The two silver dragons broke apart and fled the barrage of arrows, one going to the right while the other went left. Shaylin and Cass chased after the one on the right while Nignra and Kirin went after the other.
Let’s take out the straggler and then help out the others. Shane said. He could feel Rilora’s disappointment for going after the dragon that had fallen behind but she did as Shane asked.
The silver dragon was large and was flying faster than the other two dragons had been so Shane guessed that it must have taken off after the other two.
Rilora roared as they neared the dragon and she folded in her wings to dive down on top of the dragon. At the last moment Rilora snapped open her wings and allowed the silver dragon to pass underneath her.
What are you doing? Shane shouted.
It’s Draek! Rilora yelled in response.
Thank goodness they didn’t attack us. Hayden said with a sigh of relief.
Draek did not respond but redoubled his efforts to chase after the two silver dragons.
Tell Rilora to help Kirin and Nignra and we will help Cass and Shaylin. Hayden said.
Draek relayed the message to Rilora just as they fell in behind them.
They want to know where the blue dragons are. Draek replied.
Tell them that they are coming but Giles and Sebastian know about our plan so we need to stop them before they get to the Metallic Nation. Hayden knew that all of their hard work could fall apart if Giles and Sebastian revealed their plans.
As they were flying towards Out Post, chasing behind Cass and Shaylin, Hayden looked over the forest to see what had all transpired in his absence.
He was shocked to find that so much of the forest had been burnt down and the evidence of the battle that had taken place was still fresh upon the world.
They must have fought in the last few days. Hayden thought as he tried to find the elves’ army to assess how bad the damage was. Hayden could see no trace of the army; in fact he couldn’t locate the metallic army either.
As he surveyed the field he caught a glimpse of a group of what looked like dozens of large birds taking flight.
Draek looked over to see what Hayden had spotted and immediately he slowed down his chase.
Draek what is it? Hayden asked as he watched the silver and gold dragons get further ahead of them.
Dragons. Draek answered somberly.
Where? Hayden stood up in his saddle and started looking around for them. I don’t see them. All I see is the flock of bir…
Hayden stopped as he realized what he was seeing was too large to be birds. They were dragons coming right for them.
We need to land on Out Post, now. Hayden said reluctantly. He wanted to finish the fight with Sebastian and Giles but he knew it was not a good idea. If they continued fighting then the metallic dragons would be on them before they could have a chance to regroup.
Tell the others to break off and land as well. Hayden said. Draek roared and began flying to Out Post. The other dragons broke off as well but Rilora roared her frustration as she came in to land.
Hayden wasted no time and quickly undid the straps holding him to the saddle and slid down to talk to the others.
Cass was the first to meet him and she quickly jumped into his arms and hugged Hayden. For a few seconds the war around them had stopped. There was no fighting, no dying; there was nothing except Cass in Hayden’s arms.
Reality broke through as Shane smacked him on the back to greet him.
“You have no idea how happy we are to see you.” Shane said as Cass pulled out of their hug and slowly stepped back.
“I would have to agree with Shane.” Kirin said as she approached the group.
Hayden turned to face Kirin and gave her a short bow. “Queen Kirin.”
“We haven’t a lot of time so quickly, where are the blue dragons, are they coming?” Kirin asked.
“They are, not as many as we had wanted but enough.” Hayden said. As he confirmed that help had come Hayden could tell an enormous weight had been lifted off of his friend’s shoulders.
“That will have to do then I suppose. Where are they?” Kirin asked.
“The last I had seen them they were still out with their ships making their way down river. They were at the last bend before the battle field. I had taken off to see where Sebastian and Giles were going and that’s how I found you three.” Hayden said, leaving out most of the details.
“Wait, that was Sebastian and Giles that we were chasing?” Cass asked.
“It was, they were at the Light House when we attacked it.” Hayden said. Cass was about to ask for more information when Shaylin nudged her and looked over to the dragons that were coming closer.
“I guess we can talk about it later.” Cass admitted. “I take it then that they knew that the Sea Serpents and their blue dragons are coming to help the elves?” Cass asked, already knowing the answer in her heart.
“They figured it out.” Hayden admitted, Kirin shook her head and mumbled under her breath. “I am hoping that the Metallic Nation will either not believe them or think that the Sea Serpents will attack the elves when they get here.” Hayden said.
All eyes turned to Cass to see if it was even a possibility or if they were grabbing at false hope.
“They would have a hard time believing that the Sea Serpents had come all this way to help the elves out.” Cass admitted.
“Then it’s settled. We will continue on with our plan and hope that it works.” Kirin said as she began to climb back into her saddle. “Hayden you will stay with us until the enemy has been drawn into our trap then attack, understood?” Kirin asked.
Hayden glanced over to Cass and Shane and nodded to them both. “I understand.”
Draek took off of Out Post shortly after Hayden had tightened his straps. Hayden secured his sword to his back, chances were they would not be using swords in this battle. Hayden’s bow had a small strap attached to it that he wrapped around his wrist to make sure that the bow couldn’t fall off during flight.
