Nath punched. Clawed.
The dark dragons bit and spat.
“Get off me!”
He grabbed hold of a bull dragon and busted its wings. He ripped a grey scaler off his leg and smashed it into the stony ground.
The valley had become a furious knot of muscle and scale gone mad.
A sky raider almost as big as him landed on him and spat hot lava in his face.
Nath rammed it with his horns and blasted it with fire of his own.
It screamed and then withered away.
Shaking his back, he slung a small horde off him.
This is madness! Guzan’s beard! They’re everywhere!
Bigger, stronger, faster than all of them, Nath tried to take them out one at a time. Tooth and claw penetrated his scales. Dragon blood dripped everywhere. For every two he downed, four more appeared from the frenzied dragon horde.
“Enough of this!”
He gathered his feet under him, spread his wings, and took to the air. He made it up one hundred feet, then two.
Zazz-zap! Zazz-zap! Zazz-zap! Zazz-zap!
The blue razor’s lightning ripped through him. Smoke and explosions filled the air. One by one, two by two, and four by four, dragons latched on, pinning his wings, tearing at his body and his legs.
“No!”
Nath twisted out of control and plummeted toward the rushing ground below. He hit one of the arches in the great stone square and plowed right through it. Through the smoke and haze, pushing the rubble and crushed dragons aside, he rose to his feet once more, great shoulders slouched. Aching. Exhausted.
A bright red bull dragon swooped right at him and unleashed its fiery breath.
Nath unleashed his.
The forces collided and exploded.
Boom!
The bull dragon made a rough landing and shook its head. Nath’s breath scorched it into the earth, leaving only bones among the ashes.
Nath staggered back and braced himself against the towering stones, feeling empty inside from head to toe. His fire was gone, and he had little breath at all remaining. He glanced up at the sound of the roaring dragons that now descended by the dozens like a swarm of angry hornets.
He lifted his fists and lowered his chin, prepared for his final stand.
CHAPTER 22
“We have to get down there and help him!” Brenwar said, eyeing the sky.
Dragons were pouring down into the valley like rain, and their breath weapons were lighting up the air.
Brenwar’s chest tightened. It seemed like the entire world was assaulting his friend, Nath Dragon. “Do something, wizard!” he commanded. “Teleport us or something!”
“Patience,” Sasha urged. “He’s trying.”
Bayzog’s eyes were locked on a scroll. His lips moved quickly and spoke at a hastened pace, the words ancient and in Elven.
“Now is not the time for talk! It’s the time for action.”
“I’m with you, Brenwar,” Ben said, rolling his shoulder and checking his arm. He tossed the potion vial to Rerry. “It’ll mend you and make you feel great. Finish it.” He unhitched Akron from his back. Clatch. Snap. Clatch. He tested the string. “Let’s go, Brenwar!”
“Don’t be foolish,” Shum said, stepping in front of them. “Patience. There’s nothing but dragons and death down there.”
“Get out of our way,” Brenwar growled. “Dragons. Death. Aye. And our friend is in it. Move!” He had started to shove past when Hoven stepped in as well.
“Patience!” the Roamer urged. “See what Bayzog unfolds.”
“Not when I’m this close,” Brenwar said, pushing his way through.
Ben fell into step behind him. “Dead or alive, I’ll see you where the battle is.”
Suddenly, Bayzog’s violet eyes filled with light and radiated with power. His Elven words cut short. The wind picked up like a storm. A black vortex-like tunnel opened up a dozen yards behind him.
“This will take us there,” Bayzog said. “Exactly where we’ll come out, I’m not certain.” He picked up the Elderwood Staff and grabbed Sasha’s hand. “Stay here, love.”
“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m in this with you to the end.”
“We all are,” Rerry and Samaz said together.
Bayzog took a deep breath and nodded. “Brenwar!” he yelled out, “lead the way, then!”
Black beard streaming over his shoulder, Brenwar was the first one through the hole. No one was close behind him.
“I’ve never seen him move so fast before,” Ben said, rushing after him. “But we’d better catch up—”
A large bronze dragon dropped out of the sky and blocked the path into the vortex.
