Dragon Alliance Dark Storm : Dark Storm (55 page)

Both connected, with her crushing jaws clamping down on his left shoulder and chest, easily piercing his thick armor, and the giant’s black sword cutting into the heavy copper’s hide. Before Caraeyeth released the giant, Heathiret leaned forward and thrust her sword into the brute’s lower neck and shoulder, and the dark blood spurted from the wound. The giant knew he was in trouble but also knew he couldn’t get away either, so his only chance was to get a lucky strike at the dragon’s head or neck. Caraeyeth knew this and baited the giant by stretching her head out toward him in a feint fang strike. The giant took the bait and swung his sword down with all his might. The copper dragon quickly withdrew her head, and the edge of the large sword missed her nose by inches. She immediately whirled around, and the tip of her tail caught the giant’s knees and swept his legs from under him.

Caraeyeth continued her spin, crushing several orcs and Morgathians in the process, and charged at the fire giant as it tried to get up. Her fangs sank through his black-iron chest plates and into his torso. She forcefully pushed him down and then jumped on him, finishing the giant off with her claws as she ripped into his throat. Her victory roar broke the Morgathians’ will, and the remainder of their soldiers began to break and run. This left the orcs alone, and with their forces divided, the weir’s soldiers, dwarves, and elves then began to push their line forward. The Freilanders gave immediate pursuit to the fleeing Morgathians, hacking at them wildly. The route was almost complete, but Pekram kept the exploitation under control. Caraeyeth added her destructive power to the slaying of the enemy’s forces to solidify their victory.

Gallanth and Mkel had flown over to help Talonth and Baranth defeat the remaining chromatics of the black dragon wings. The two silver dragons, while victorious, had suffered injuries similar to Gallanth’s in their fight; though outnumbered twelve to one, they still had better odds than Gallanth and Mkel in their two battles. The three battered but victorious senior metallic dragons then formed up and flew back toward the main aerial fight still raging between the two weirs and the legions’ winged forces and the chromatics and hoards of Morgathian flying creatures.

Killenth and Fieranth had done an excellent job in leading the Eladran Weir dragons against the army of chromatics. Both bronzes were wounded but still fighting and had significantly improved the odds that were against them. They had even managed to down all but two of the red dragons. Twenty chromatics remained flying with fifty of their kin sent spiraling to the ground. Eladran had lost one copper and two brass dragons. Their younger bronze cousin had to fall back to the legion base camp, as did all but ten of their full complement of twenty-five due to severe injuries. This was also after all the female metallics joined them in the fight. Selenth had also reinforced them at a critical point, for he was fresh even after killing the giants at the main battle for the ground forces. The hippogriff, and giant eagles and their riders had also significantly trimmed the superior numbers of manticores, wyverns, and giant wasps or hymenoids, down.

As Gallanth and the two silver dragons flew toward the fight, they all bellowed out their battle roars, which also dispelled the remaining chromatics’ ability to teleport away. They flew in with the sun’s rays streaming in from the west to almost illuminate their metallic hides. “About time you all joined us; this has been one tough fight. By the Creator, Mkel, are you and Gallanth all right?” Jodem was relieved to see his friend and his dragon until he noticed the still-bleeding wounds and deep gashes on the gold dragon’s hide.

“He is hurt but not out of the fight. The wolf pack of white dragons and the other six higher species of chromatics that included three demon dragons were a very tough fight. Not to mention the run we did on the two squadrons of black dragons before Talonth and Baranth took over that part of the melee,” Mkel replied.

“I am a little worse for wear, Master Wizard, but still fit to fight these remaining worms,” Gallanth added.

“Your wounds are deep, Gallanth, and should be attended to,” Jodem added in a very concerned tone.

“As soon as we see these despoilers sent to their judgment, good wizard; do you have any power left in that glow stick of yours to help us?” Gallanth added, in a short humorous note.

“What do you think I’ve been doing since your and Mkel’s little scuffle? Giving reinforcement and top cover for the Eladran Weir dragons,” he replied. “But I still have enough spells left to fly and fight by you both.”