Hayden tried to sit in a comfortable position so that he could reach his arrows easily and without anything getting in the way.
They watched as Giles and Sebastian’s dragons made it to the other metallic dragons that were coming right for them. Hayden had expected the two dragons to turn around and join the fight but instead they continued to fly away.
I wonder where they are going. Hayden thought.
They are probably heading back to Celestial City. Draek replied.
Hayden tried to slow his heart rate as the metallic dragons neared, their roars becoming audible while their fire was still flashes of light out in the distance.
Looking over his shoulder Hayden did his best to try to see if the blue dragons had taken to the air yet, but all he saw were blue skies with no blue dragons.
“Here they come!” Cass yelled. The metallic dragons reached the forest and crashed over the trees like a tidal wave. Hayden couldn’t help but be impressed by how organized they were as they flew. The silver dragons flew in front of ten copper dragons, five on either side.
“Get ready!” Cass shouted. This time she notched an arrow and drew back on her bow.
Hayden was unsure what she was doing because he knew that the metallic dragons were still too far away to be hit by an arrow.
Cass released the tension on the bow and sent the arrow flying through the air as she shouted “Now!”
Just as the arrow went flying Shaylin shot her fire up into the air and caught the arrow on fire. Hayden watched as the arrow arched into the sky and fell into the middle of the woods, leaving behind a thin grey smoke trail.
The arrow fell a few hundred feet short of the advancing dragons but as the arrow disappeared into the sea of trees hundreds of arrows rose out of the trees. The arrows were flying straight up into the air into the unsuspecting dragons.
The roars of rage and pain were proof that at least some of the arrows had found their marks.
“That was brilliant!” Hayden cheered as more and more arrows flew into the air. Most of the arrows were not going fast enough to pierce the dragon’s scales along their body but they were able to pierce the membrane of the dragon’s wings.
A few of the dragons fell out of the air and disappeared into the trees throwing up an explosion of leaves. The dragons that were downed by the arrows did not come back up.
The metallic dragons began releasing their flames all across the forest. The dragon’s roars began being replaced by elves’ screams. Hayden looked over to Kirin for instructions on how they could help but she was silent.
Kirin’s face showed no emotion but a few tears slid down her face as her forest and her people burned alive in front of her.
Black smoke began rising up from the forest and clouding the trees and the dragons flying above it.
Draek looked over to Nignra as they hovered just past Out Post. What is it? Hayden asked.
Nignra is sending out an order. Draek replied. Hayden pulled out his first arrow and notched it.
What is the order? Hayden asked as the black smoke rolled closer to them.
It’s time. Draek replied as he roared and dove into the darkness.
Chapter 33
Draek charged into the smoke with a deafening roar while the other three dragons fell in behind him. Hayden pulled back on his bow but as soon as the smoke surrounded him he was unable to see anything.
Hayden’s eyes were watering and his lungs were stinging with each breath he took in the darkness. Hayden felt Draek slam into a dragon and he felt like his head was going to explode as wings flapped all around him.
Draek I can’t breathe in this. Hayden complained as he tried his best to cover his face. Hayden felt Draek strike at the dragon and break free. Draek began flying quickly towards what Hayden hoped was towards clean air.
Hayden tried to hold his breath but when his lungs began to scream for air he finally took a deep breath of the ash filled smoke. He coughed as his lungs felt like they were catching on fire.
Draek shot out of the smoke and into the clear sky above, causing a little trail of smoke to follow behind him. Hayden took deep breathes and did his best to clean his eyes.
We can’t go back in there. Hayden said as he grabbed his silver eagle helmet out of his saddle pack and fixed it on his head. He pulled the talons closed around his mouth and looked over the battle field.
Where do we go then? Draek asked. The forest was on fire, not sections of it but the entire forest. Black plumes of smoke rose up all around them while bright orange and red flames eagerly reached up for anything they could grab.
Dragons darted in and out of the darkness trying to find an opponent to fight. Hayden saw copper and silver dragons everywhere be he had yet to see any green dragons.
I don’t know Draek, where are all the green dragons? He asked. Before Draek could respond Hayden spotted Cass and Shaylin flying out of the smoke with a silver dragon flying right behind them.
Draek did not wait for Hayden to give the order as he dove after them.
The silver dragon rider never saw Draek coming until he slammed into the silver dragon’s back and ripped the rider out of the saddle. The silver dragon roared and turned to stone as it fell into the inferno below them.
Shaylin fell in behind Drake as they flew higher into the air to figure out what was going on and what they needed to do to help.
“Where are the green dragons?” Hayden yelled at Cass.
Cass pointed down into the smoke.
“They are in the forest?” Hayden yelled back.
“Yes.” Cass replied.
“But the forest is on fire.” Hayden couldn’t understand what the elves and their green dragons were doing in the forest. Hayden’s question was answered when a giant silver dragon, nearly twice as large as Draek, came lumbering out of the smoke with four smaller green dragons attacking it at once.