“Move,” Bayzog yelled, raising his staff and summoning its power.
Hot fire blasted from the dragon’s mouth, bouncing off Bayzog’s shield and scattering everyone.
The nearby trees erupted into flames.
Shum and Hoven burst into action. One Dragon Needle caught the bronze dragon in the neck.
Its tail whipped out and sent Hoven flying.
Ben fired two arrows.
Twang-Thunk! Twang-Thunk!
The moorite arrows sank into its chest, just missing its heart.
The dragon filled up another lungful of air.
Sprinting out of nowhere, Shum rushed in and lanced his Dragon Needle through its heart.
Its glowing eyes flashed, and its great hulking form toppled over into the vortex—which was no longer there.
“Oh no!” Ben said. “It’s gone!”
All eyes gazed from the overlook down to where the battle in the crescent-moon valley raged.
“What do we do?” Sasha said to Bayzog.
He shook his head with disbelief. “I have no idea.”
Fallen Foes: Kryzak
CHAPTER 23
Nath swatted his tail. He punched. Kicked. Grabbed two grey scalers by their necks and slammed their horns together. They wilted in his grip, and he tossed them aside and prepared for the next onslaught.
Fire and lightning raced down from above, pelting him. It seared his smoking scales. Two sky raiders dropped out of the sky and flanked him. Tails coiled around his legs, they tried to pull him down. Another bull dragon landed, charged, and rammed him.
Nath toppled over, shaking the ground.
Thoom!
Small dragons swarmed him like a hive of angry bees. They pinned themselves to his arms and legs. They bit and clawed. Razor-sharp talons tore at his scales. Acid, fire, and jolts of lightning spewed from their mouths.
Nath swatted at them and peeled them off, but his strength was fading.
Keep fighting! Keep fighting!
He gave it everything he had, but their numbers and strength were overwhelming. Claws dug into his ribs. Teeth bit into his legs. It was excruciating. He let out a painful gasp as a dragon stuck a pointy tail into his neck.
Somewhere, he swore he heard Gorn Grattack laughing.
His vision began to fade.
Keep fight …
His body gave.
Krang!
A bull dragon wailed an awful awakening sound.
Krang! Krang!
A clamor of hisses erupted from the dragons.
Krang! Krang!
Nath opened his battered eyes and spied a small bearded hurricane unleashing his full fury.
“Brenwar?”
“Get off yer scaly behind, Nath Dragon!” Brenwar roared. He brought his war hammer full circle and crushed a snapping dragon’s face. Krang! “I can’t do this alone!” Krang! Krang! Krang! He pounded three grey scalers into submission and whirled to face the wrath of the busted-horned sky raider. “Haven’t had enough, I see!” Brenwar hefted the war hammer over his head and slung it into the dragon’s chest full force.
The missile of moorite howled through the air.
Ka-Chow!
The dragon roared and tumbled.
Nath was on his feet, heart pumping and legs c
hurning, fighting through the frenzy to help his friend. “Look out, Brenwar!”
“What?” Brenwar said, turning around as he retrieved his hammer.
Another sky raider stood behind the battle with jaws the size of a tunnel stretched open.
“Don’t you dare!” Brenwar said, shaking his fist at it.
The great dragon’s mouth came down, and Brenwar disappeared inside.
Gulp!
“Brenwar! Nooooo!” Nath fell to his knees.
The dragons pounced.
Angry and disheveled, his thoughts a blur, he fought on until his last ounce of great strength was gone and the dragons once again pinned his trembling, broken body down.
I gave it all. I swear I did.
He felt his body being dragged over the ground as he stared weakly into the sky. He saw dragons, black winged and tailed, circling everywhere. Their eyes were green and glowing as they swooped in and out of the clouds around the Floating City.
I should have killed Gorn when I had the chance. I failed.
A flash of gold streaked through the sky. A blurred streak of silver followed. A clamor of roaring dragons filled the air like roaring thunder.
What is happening?
