the battle at the towers and did not even attempt to stop them.
They headed toward the south gate, at first wary of running into guards or pedestrians, but the streets were as bare as the palace and they soon picked up their pace, throwing caution to the wind. Quick glances behind them and to their left told them that the attack was well underway, and they still had a mission to complete. When they finally came into sight of the south gate, they slowed, approaching the area carefully. The Hidden were supposed to have this area under control, but the area looked deserted to Bolgor. They made their way down the main avenue leading to the gate. As they reached the last houses, Belli grabbed his arm and pointed.
"Over there."
She steered him to the corner of one of the houses and began speaking with some of the invisible beings. Bolgor surveyed the gate and the area around them, feeling impatient and slightly worried.
"OK, they have this area under control. Let's get going."
They headed out the gate and turned to the southeast. They could see the buildings that were their targets over a small rise in the landscape. Bolgor sighed, dreading the long trek, but they needed to make it, and they needed to make it quickly. The slope was slippery with mud from the consistent drizzle and they had to move slowly down the incline. Once they reached the flat at the base of the path, they began running, their feet splashing through puddles as they went. Bolgor glanced to his left repeatedly, searching the ranks of dragons flying over the city in vain for the red beast he had grown so close to. When they came within range of the buildings, though, he had to turn his attention back to his job.
They approached the buildings cautiously, keeping to the side of the path, near the trees. When they broke into the clearing around the area, Bolgor recognized the buildings. They were very much like the enclosures he had grown up around and it made him shudder when he involuntarily thought of the little purple hatchling whose death had set off the beginning of this war.
The dragon stables were much larger than those in Jaje, but the design was the same. Four dragon enclosures flanked the clearing and the hatchery stood at th
e far end. Half a dozen guards stood in the clearing near a large watering trough, watching the battles raging around the city. The majority of the dragon enclosures stood open, their occupants currently engaged in a fight for their lives in the air over Rona. Bolgor secretly hoped that many of those dragons would surrender and accept the freedom that would be offered to them. He and Belli were going to free the dragons who were not taken to the battle, along with any hatchlings. A handful of Gypsies were supposed to be waiting in the woods beyond the hatchery with wagons to assist in the removal.
Belli moved into the square, drawing the attention of the guards. They stared at her, mesmerized by her beauty and startled by her sudden appearance. Bolgor moved out beside her, loosening his mace. Seeing the weapon, one of the guards shouted and drew his sword, pointing at the pair. Three guards joined him in a rush toward the warrior and his companion, while the other two, boys who looked barely old enough to fight, hung back, watching the battle with uncertainty.
Bolgor raised his mace and advanced toward the oncoming soldiers as Belli raised her hand, a fireball forming on the tips of her fingers. Without warning, the man who led the charge fell to his knees, his sword dropping from his hand as he tumbled over to land face first in the mud. The other three pulled up their attack, staring at the man and the arrow protruding from his back. They looked around, turning their backs on Bolgor and Belli, searching for the new, unseen attackers. Bolgor strode forward, mace held menacingly.
"Surrender, and you'll be spared." His deep, commanding voice made the three men jump as they turned back to face him, swords held at the ready. The two boys standing near the water trough immediately dropped their weapons and cowered in fear. Belli's fireball danced in her hand and she smirked at the expressions on the men's faces. One of the men dropped his sword and stepped back to stand with the two boys, his hands raised. The other two advanced on Bolgor and Belli, swinging their swords wildly.
The first man received Bellithana's fireball full in the face and he fell to the earth screaming in pain as the flames danced across his skin. His screams ended as his body became engulfed in fire and, after mere minutes, nothing but a smoldering mass of black ash remained. The other man swung at Bolgor, who parried easily and returned the attack. The man stumbled back briefly, but advanced again. He managed to get a strike in, slicing through the thick leather at Bolgor's elbow, leaving behind a thin strip of blood. The pain, though minor, angered Bolgor and he attacked furiously. The man quailed under the fierce attack and his sword was knocked from his hand. Bolgor once again demanded his surrender, but his opponent rose, bearing a dagger pulled from his boot. Bolgor sighed in disgust and took a swing. The man could not dodge the heavy mace and he was launched several feet into the air as his armor dented beneath the blow. He crumpled to the ground and did not move.
Gypsies came from behind the buildings to apprehend the three men who surrendered. Once they were bound and seated near the water trough, Bolgor and Bellithana joined the Gypsies in searching the buildings for dragons. They started on the enclosure to their right while the Gypsies searched the enclosures on the left. Belli and Bolgor entered the door with weapons drawn. No one had come to the aid of the men in the courtyard, but it was still possible that some were hiding in the enclosures.
When they stepped through the door, the inside was quite black. Belli sparked a fireball and lit a torch on the wall. She pulled it from its sconce and made her way down the row of dragon pens. The first dozen pens were empty, their doors flung open, straw scattered out into the alley. It was clear that the occupants had been saddled and moved in a hurry. More than halfway down the aisle, Belli saw a door that remained shut. Shuffling noises could be heard inside, along with the occasional deep sneeze. She beckoned to Bolgor, who raised his mace as she prepared to open the door.