“And my sword still seeks more chromatic blood, Captain!” Toderan yelled over to Mkel as Alvanch glided in beside and slightly above Gallanth.

“Well, then we end this battle here. Gallanth’s shield is almost gone, and our silver friends are not in too much better shape, so we must not be decisively engaged except for a one-on-one quick attack to finish a chromatic off,” Mkel answered and started to formulate a battle plan.

“Yes, Talonth, Baranth, we will down the two reds first and then concentrate on the blues. Fieranth, Killenth, take your dragons and keep the remaining chromatics off our backs, and we will join you before long. Jodem, whatever you have left, use it now, and Toderan and Tegent, keep whatever manticore or spawn from massing on us. All in agreement?”

They all quickly acknowledged.

“Good, follow my lead,” he finished as he roared and fired a sunburst beam after Mkel gave him another gemstone. The deadly rays of light struck the wounded red dragon that was in range and finished it off; its bright-red body, more colorful from being a young adult dragon, started to plummet to the ground. Gallanth’s victory roar was deep and resounding and a challenge to the remaining chromatics.

“The large gold is back. That means that the wolf pack, Vorgash, and the demon dragons are slain. We must disperse and attack them since he dispelled our teleport powers. They are wounded, and we must strike now!” the remaining red dragon roared out to his chromatic kin and started to move to attack the stronger metallics.

“Ashram, this fight is over; Vorgash and the other demon dragons are slain, as are the white wolf pack and the two black squadrons!” Infernex roared to the Talon sorcerer.

“Yes, but the metallics are all wounded and their magic defenses are down. The Alliance wizard is also low on power, so it is time for us to strike,” Ashram stated to both Infernex and Marlok.

“Well then, let us show them the power of Talon sorcerers. Molotoc, join me in the air,” Marlok ordered through his dark crystal staff.

“Sire, the battle is turning against us here and our forces are starting to be pushed back. I cannot leave now,” the warlord argued.

“I said now, Death Knight. If we lose the fight with the Alliance dragons, you will have no army to command,” Marlok stated sternly.

“Yes, my liege,” Molotoc replied. He quickly mounted his wyvern after giving instructions to his second in command and took off toward the fight in the sky.

As the battle finally started to die down over the Shidanese capital city, the last chromatic dragon had just fallen from the sky, with only one blue and its sorcerer rider being able to escape. There was a substantial tension between the Shidanese manticore squadrons and the two Capital Wings. During the fight, several manticores had fired spikes at the Alliance dragons. They refrained from responding as long as they could until their actions got in the way of the metallics in their pursuit of the chromatics and many were killed out of necessity. The riders and their dragons knew these multiple incidents were not just accidents. The squadrons of manticores remained airborne as the metallic dragons descended. Amerenth and Canjon landed first with Valianth right behind him. All quickly dismounted and met the entourage of Senators and King Ibliss’s court in front of the palace.

“Ambassador Canjon, an impressive maneuver you and Amerenth performed to down that blue dragon that was on your tail. It is good to know that the official dragon ambassador of the weirs can handle himself in a fight,” Santoric stated to Canjon as he reached out and shook the dragonrider’s hand.

“Thank you, Senator. Amerenth and I were glad to come out on top of that fight. Blue dragons traditionally have a conflict with brass dragons,” Canjon replied.

“Please, Senator, there is no need to congratulate our so-called ambassador for a heinous act of aggressive violence. General Becknor, Ambassador Canjon, our illustrious King Ibliss’s forces had the situation under control until you and your intrusive dragons and riders interrupted their valiant efforts to fend off the chromatics. This was an insult to them and their honor,” Terrjok stated in a condescending manner.

“Senator, did your, well, lengthy service in the navy effect your eyesight? If this chromatic attack was indeed just a group of the evil dragons deciding to destroy Dagrad for their gemstone wealth, then they did a very poor job. Not like they did when they destroyed and sacked the city of Hasera across the strait in Ariana. They swept through that city’s defenders like a foul wind through the leaves,” Colonel Therosvet immediately countered in his sword-point direct manner.