A tight-knit wedge of golden flare dragons sliced through the dark-winged ranks. Two gold dragons peeled off the rear of the wedge and tore a sky raider’s wings asunder.
Can it be? Can it be?
A score of silver shade dragons breathed lightning bolts that blasted blue razors out of the air. The swift strike caught the evil dragons off guard, and the wave cut through them like ribbons. Seconds after the chaos, the evil dragons rallied. Gathering their superior forces, they chased the gold and silver dragons through the sky.
The golden flares and silver shades disappeared into the clouds.
Nath felt his excited heart begin to sink.
And I thought they were going to rescue me. I should have known better. I rescued them and they never even thanked me. Why would they save me now?
Out of the clouds another dragon appeared, bigger than a sky raider, pewter with purple scales and dark-red wings. His rack of horns looked like a helmet on his battle-scarred head. Magnificent was an understatement for the grand beast.
Nath sat up gaping.
The dragons that held him released him and leapt into the sky.
Is that? It cannot be!
It was. An immense flying dragon almost bigger than the land-dwelling hulls. A strange flap of scales on his chin made him look bearded. Underneath his scales were knots of rippling muscles like the bull dragon’s. He blasted out a roar that drove the dark dragons away, and his grand rack of horns flared like firelight.
Rising to his feet, Nath felt his heart speed up again. It is him. “Great Guzan! You live!”
Guzan was the greatest dragon fighter of all. Most believed him to be a man or a dwarf, but he was all dragon, armed with tons of fury and devastation.
The dark dragons were feeling his wrath now. A rush of flame engulfed an entire flock of grey scalers and dropped them from the air.
“Yes!”
Guzan wasn’t alone, either. The golden flares zipped out of the clouds, not a dozen but a hundred this time. The silver shades erupted from the mist in the same manner. There was an accompaniment of rose blossoms, green lilies, yellow streaks, blazed ruffies, steel dragons, and many others of all shapes and sizes.
Guzan led the charge, and the sky erupted in scintillating colors of flame.
Nath blinked and shook his head.
They came!
Only one dragon could have command so many.
With an exhausted sigh, Nath dropped to a knee. “Thank you, Father. Thank you, Balzurth.”
He spread out his wings and started to flap. “Ow!”
His wing bones were busted, and the skin between them was torn.
“I need to help. I need to fight.”
He tilted his head up and watched the carnage in the air. Dragons were dropping from the sky and crashing into the earth. Good dragons, bad dragons, they plummeted, spiraled, and spun out of control. Never in Nath’s worst dreams could he have imagined such a horrible scene. The good dragons were taking it to them, in the air and on the ground. Trees shattered into splinters and hilltops burned.
It was war.
It went on for minutes that seemed like an hour.
Suddenly, the dark dragons retreated. They darted for the Floating City and disappeared within the buildings. The Floating City quickly began drifting away under a power of its own. The good dragons did not give chase.
“Finish them!” Nath yelled. “Finish them!”
He locked eyes with Guzan. The ancient dragon’s scales were torn, and his wings beat with effort.
Guzan nodded, turned, and led the surviving dragons away.
Nath could hear Guzan’s voice inside his head.
This battle is won, but the war is not over. Prepare yourself, Nath Dragon.
Nath surveyed the smoking carnage. Just like men after a battle, dragons lay dead everywhere. Broken. Busted. Bleeding. Scores of them had died. Perhaps hundreds. His head ached and his body shuddered. When he gazed into the sky once more, the good dragons were gone and the Floating City was disappearing over the next mountaintop. He could feel that Gorn was inside the Floating City. Plotting. Hiding.
“This isn’t over.”
He pushed away the carnage until he located Selene’s broken form lying near the throne. She seemed so small and fragile. He shrank down to his man-sized body. Only mildly surprised to find his clothes magically on him again, he kneeled down and brushed Selene’s hair aside. His chin touched his chest, and tears filled his golden eyes.
