Mary went right up to the distracted and plunged her dagger deep under the man’s armpit. When he turned around to face his opponent Mary had left the dagger and backed up with her sword in front of her. When Kaul went to remove the dagger Mary attacked him relentlessly, all of her training came to the front as she had him nicked and bleeding from any exposed skin. The dagger was buried under his sword arm so he was forced to fight with his offhand. He died with a look of terror on his face as Mary melted into the crowd. She would need to make her way to her palace, it was easily defendable and she could outlast whatever forces Yadia had put together. Mary took a horse that had to belong to one of the participants of the tournament and rode hard for the palace, when she got there she saw the betrayal had gone deeper than she imagined. General Raisa was there, along with what had to be half of the dragoon riders in Gale out front. The palace guards had all been slaughtered to a man, the plan the traitors put together was working.
Mary turned the horse around and tried to think quickly, she could use a secret passage to get into the palace but had to assume the enemy was already inside. Right now she had no mages, no army and only enemies; she sent a silent prayer to her grandmother for her foresight. Mary got off her horse in front of a shoe store in the wealthy district. This shoe store had the shabbiest shoes imaginable, they were both poorly made and of a poor quality. It also was barely open, even when it was it stood next to what was perhaps the finest cobbler in Gale, this was by design though. Mary quickly found the hidden switch which unlatched the door and went inside. Mary closed and locked the door behind her and made her way to the back room. Part of the wall there was false, it opened by locking the backroom door, putting a weight on a certain part of the floor and tugging at a particular shoe that was on a shelf. The wall gave way and opened. Mary rushed inside as it shut behind her. The tunnel she was in was dark and smelled musty, Mary ran more on feel than sight as she knew the tunnel went straight to where she was trying to go. After what seemed like forever Mary reached the end of the tunnel and was glad she had not heard any pursuers as she opened the door. Mary was now in a small house just inside the city gates, a vagrant had been given a good deal of money to ensure the place was kept up. All he had to do was make sure the place stayed stocked with food and other items and that one of the two horses was always hitched to the single wagon kept at the residence. In return he received a small house, the only male in the city with one provided he kept quiet. Of course he was under the assumption that he worked for the Axe so his silence was virtually guaranteed. Mary put some baggy clothes over her armor and redid her hair quickly before heading out and finding the wagon. Just by luck as she was getting ready to leave a large crowd joined in and she left the city without any incident, the guards didn’t even check anyone.
Mary had been on the road for an hour with the other travelers when she heard a disturbance behind her. Mary’s heart dropped when she looked back and noticed Dragoons had caught up with her, what was even worse was that there were griffins with them. Mary wanted to speed her horse up but there was too much traffic, that and it would give her away. Mary started formulating a plan, she had already well-rehearsed her cover story and if she was lucky no one would recognize her as the Queen. The lead dragoon rider was getting closer, making everyone behind her stop to be searched, that’s when Mary saw him, the red warrior on the flying dragoon. Mary watched the warrior and the dragoon bravely fight off griffins and dragoons alike when the warrior was knocked off his mount. If his dragoon landed it would be a death sentence but to Mary’s surprise the Red Warrior continued fighting on the ground for a bit then started running right for her.
CHAPTER 8
The Escape
Max had barely made it back into the city, just in time for the Grand Tournament. The trip was a long one, the fact Francis had schemed any merchant looking to make fast money made the trip that much slower. Max had left Francis two towns over with his new gang on con men after traveling with him for two months; if Max was being honest he had improved himself since he met Francis. Although Max had only a quarter of his original winnings, the money he had gotten working with Francis was enough to buy himself a breastplate and skirt armor and helm. It was made with cheap red steel instead of its pricier cousin gray steel, but it was exactly what Max had wanted. The effect he had made it look like his normal skin was part of an armor set since his scales matched perfect with red steel. The blacksmith had thought Max foolish and had told him at least three times that red steel was easily pierced and dented. He had attempted to give Max a better deal on another metal but gave up. As Max went into the big arena, he could see he was amongst the last to arrive.