"Hello?"
The raspy voice coming from inside the stall startled the pair and they looked at each other with wide eyes.
"Is anybody there?"
"Uh, hello there." Bolgor shrugged at Belli, who nodded encouragement for him to continue. "Um, we're here to, uh, rescue you?"
"Rescue who?"
"You."
Silence fell for several moments before the next response came weakly through the wooden door. "Why would you want to do that?"
Bolgor opened his mouth to answer, but shut it again. He had never really thought about why the dragons should be free. He just knew that they should be. He looked to Belli for help.
"Because you do not deserve to be caged up like an animal," she said. "You deserve freedom, just like every other sentient being on this earth. You are no work horse or plow oxen. You are better than that."
"Well, that's true," came the reply. "I definitely am smarter than an oxen. Why, just the other day, one of those stupid things walked right into a hole in the field they were plowing and broke its leg. I never would have done something so dumb."
"That's right." Belli smiled at Bolgor, who was trying desperately to contain his laughter. "So, would you like us to free you now?"
"Oh, yes, please. That would be quite splendid indeed."
Bolgor allowed himself a small chuckle and raised his mace, which had drooped during the entertaining conversation. Though the creature on the other side sounded pleasant enough, one could never be sure. He nodded at Belli, who pulled the locking pin from the door and turned the handle. The door swung outward and Belli raised the torch so they could see inside. In the far corner of the stall lay a small silver dragon, not much bigger than an ox. In his hand he held a large cloth square, which he continually used to wipe his snout. He raised his head, hope dancing in his eyes, but did not move from the corner.
"Come on out," Belli offered.
At her encouragement, the little dragon perked up, his eyes shining bright. A toothy grin spread across his face and he bounded through the door like a rabbit, nearly knocking Bolgor aside as he leapt past Belli.
"Oh dear. I do apologize. I did not see you there." The dragon's face dropped and he crouched on all fours like a trapped animal. "W-why are you carrying a m-mace? Are you going to k-kill me?"
"What?" Bolgor looked at the dragon in absolute confusion before realizing he still held his mace at the ready. Blushing with embarrassment, he put the mace away and held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. We didn't know who would be in here. I didn't mean to scare you."
With the weapon sheathed, the dragon resumed his bubbly nature. "Oh, it's alright. I know how mean the guards here can be."
He gestured to his side and Belli raised the torch. In the flickering light, they could see myriads of crisscrossing scars lacing the dragon's pale skin. Some of the scars were fresh and she noticed a bright red line running across his shoulder, which made her shudder. She turned her face away and closed her eyes, a tear running down her cheek. She had seen so much abuse, but she could never grow used to it. Taking a deep breath, she turned back toward the dragon.
"Are there any others here?"
"In this building? No. They said they left me behind because they were afraid I'd get eaten in one bite. But I don't think that was the real reason. I think it's because I have a horrible cold and can't fly straight. My master wouldn't care if I got all ate up, anyway." His eyes widened as he thought of his master. "Oh, no. Where is my master? He might come try to hurt you!"
"Well, there are three dead guards outside and three that surrendered. Could he be among them?"
"Maybe. But I think he said something about playing cards with the other—"
A door banged open at the end of the aisle and voices drifted through the building. Bolgor and Belli froze and the little dragon leapt back into his stall.
"What is all this noise?" The voice boomed down the length of the building and a large man lumbered into the light. He stumbled frequently and clutched the walls to keep upright. A sword was strapped to his hip and it banged carelessly against his side. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?" he demanded.
Belli
stepped up to meet the man as Bolgor removed his mace from its holder. "I'm Bellithana. I'm here to take that little dragon from this place and get him to the Gypsies, where he will receive the care he needs and deserves. You don't mind, do you?"
Gripping the open door tightly, the man squinted his eyes and leaned closer to the woman, trying to see her clearly. He wobbled as he tilted forward and the door moved, throwing him so far off balance he landed on his face.
"They didn't really let that thing ride that tiny dragon, did they?" Bolgor looked aghast at the thought.
"I sure hope not." Belli looked through the waving door at the dragon. "Did they really let him ride you?"
"Oh yes. And he is sure heavy. My back hurts after every ride."
"Well, this will be the end of it, then."
As Belli spoke, the door at the front of the building opened and two Gypsies entered. Noticing the man on the floor, they drew their weapons and approached cautiously.
"What exactly is going on?" one of the Gypsies questioned Belli.
"Apparently the riders were playing cards down there in a room at the end. This thing is this little dragon's rider, it would seem, and he came out when we made too much noise." She kicked at the man on the ground with her boot, but he only groaned and rolled to his side, where he promptly vomited. "And it would also seem that he's been drinking."
"I see. Well, we found six dragons in the other three buildings, so there are probably six more men down there. Bolgor, come with us. We should be able to handle them with the three of us. Belli, would you watch the dragon?"
Blood of the Dragon: An NA Epic Fantasy Page 22