CHAPTER 24
Shum and Hoven led the party down the mountain, through the spreading smoke and flames, toward the towering rocks. Everyone was quiet, and Sasha held Bayzog’s hand tightly. He had no idea what to expect when he arrived down there, but he sensed the danger was gone for now. But what about Nath and Brenwar?
Witnessing a full-scale dragon battle for the first time had left his senses jangled. He felt so small and insignificant. At the same time, he couldn’t make out whether the good dragons had won or lost. The battle had ended abruptly, with both parties moving on.
The Roamers stopped and signaled for everyone to stay back. Hoven pulled back some branches. Shum stepped though. A copper dragon with black wings lay on the ground wounded. Its wings and legs were broken. Using his spear, the Dragon Needle, Shum put it out of its misery, and the party moved on.
Branches crackled and pine cones popped, the flames were so hot.
“This entire mountain will be ablaze soon enough, Bayzog,” Ben said. “It’s spreading.”
“Have you ever seen an entire mountain burn?” Bayzog said.
“Well, no,” cough-cough, “I haven’t.”
“Have faith, then,” Bayzog said, “and we should be safe in the green grasses of the valley. Make haste now.”
When they were nearing the bottom and making their way onto the main path, a strange humming pricked Bayzog’s ears. Shum and Hoven turned and looked back at him and nodded. All around where the flames licked at the trees, strange insect-like creatures snuffed them out.
“Do you see that?” Rerry said with wide eyes. “They’re putting the flames out.”
“It’s fairies and pixlyns doing that,” Samaz added.
“You don’t know,” Rerry said, limping along and bracing himself with the Elderwood Staff. His hand snatched out and caught some sort of fly. He opened his palm.
A tiny winged woman sat inside with her arms crossed over her chest, frowning.
“Er … sorry,” Rerry said with a smile.
She stuck her tongue out and buzzed away.
“Told you,” Samaz said. “Pixlyns.”
Rerry didn’t argue.
They made it through the flames into the valley and traversed between the massive stones, searching for any signs of Brenwar and Nath.
/> Passing through the largest portal, Bayzog noted the massive stone throne, big enough for a titan. Nath Dragon stood beneath it, cradling a black-scaled woman in his arms. His head was down, and tears were streaming down his face. His powerful chest and shoulders shivered, and a brisk wind blew his tangled red mane over his face.
“I’ve never seen such a look about him before,” Sasha whispered to him. Sasha slipped her hand out of Bayzog’s and quickly made her way toward Nath. “Nath,” she said. “Are you all right?”
Nath didn’t respond.
Sasha glanced back at Bayzog and shrugged.
Gorlee found his way to Bayzog’s side and whispered in his ear, “That’s the High Priestess, Selene.”
“She’s dead,” Nath said, abruptly. “And it’s my fault. She saved me. I should have saved her.”
“Easy, Nath,” Sasha said. She reached over and rubbed his shoulder. “You’re alive, and I cannot hide the joy I feel from that.” She smiled. “It will be fine. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m sure you did all you could.”
Nath’s face, marred with strain, frowned. His chin trembled when he said, “Brenwar’s gone.”
Bayzog felt his heart sink. Pilpin gasped. Even the Roamers’ chins dipped down.
“It’s my fault,” Nath said. “All my fault. I battled Gorn. I had him. I lost.” His head shook sadly from side to side. “I learned a hard lesson today: never let up on evil.”
A moment of silence followed.
Bayzog contemplated things. The strained expression on Nath’s face told him a horrible story. His friend was wrought with guilt and failure. But the fight wasn’t over yet. He needed to lift Nath up. They could regroup. Fight again soon enough.
Pilpin waddled up to Nath. “Can you tell us what happened to Brenwar?”
Nath set Selene down and wiped his eyes. He swallowed a lump in his throat and said, “I was near my end when he arrived and saved me. He took out several dragons, and then a sky raider swallowed him. When the gold dragons arrived, that sky raider took to the sky.” He surveyed the carnage. “Now the sky raider is either dead or inside that city with my friend in his belly.” He kneeled down and rested his hand on Pilpin’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
The Chronicles of Dragon Collection (Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10) Page 124