The men around him looked at him sideways and would have said something insulting but Max’s size and fearsome looking helm dissuaded them. Max had grown again, now he was as tall and massive as any man he had ever met. He knew this was because of the dragon’s gift, unfortunately he wouldn’t get another growth spurt again. The blade he had carried had also went through a change, the more he held it, the less the sword seemed like a tool and more like and extension of his body. The sword felt good in his hands and he had found time to practice with it every day, his speed had improved as did his reflexes. Max would need it here, it looked like over a thousand people would be in this tournament, they must be excited even more since the princess had now become Queen. The men were all hustled in one area, right in the center of the arena where the crowd looked down upon them.
Max could make out that mages were here, he had never seen them perform magic before but heard they could be real deadly. The Queen was here, she walked in under guard in a white dress and crown atop her head. The woman must had been fantasizing about getting married immediately after the tournament and she ready to do it. Max stared at the queen almost missing his introduction as the woman speaking pointed him out. Max raised his sword high, people cheered for him but right away he could tell something was wrong. One of the mages stared at him and looked to be mumbling something under her breath and pointing in his direction. Fire shot out from the woman’s hand and due to the people around Max had no place to run. The fire enveloped him, Max could see the flames but they did not burn, not even his still human parts. In fact the fire felt good Max thought, it warmed him to his bones then suddenly cut out. Max was too busy with the way the flame felt and almost was killed because of it, a man with a sword viciously slashed him across the chest, opening up a rent in his armor. Max willed his sword hotter and cut through the top of the man’s head, going through sword and all. It looked like the soldiers were slaughtering the commoners. Max slashed at anyone near him, running his white hot sword through the back of a man’s armor before pulling it out and stabbing another man in the face with it. Fire continued to rain down from the stands, Max could see some warriors climb up there. All seemed to be focused on a woman in armor, slashing her way through the crowd. Max took the distraction and ran towards the exit. He kept his sword white hot, anyone in front of him screamed in pain as he got near and moved out of his way. He probably had severely burned a couple of people on his way out but had to stop in his tracks.
Months ago during his kidnapping, one man was in charge of it all, currently that one man was on top of a dragoon and used the beast to bite and claw at certain people leaving the arena. The beast rider was looking for someone, now that Max thought about it; it was probably the female warrior. The one who’s crown fell to the crown as she fought her way to a mage. That was no warrior, that was the new Queen Max surmised as he realized he was within striking distance of the dragoon. Max plunged his sword hilt deep into the animal’s ass and pulled it out quickly. The animal thrashed around to get at what had just wounded it. It snapped at Max as he held the sword up. It was then Max knew the dragoons did not share the immunity of fire dragons had. It yelped as it stuck its face to Max’s sword probably attempting to yank it free but instead got a face full of furnace. Max charged after the retreating head and cut into its neck de
eply with his sword. Whether it was the unnatural sharpness or the still growing heat Max did not know, what he did know was that the sword went through scale and bone and out the other side without any resistance. The animal dropped as its owner rolled free, Max was on the man in an instant and plunged his sword into the man’s leg as something knocked him to the ground. Max hurriedly got up and saw it was a griffin rider, Max swung at bird, the heat caused it to flap wildly and toss its rider. Max ran and without slowing down delivered a kick to the downed riders head. Max felt bone give as his foot collapsed the skull and sent bits of brain and bone all over the ground. The dragoon rider was still down and now screaming for help, Max pinned the man down and held his sword to the man’s head and watched in horror and fascination as the man’s clothing, hair and face eventually burst into flames. Max looked around and could see other dragoon riders noticing him. Max was too enclosed where he was at and took off down the main street. Max could hear the dragoons stomping on people in an attempt to get at him when he felt a strong pressure gripping both of his shoulders, seconds later Max was airborne.
“THEY HAVE ONE OF MY KIND CLOSE BUT I CANNOT GET TO HER” Max heard a voice in his head say.
“Dragon?” Max asked out loud before remembering Dragonbreed could communicate with its dragon if the two were near.
