The Fire Within

by Nicholas Clausen

  “I thought we agreed that if something happened, I was going to get to kill the golden one?” Durgen sounded sincerely upset, and Hayden watched the old rider stagger to his feet. He had to lean on his dragon for support, and Hayden knew he was going to be in pain for a while.

  “Get on your dragon. There will be plenty of people to kill tomorrow.” Hayden said. Durgen let his shoulders sag at the news but went to his dragon none the less.

  They got in their saddles and quickly flew back to the main tent they met at.

  Hayden and Draek were the only two not to land, and they waited in the air for Shane and Estraken to go back into the Metallic Pyramid and for the doors to close behind them. Once the pyramid was closed and quiet, they landed, and Hayden went back into the tent.

  The tent was silent as he walked in, which Hayden thought was a good sign.

  “That didn’t go well,” Rimney said when Hayden made it to the table they were standing at.

  “It went as well as I thought it was going to go,” Hayden replied.

  “You thought you were going to punch that old rider?” Klarack asked.

  “That was.” Hayden thought about his response. “That was not intended.”

  “And you took his golden gauntlets,” Durgen said, pointing at Hayden’s hands. “You beat up and robbed an old man.”

  “They are dragonauts. They are only used by riders.” Hayden explained. He hoped that it made him sound a little better, but he wished someone would change the subject.

  “So,” Kirin said with all seriousness. “We fight.”

  “We fight.” Hayden agreed. “We were always going to fight.” They all nodded their head at this. They would never admit that each of them had been secretly hoping, wishing, that Elizabeth would have surrendered and ended the fight without bloodshed.

  “I think they will attack at first light tomorrow,” Kirin said.

  “Have you seen their army at all?” Hayden asked. “Have you seen them moving or their cavalry?”

  “No.” Kirin shook her head. They looked down at the maps and charts as they listened to Kirin. “We have seen no signs of their armies.”

  “They are in there,” Hayden assured them. “They are all in hiding, waiting for the fight to start.”

  “We can burn them out,” Durgen said.

  “The entire city is metal, it won’t burn,” Hayden replied.

  “You haven’t gotten it hot enough, I promise you, it will burn.” Durgen seemed eager to prove the weight of his words, but there was more to discuss.

  “What’s the plan?” Rimney asked. “I don’t know if you guys noticed but our army wasn’t exactly working well out there today, and that was just a practice.”

  “We won’t have time to fix any of that,” Klarack said.

  Hayden wanted to argue with him, he wanted to scream and shout, but he remained silent. He dug the dragonauts into the table as he listened. Wooden tendrils rose from the tabletop as the golden spiked fingernails scratched across the surface.

  “They will have to be ready,” Hayden said calmly.

  “They will have to work together, or they will die.” Kne agreed.

  “Our best chance is going to have them line up before the sun comes up. We can assemble in the dark so if they decide to attack us at first light, we will be ready.” Hayden explained.

  “We can move the war machines up tonight as well. Get them all within range.” Rimney pointed to the map as she spoke.

  “Good.” Kirin agreed. “They won’t want to leave the protection of their walls unless they have too.”

  “If the city is burning, they will get out.” Durgen smiled.

  “I told you, the city is metal. It won’t burn.” Hayden replied.

  “Oh, it will burn,” Durgen said through his grin.

  “We start with using the war machines and try to get them to leave the city and fight us.” Kirin continued. Ignoring the argument that was brewing between the two.

  “They might try to stay in the city and see if we can last as long as them.” Rimney speculated.

  “No, they will come for us,” Hayden said. “She wants us dead.”

  “She will send her ground troops out first, just like they did at Eytherka.” Hayden pointed to the gates on the walls drawn on the map.

  “They will draw us out and try to get our dragons engaged in the fight, then she will send the full force of her dragons.” Hayden was sure of what he was saying. He knew just how much she hated them.

  “Then we set up tonight and get ahead of her.” Kirin pointed to where their army was going to be the following day.

  “We begin by firing into their city, and when they open the gates, we let our ground troops do what they came here to do.” Klarack smiled as he spoke.

  “But we need to keep our dragons back, at least until we see the Metallic Dragon Riders start to get involved,” Kirin added.

  Hayden thought it was a good plan, but plans would only get them so far. Everything had to go perfect for their plan to work.

  “I wish Cass were here,” Hayden said. He didn’t mean to say it out loud.

  “I know you do, we all do,” Kirin said. She didn’t say it in a way that made Hayden feel like they would rather have her here but just that they all missed her.

  “Send out the word of what we are doing,” Kirin said. She did not command them, but everyone listened to her.

  “The troops will need to rest but only half at a time. Just in case we are wrong, and they attack tonight.” Rimney added. They all agreed and began walking out of the tent.

  “Durgen, Kne,” Hayden said. “Can you two stay behind, I need to talk with you both.” The others looked at each other, but they all left except for Durgen and Kne.

  When it was only the three of them left in the tent, Hayden spoke.

  “I know that we had discussed that I had something in mind for the two of you, and your dragons.” Hayden started.

  Drugen and Kne stood still as they listened to what Hayden had to say.