It reminded Hayden of ants working together to take down larger prey. When he looked closer he saw that the elves on the dragon’s back were covered in ash and soot but they had their faces wrapped in cloth to help them breath in the smoke.
Hayden looked back at Cass and saw that she had already taken off her helmet and was wrapping a piece of cloth from her saddle bag around her face.
Hayden did the same thing as he watched more and more dragons make their way out of the smoke to let their riders catch their breath. Draek lunged and attacked every dragon that came near them causing the dragons to either fight Draek or go back into the smoke.
When he finally got the cloth tied around his face Hayden watched as a copper dragon rose out of the smoke but without a rider on its back.
That’s Rilora! Draek shouted as they watched the dragon fly over the smoke looking for something.
Where is Shane? Hayden asked as prepared for Draek to dive into the smoke so they could go find Shane. Before they could another copper dragon burst out of the smoke with flames jutting out of its mouth.
Draek had to roll out of the way of the flames as the copper dragon shot past them and continued to climb into the air.
Hayden looked up at the dragon and realized that there were two riders on its back.
Hayden knew that one of the riders was Shane because Rilora flew past them and chased after the copper dragon with her rider.
What is he doing? Hayden asked, knowing that Draek’s eyesight was better than this.
He is fighting with the other rider. Draek answered. They watched as the dragon continued to climb higher into the sky until it suddenly turned to stone and began to fall back to the ground.
Hayden watched Shane jump off the dragon and freefall until Rilora caught him in midair.
Rilora raced back to where Draek and Shaylin were still hovering.
“Are you crazy?” Cass yelled when Shane was within ear shot.
Shane shrugged his shoulders and finished tightening his safety straps. When he was finished Rilora fell in behind Draek and the three dragons began flying over the smoke, attacking any metallic dragon that came up for air.
I wish I knew what was going on down there. Hayden said. There was no way of telling who was winning beneath the smoke. And where are the blue dragons? Hayden knew that no matter where they were on the river they had to be able to see the smoke of the burning forest.
I don’t think it’s going good. Draek replied as they looked for more dragons.
How do you know? Hayden asked but before he could respond a large copper dragon lunged out of the smoke and grabbed hold of Draek pulling them both back down into the smoke.
Hayden was engulfed by darkness and smothered by hot smoke as they fell to the forest floor. The safety straps broke free and Hayden fell of Draek.
Hayden had the wind knocked out of him as he slammed back first against a smoldering tree and landed in a pile of soot, sending more ash and smoke into the air.
Hayden struggled to get up as Draek and the copper dragon fought on the ground, sending up sparks and embers with every move.
Draek released his flame and instantly Hayden was surrounded by light as the copper dragon tried to escape Draek’s inferno.
The heat from the burning forest made Hayden feel like he was slowly cooking inside of his armor. Hayden was able to stagger to his feet when something slammed into his side and sent him sprawling across the ground.
He looked up from the ashes and saw the copper dragon’s rider draw his blade and run at him. Hayden quickly pulled out his silver blade and blocked his attack as he got back up to his feet.
Hayden had no idea who the copper clad rider was but he could tell by the size of his dragon that he had to be at least three years older than Hayden.
Hayden slashed and stabbed at his copper opponent but the rider he was facing had the same training that he had.
Every time Hayden thought that he had found an opening in his defenses the copper rider attacked even harder to keep Hayden preoccupied. As they fought Hayden took a step back an
d tripped over a burning log.
He landed on his back and sent sparks up all around him. The copper rider held his blade out and pointed it at Hayden’s neck. He did not say anything as he stepped closer to Hayden.
Hayden closed his eyes and waited for the touch of steal to be against his throat but it never came. Hayden slowly opened his eyes and blinked as sweat droplets ran down his face. The copper rider had turned to stone right where he stood, his blade less than a hands width away from Hayden’s neck.
Kirin and Raena stepped out from behind the stone rider, Kirin was putting her dagger away.
“What are you doing down here?” Raena asked through the piece of cloth covering her face. “You do know that the forest is on fire right?”
“I noticed.” Hayden said as he got up to his feet. The silvery sheen that his armor once had was now covered in black soot. Hayden tried his best to wipe it off but he only succeeded in smearing it around.
Hayden was about to complain when he looked over to see Draek climbing over a fallen tree that had been knocked over in the fight. Draek was covered in soot and at first glance Hayden had thought that the black dragons had come to help too.
“You two need to get out of here.” Kirin said.
“What about you guys?” Hayden asked.
“This is not our first forest fire Hayden.” Kirin said.
“Wait, you knew they were going to burn the forest down?” Hayden had to raise his voice because the crackling sound of the fires burning around them was getting louder.
“Cass figured that once we hid our dragons in the forest they would try to burn us out. They didn’t however think about the smoke and what it would do to their riders.” Kirin explained. Raena walked over to Draek and gave his leg a hug.
When she stepped away the spot on Draek’s leg was cleaner and Raena was covered in soot like Hayden was. She looked at Kirin and grinned.
The Clash of Land and Sea_The Dragon Riders of Arvain Page 31