“I NEED TO WAKE HER” Xander said as Max felt a wave of anger. “I DONT KNOW WHAT THOSE BEAST ARE BUT THEY ARE NOT DRAGON KIND. THEY SMELL LIKE DRAGON AND LOOK A LITTLE LIKE DRAGON, BUT THEY ARE NOT DRAGON. THEY ARE MINDLESS BEAST, I SMELL THE SCENT OF MAGIC ON THEM. THE ONES I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE ALL BEEN FEMALE, THIS IS A MAGE’S DOING. I HATE MAGES”.
Max was going to reply as Xander landed a couple of blocks away from the arena. Max recognized the area although he had never seen it from the inside. Max was in the beast riders school near the stables, there were a couple of juvenile dragoons there who ignored them.
“LOOK AT THESE YOUNG ONES” Xander said into Max’s mind. “THEY DO NOT SPEAK OR PLAY, THEY ARE MINDLESS ANIMAL’S. I WILL KILL WHO IS BEHIND THIS WHERE IS THE RULER OF THIS LAND?”
“She has only been Queen for a week and it looks like people want her out” Max replied.
“THEN WHO IS GIVING ORDERS TO THESE MINDLESS BEAST?”
“I think it is whoever in charge right now” Max replied. “You left me”.
“I DID DRAGON BREED” Xander replied. “I NEEDED TO FEED AND GET MY STRENGTH UP. I WAS DRAWN HERE BECAUSE I CAN SENSE FEMALES, WHEN I GOT HERE I THOUGHT MY LUCK HAD CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. I PICKED UP THE SCENTS OF MORE FEMALES THAN I COULD COUNT, I CAME HERE AFTER I FEASTED FOR FIVE MONTHS. I SLIPPED IN AT DARKNESS AND TRIED COMMUNICATINNG< THAT’S WHEN I KNEW THESE BEASTS WERE NOT DRAGON. STILL I CAN SMELL THEIR MOTHER, HER SCENT IS ALL OVER THE FALSE DRAGONS.SHE IS IN THE PALACE BUT MUST BE BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND”.
“We can’t get to her” Max responded. “Have you seen the size of the dragoons? We need to grab whatever we can and leave”.
Xander agreed with him as Max opened up the door of a wealthy looking building. There were bodies strewn about, Max figured they were the men not in on whatever madness was happening and searched them anyway and came up with ten gold. These people were rich Max thought as he climbed to the top floor of the tower. He figured the man in charged must live at the top and was not disappointed when he kicked open the door. Max ransacked the room and found a small chest, Max opened it and found papers, gold and a small bag. Max looked inside the bag and saw it was loaded with gemstones. Max found a traveling bag and draped it over his shoulder and claimed the bag. Max didn’t know the exact amount of money claimed within but knew he definitely never had to work again and was about to leave when he spotted perhaps the most important thing there. It was a signet ring, a little dusty and a bit worn. Max took it, he could write himself writs now, especially since Xander’s knowledge had taught him how to read. Max willed his sword hotter and set flam to the papers in the chest and the room as he heard a warning shout in his head. Max had lost track of time while he was here, Max ran down the stairs just as Xander hid himself in one of the huge stalls for dragoons. Max hid behind him as four dragoon riders came through the gate, saw smoke coming from the tower and cursed.
“GET ON” Max heard Xander say as he climbed on the dragon and situated himself right in front of the dragons wings and grabbed on the bony protrusions he found there. Xander made a run for it and bit down so viciously on a distracted dragoon he almost severed its head. The dragoon riders noticed Max and let out a scream as Xander barreled through the now landing griffins and took off towards the sky. Xander made a straight line out the back gate and dipped in the trees until he was gone from sight.
“I think we lost them” Max said as he looked up at the trees. “If there is a female dragon buried somewhere we can’t get to her yet. We need more people to fight on our side”.
“WE WILL HAVE THEM” XANDER STATED. “DID YOU GET ANYTHING OF VALUE?”
“I got enough to see us taken care of” Max began with a sigh. “But war is coming, if there is a way to get to her I don’t know how”.