  “I want both of you to stay back with me, just in the beginning.” Hayden started.

  “You said we would be at the front of the attack.” Durgen rumbled. He lowered his forehead and glared at Hayden.

  “We will not be at the front of the attack in the start, but it will be up to us to get the gates opened,” Hayden said.

  “Kne, I want your black dragons to carry as many Bone Thieves as they can. Once the Metallic Dragons are engaged in the battle, and our dragons take to the sky, I want you to sneak your dragons over the wall and get your people inside.” Hayden explained. Kne nodded but did not speak.

  “And what will we be doing?” Durgen asked.

  “Your people will have to guard them,” Hayden said.

  “We will not play guard duty!” Durgen said.

  “You do realize that it will only be us in the city? We will have no help, and once they realize what it is we are doing, they will do everything they can to stop us. That means lots of dragons attacking.” Hayden explained.

  Durgen liked the sound of that. “We will be on guard duty.” He agreed. He spoke as if it had been his plan all along.

  “Good,” Hayden said, stealing a quick breath before he continued.

  “Here is how this is going to work.” Hayden leaned over the map and explained the details of his plan.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Hayden stared at the city from his vantage point in the darkness. Celestial City was aglow with torchlight that danced and bounced off the metal. The city seemed alive like some strange machine fueled by fire.

  It appeared that the metallic walls were right in front of him, but he knew that the clearing between them was going to be the hardest distance he was ever had to cover.

  Hayden sat in his saddle as Draek shifted beneath him, stretching his muscles and trying to stay loose. His armor seemed dull in the darkness, and as he put his dragon helmet on, he could feel the eyes of the soldiers behind him watching.
<
br />   He tightened the chin straps with fingers that were trembling with anticipation for what was to come. Hoping that in the darkness the men and women behind him couldn’t see his hands shaking. It wasn’t from fear, not entirely so.

  Draek seemed calm underneath him, but Hayden could feel the torrent of emotions in his mind. Hayden made a mental note that he had to get better at controlling his body when this was over.

  Hayden tightened his golden dragonauts and hefted his shield onto his left arm. He knew that he imagined it, but he could have sworn that he felt the heat emanating from the sword on his back. Even through his armor it felt like he had hot coals on is back, but it was just his imagination, he was sure of it.

  Draek shook off the early morning cold that had started to set in as Hayden rolled his shoulders. They could hear the sounds of hundreds of armored troops doing the same thing behind them, the clicking and clacking of metal with the occasional cough to break up the silence.

  Hayden turned to look to his right as a dragon landed beside them. The darkness did not completely hide the dragon, but it did obscure its edges.

  “Hayden,” Kirin said as Nignra moved next to Draek. The two dragons touched their noses together. Her voice cut into the darkness like a hot knife, she wasn’t yelling, but it seemed that way.

  “Kirin,” Hayden replied. He tried to keep his own voice down, but it seemed odd, foreign even, to hear himself now. Everything seemed off, seemed wrong.

  Kirin was dressed in a green armor that looked like a more decorative version of what the elves had worn at Out Post when Hayden had first arrived. Hayden couldn’t see all the details of the armor, but he could tell there were carvings and leaves all over it.

  Hayden thought about how long it had been since he had first seen Out Post. How long it had been since they had left this very city. His mind wanted to wonder and seek refuge in the memories of the past. He forced it back to the present and what was at hand.

  “Are you ready?” She asked.

  Hayden turned and looked at the sea of people that stood behind them. Rows and rows of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder. They had been able to get organized in the darkness, and now they looked the part of being an army.

  Kirin had been checking on the archers, and the other leaders were checking on the groups they had been in charge of. Now, the checking was finished.

  “I am,” Hayden replied. The soldiers around Hayden were standing as still as they could, but Hayden could again hear the sounds of their armor clinking together. He could tell they were trying their best knowing he was watching, he hoped they would try their best when it really mattered.

  “Rimney said she is ready,” Kirin said as she turned to face Celestial City.

  Hayden took a deep breath as he prepared to speak. “Let it begin.” As the last word left his mouth, he saw lights spring up around the army. Rimney had made the soldiers cover torches to ignite the tar-covered projectiles without giving away their position.

  He watched as the lights continued to pop up as far as he could see until the city blocked his view. The little torch lights looked like twinkling stars until they caught the projectiles on fire. The small twinkling stars turned into infernos the size of the dwarfs.

  Hayden was sure the torches or burning rocks barrels of tar would have given Celestial City some warning, but as soon as the projectiles were lit, the air was filled with the sounds of the war machines groaning to life. Rimney did not give them time to have a warning.

  The soldiers remained silent as the first flaming boulders and barrels of tar launched into the air and screamed across the dark early morning sky, leaving a smoking trail like a falling star.

  Hayden heard those around him hold their breath as all around the city, the fireballs reached the height of their flight and made a ring in the air above the city. It was odd, beautiful in a strange way. The city had a halo of fire above it for just a moment, and Hayden had a peculiar thought of what would happen if they didn’t fall if they just stayed in the air forever.

  Again his mind tried to flee from reality, but Hayden knew these tricks and reigned it back.