“Yes, Senator, it would seem that the chromatics were baiting the manticore squadrons, for those other two wings of evil dragons that tried to ambush us would have wiped out every single one of the Shidanese aerial forces, unless this was a setup from the start,” General Becknor added to his suspicions.

“The chromatics apparently did not want to fight us quite that early, but that one white dragon tipped their hand with its mindless aggression. They almost seemed to know that we would not attack without being attacked first. This is very uncharacteristic of the meetings between our two groups. Also, how did the manticores last so long against the chromatics? The evil dragon types are many times more powerful and should have easily defeated the Shidanese, but seemed to be not really fighting them with all their strength or ferocity. This is something they never do, for aggression and destruction is always their goal. They didn’t really fight until we took to the air, but by then, it was too late for them. Also why did several manticores attack our dragons with a greater ferocity than they fought the chromatics?” Valianth added to his rider’s comments in an even more booming voice than usual to display his contempt for the Enlightened senator and the Shidanese king.

“There were so many dragons in the air, my winged holy warriors simply became confused,” Ibliss answered through his interpreter. “And I resent your insinuation that this was a trap for the Alliance dragons,” the Shidanese king added.

“My good king, who said this was a trap?” Canjon added, as the king had slipped in his statement.

“This is what you have insinuated. You and your devil dragons come to my kingdom to ensure peace, and instead, you bring conflict with our once benevolent and beneficial relationship with the eastern dragons. Then you ask for our help to resolve the high seas war with the Kallysh pirates. Your insults and blasphemy have convinced me to forgo any treaty that Shidan has with the Alliance and align ourselves with our brothers in their efforts against you,” Ibliss arrogantly blurted out. His outburst was hurriedly translated.

“King, you spew lies, and your indignation is false. This whole peace invitation and feint attack was contrived all along. A diversion to keep the Capital Wings from reinforcing Eladran and Draden Weirs, as were the chromatic- and Saragwin-backed pirate raids against our coastal weirs. Let it be understood, King, that these attacks have failed. Your Morgathian and chromatic allies have been defeated on all fronts, and the fire giant combined army attack against the Alliance has been stopped. You have not chosen your friends wisely!” Valianth almost roared back to Ibliss, his eyes glowing yellow. The king had to back away against the gold dragon’s truth stare, for even in his arrogance, he knew that nobody could lie to this species of dragon. In his fear, he made a hand motion to his military council representative, who immediately turned and ran into the palace.

“See here, dragon, this is no way to treat a royal dignitary not to mention a king,” Senator Murjath of the area just west of Draden attempted to counter Valianth’s overbearing presence against the Shidanese king.

“Senator, Valianth has a point, and you either have to be ignorant, stupid, or blind not to see what happened here over the last day,” Senator Santoric immediately rebuked his colleague. However, just then, two squadrons of manticores dove and attacked the Capital dragons on the ground. A shower of spikes hailed down from the sky. Of the hundreds of the black tail daggers, only a few dozen barely penetrated the metallic dragons’ armored hides. The Capital Wings answer to this attack was devastating. All eighteen of the dragons on the ground looked skyward and exhaled their deadly breath weapons, as their riders added to this destruction with their own powerful spells or energy bolts from their dragonstone weapons. Almost all of the three dozen manticores were instantly killed or driven from the sky.

King Ibliss had not expected this attack to be destroyed so easily and with so little effort.

“War it is then, King. Senators, please come and mount up, for we leave now!” Becknor resolutely stated.

“General, see here, you interfered with the king’s defense forces, of which some mistakenly attacked your mighty dragons. Seeing how they all look alike, that is easily understood. Then you insult this honorable king with accusations of collusion with the pirates and chromatic dragons. I will be ashamed to be ferried back to the republic on your steeds of war and aggression,” Senator Tekend snorted out.

“Then we will rescue you from your potential shame, Senator, and your beloved Shidanese king can see to your return to the Alliance, and this applies to any other Enlightened senator who shares your sentiment,” Becknor snapped back as he turned to mount Valianth with the other dragonriders and pro-dragon Senators moving to do the same.

“General Becknor, you wouldn’t dare to leave us behind and—” Terrjok started to complain but was cut off by Becknor.