Max and Xander waited in silence after that, each needing to reevaluate their situation. It was during this time Max wrapped the traveling bag securely around Xander’s bony protrusions at the base of his neck. If a fight found them, Max had to be ready to defend them both. Max saw Xander stiffen as a griffin flew overhead then dived down at them. Xander reared back and bathed the beast in flame as it came in too fast to turn around. Feathers, fur and the human riding it turned into a huge fireball that crashed into the ground. Max jumped on Xander and they took off, flying over the city as more griffins started filling the skies behind them. Max looked down and could see dragoons were out and about sniffing and searching wagons as they flew overhead. A cry was let out and the dragoon riders followed Max and Xander as the left the city limits. The road below was filled with dragoons who seemed as if they were trying to get ahead of all the travelers, maybe they were searching for the queen and she got away. They couldn’t have been searching for him on the road since they knew Xander could fly. Xander pumped his wings even harder and made good distance between him and the griffins but it was no use. More griffins rose in the air from below, Xander had just flew over the last dragoon in the long line but Max looked back and could see they were all chasing him. Max held on tight as Xander shot straight up, the two griffin riders who tried this lost their grip and fell. The others though didn’t try such a hard angle and tried to keep pace with the elevating dragon. Xander did a barley roll and headed straight down as he clipped a griffin and sent its rider hurtling down. Xander went straight at the ground then pulled up and flew towards the incoming dragoons. Xander roasted them as Max was knocked off Xander by a griffin.
Max could see there was no way Xander could land and grab him and would fight through. Xander spew forth more flame as Max cut and chopped his way through dragoon and rider alike. Max used the commotion he and Xander caused by injuring the now wriggling and flailing dragoon and took off running. Max pumped his legs hard and thought while he may be able to run away from dragoons, the griffins would be another matter. Max was about to pass a traveler on the road with her wagon, her horse apparently frightened at the commotion started taking off. That’s when the wagon slowed a bit and the woman turned around and told him to hop in the back, it was the Queen. Max jumped in the back and looked back at Xander as he started having an aerial battle with the griffins. Max turned towards the road, the queen was running her horse hard as he could make out a campground off to the side of the road. The space would do nicely as it contained no trees. Before they could stop a griffin flew in straight for the horse, the horse reared back as Max used the sudden stop to propel himself forward where he flew under the griffin and cut its underside from neck to tail. Max hit the ground into a roll as the griffins guts fell out if and it crashed to the ground. Its rider got up in a hurry and pulled out his weapon, a small spear.
Max took off his helm
and smiled as he charged the small rider who turned to face him.
“Do you remember me?” Max asked as he held his sword up. “Because I remember you, you should have killed me in that cave. Now it is you who is the hunted. Despite his larger size now, Max saw recognition shine in the boy’s eyes as he stabbed with his spear. Max grabbed hold of it and yanked hard sending the boy hurtling towards the fist that was forming in his other hand. Max felt the small man’s head give way like a ripe melon dropped from a high place. The queen had gotten off her wagon and was trying to move the griffin carcass as Max heard Xander in his mind. Hurriedly, Max relayed information to Xander about his situation as he picked the Queen up in his arms and ran to the open area. Xander came in hard and beat them there as Max helped the Queen get on his back then climbed on himself as Xander took off, the dragoons still far behind and dealing with the fire. Max could tell the added weight was troubling Xander although the dragon said nothing. The queen stuck a hand in her armor, pulled out a knife as casually tossed it off to the side where a griffin was flying alongside trying to stay hidden. Max had no idea if she hit anything but it made the griffin bank hard and almost lose its rider who had given up the chase. A picture flashed in Max’s mind, it was the mountain where he and Xander first met. Xander banked slightly to the right and headed there.
CHAPTER 9
“Dragon rider” the Queen said as Max turned her way after Xander had dropped them off in the mountains then left in search of food.
“Call me Max” Max replied as he sat on the ground with his back up against a jagged stone trying to get comfortable.
Max the Dragon Warrior Page 6