  They all fell at once and arched towards their various targets. Hayden gripped the front of his saddle so tightly that his hand began to cramp, but he did not lessen his grip.

  Hayden watched, along with everyone who could see and held his breath as the projectiles made contact with the city.

  The sound came like thunder, hundreds of blasts of thunder hitting off beat of each other. The most violent of storms engulfed in fire as the rocks and boulders that had been thrown made loud, resonating sounds as they crashed in the metal buildings and walls. They sent sparks and flames up as they bounced and smashed around, leaving small trails of fire wherever they went.

  The barrels exploded and rained down liquid fire, lighting Celestial City up even more. Some of the barrels collided in the air and exploded before they crashed with any of the buildings. Making it look to the army surrounding the city that fire was falling out of the sky.

  Hayden heard the silence of their soldiers break as Celestial City began to burn. They were finally here, attacking the Metallic Nation. Cheers rose with the added sounds of armor shaking and sword slamming against their shields.

  Hayden couldn’t help but cheer along with those around him. He saw Kirin lean back and yell into the sky with joy.

  Rimney had the war machines working as the next barrage of fireballs leapt into the sky before their cheering could die down. Just as before the projectiles climbed into the air and fell upon the city in various degrees of damage. Rimney was no longer having them fire in unison, now she was letting her war machines work as fast as they could.

  Tell Farious if they can aim those things any to try and hit the gates. Let's see if we can knock them down. Hayden told Draek with a hunger in his voice. The third volley was a little slower to be launched, but they watched several boulders and barrels break off and slam into the gates closest to Hayden.

  The gates were glowing and casting shadows on the statue of the copper dragon above it. Hayden couldn’t help but think about the first time he and Fendrel had walked into the city, under the very gates he was trying to destroy.

  The boulders smashed into the gates with an ear-splitting crash. Hayden instinctively closed his eyes at the sound and turned away slightly. Again the soldiers cheered and shook their weapons. This time Hayden remained silent.

  As the smoke cleared a little Hayden saw that not only were the gates still standing but they seemed undamaged by the impact. Hayden looked at Kirin and realized that they were the only two not celebrating.

  Kirin looked at Hayden, and they both knew that the gates were undamaged. They continued to launch everything they had at the city, the buildings continued to burn, and the soldiers continued to cheer.

  Rimney called a halt to their war machines, and they watched as the city burned slowly until all the fires went out. The sun was beginning its climb into the sky and covered them in a red, orange glow. Letting them see the works of their attacks. Celestial City was still standing.

  The shine was gone, and there was some damage, but it was nothing serious, nothing for the soldiers to cheer about. The smoke from the fires had risen into the air and hung there like a dark cloud.

  Hayden heard soldiers talking that it was a bad sign that the smoke wasn’t leaving.

  “It is a bag sign, a bad sign for them,” Hayden shouted. Some of the soldiers agreed, but far more were quiet.

  The walls and gates that had taken most of the barrage were still standing and seemed to have no more damage than the rest of the city. There were no dents to the metal, no broken pieces fell to the scorched ground. They seemed to successfully dirty the walls and gates, but not much else.

  “What do we do now?” Kirin asked. Hayden didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. He thought that by now they would be fighting, but instead, the city was just as quiet as it had been before.

  W
hen they had realized that no damage was being done Hayden had asked Rimney to stop her war machines. Now they were all standing about the city, waiting.

  “I am not sure,” Hayden answered.

  “Should we attack?” Kirin asked. Hayden could tell by her tone that she was getting nervous.

  Hayden was about to answer when a rumbling sound stopped him. The sound came from the city, but nothing seemed to be happening yet. His eyes immediately went to the pyramid, thinking the dragons were joining the fight, but it stood quiet, just as it had all night.

  They waited and listened to the sound of metal moving and grinding until finally, the gates slowly started to raise up.

  “Get ready!” Hayden shouted. The soldiers behind him tightened up, and all talking stopped. Hayden’s heart seemed to slow as he bent down in his saddle, hefting his shield to his side.

  As the gates rose out of the ground, ash fell from the metal grates, and puffs of smoke flew into the air. They seemed to shake off all the remnants of the night attack.

  Hayden was about to give the order to attack and try to get through the open gate when it stopped moving. It was high enough for a man on a horse to get under, he still had to crouch in the saddle. As soon as the rider was past the gate, it began to close again.

  The rider struck his horse and sent it in a panic gallop heading straight for Hayden and Kirin. A group of fifteen soldiers stepped forward to stand before Hayden and Kirin as the rider neared.

  “I have a message from Elizabeth!” The rider shouted. He stopped the horse and tried his best to keep the animal still. The horse didn’t seem to want to stay put and kept prancing around in a circle.

  Hayden looked to Kirin, but she did not give him anything.

  Let’s go see what they have to say. Hayden told Draek. Draek started walking, and to the guard’s bravery, they didn’t break and walk away but instead walked with Draek.

  Kirin and Nignra walked to their right side.

  As Draek grew closer to the rider, his horse went insane and tried to get away from the two dragons walking up to it, but the rider was able to keep it under control.