Legon Restoration (31 page)

Right now he needed to figure out how to stay alive. He dashed down the stone streets dodging soldiers as he went. Most of the civilians were out of the area, those left were heading toward shelters.

Tom saw a girl with long brown hair in the distance, running in the wrong direction. It was Stacy.
What’s she playing at?
He went after her. She was a good distance ahead of him and Tom was having a hard time keeping up. Stacy ran without fear as she moved. Then the obvious struck him. Brian checked out, Tom had known him for years, and Tom was the one who turned Seth. He was just a thief before…Stacy was the mole.

He slowed his pace, needing to confirm what should have been plain as day to him. She was in a commercial area of the city now; most of the people were long gone. She ducked into a shop. Tom went across the street. He climbed up the wall of a small building. Once on top he looked out toward the main city wall. Magic flashed and crashed in the air. He knelt down, coming up to the lip of the roof.
 

He used magic, magnifying his eyes and ears. His head throbbed with the sound of magical fighting and he refined his spell. He heard voices, both speaking in Glosso.

“What do you mean?” Stacy’s voice said.

Tom leaned over, his enhanced vision allowing him to see Stacy in the shop. In front of her was an Iumenta. Tom went ridged; it was the same one that killed James.

“I told you. You are of no use to us anymore, if you ever were to begin with,” the Iumenta said harshly.

Stacy didn’t seem to care. “So what is my new assignment?” she asked.

The Iumenta laughed, “You don’t have one. You’re finished, which I think you already know.”

Before Tom could register what was happening, the Iumenta’s hand slashed at Stacy in a blur of speed. She fell back, blood pouring from a cut on her head. She hit the ground and felt the wound while looking up, her eyes fearful.

Tom fought the urge to help her, she was the enemy.

Stacy looked scared. “Please, don’t kill me!” she cried.

The Iumenta looked at her with disgust and walked forward.

Stacy barked a spell and metal spikes shot up from the wooden floor of the shop. The Iumenta howled in pain. Before it could react, Stacy was up, all of her fear seeming to vanish. She pulled a knife and stabbed the Iumenta in the gut. Tom watched it fall forward, and then Stacy slashed its neck in several places. She backed away, panting a bit. Tom’s mouth fell open, never had he seen someone kill with such precision, not to mention the skill it would take to kill an Iumenta.

“I did know you were going to try that. Why do you think I chose to meet you here?” she said to the dead Iumenta.

Stacy cleaned off the knife and walked out of the shop. Tom ducked back down on the roof.

“You can come out now Tom,” Stacy’s voice came from below.

Tom’s heart began to race. He was no fighter.

There was a slight sound of boot on stone and Stacy came over the wall and onto the roof.
How had she moved that fast?
She was always a happy bouncy girl, but that wasn’t the Stacy in front of Tom now. He rose.

“So you’re the mole,” he stated.

“Tom, I told you not to look for the mole, didn’t I?” she said without a hint of warmth.

Tom’s eyes flicked about looking for a way to escape. “You did tell me not to look into it, yes,” he admitted.

Stacy took a step forward, “Too bad really, now that we’re on the same side and all.”

Tom stopped, looking around, “Same side? You work for the Iumenta.”

Stacy came a step closer, “Really? See, I thought they just tried to kill me.”

“So what, you’re on Elves side now?” he asked, not trusting her.

She nodded, “Yes, you see where I come from you learn that survival is most important and I plan to survive Tom. So yes, now I am on the Elves side, and a good ally I’ll be.”

“So what then? We just leave here?” Tom asked, though he doubted that was her intention.

Stacy frowned, “Sadly Tom, no. You see, soon the Impa will lose Salez and when they do I can’t have you telling House Evindass that I tried to kill Legon and Sasha and did manage to kill Arkin. So sadly Tom, you have to die.” Her voice warmed, “But this does work out well. I can now go to Legon and Sasha, having killed the mole that has caused so many issues. Issues that will now stop.”

Tom’s gut clinched. She was going to get away with everything. He had to act. “FLAMMA!” he shouted as ruby shot from his hand. Stacy deflected the magic and dodged to her side.
 

Tom jumped from the roof, letting magic stop him. Stacy was a killer, but she was only a class one. Tom was a class two; he was more powerful than she and older. He could win this.

Stacy laughed from above. Tom hid behind an overturned cart. Stacy landed on the ground.

“Tom, you can’t beat me,” she said confident.

Tom felt concealment wards being tested. He jumped from behind the cart, sending more magic at her. She countered, and Tom blocked the spell.

“Why?” he asked as he ran into an alley.

“Why what?”
 

He used magic to project his voice trying to throw her off, “Why join the Iumenta?”

“Tom dear, I didn’t join them, I was raised by them,” she supplied like it was obvious.

She went on, “Well, while we are playing this game I suppose I can tell you the story. You all were so happy to find Mors. That’s not where I’m from. The place where I was born and raised is deep in Impa lands, even after this war the Elves will never find it.”

Tom blanched. He lost his focus, taken back by her statement. Stacy came around a corner, and Tom deflected a burst of gold. Pain exploded in his leg. He tried to get up, pulling a knife from his leg. He backed away from Stacy.

“Do you know what it’s like training with master Venefica Tom?” she asked, moving to stand over him.

Tom pushed against a wall trying to get away from her. Fear and pain were gripping him.

“N-no,” he said.

She smiled faintly. “I didn’t think so. See, I was the top of my class. They pulled me aside at the age of six. The Iumenta trained me to be an assassin. I’ve trained one on one with masters that have been doing magic for thousands of years. Couple that with the hand to hand training Arkin gave me…” she paused, “well, don’t be hard on yourself for losing.”

There was the rumble of wards. Stacy looked up and then back to Tom, “Sorry Tom, but I have to go now. Don’t worry I’ll make it fast. Any last words?”

Tom didn’t have anything to say. He’d been such a fool. He simply closed his eyes.

* * * * *

Legon stared ahead as he flew toward Salez. Weeks of fighting were drawing to a close. He knew that this day the air space over Salez would fall, and with it, the rest of the city would follow. Legon figured the Iumenta must have known this would happen too, they weren't fighting with the same vigor that they had over the last month since the siege had begun.
 

"Surround the city," Sydin ordered.

Detachments of Ascended broke off from the main attacking body to circle around Salez. Legon stayed in a forward group with his guard, Iselin and Sydin. Formations of Iumenta lay ahead of them; dead center, in front of Legon was a pale green dragon. The Iumenta class eight. None of the Elves knew the dragons name, all that they could figure out was that he was recently Ascended like Legon. Sydin said one could see how new he was by the lack of control he had in the sky, something indicative of all new dragons.
 

"So do you think Green is going to fight me today?" Legon asked Sydin referring to the class eight.

"I don't think he will have a choice. I can tell he's new but none of our forces have seen much of him so it's safe to assume that you have more actual combat experience," Sydin said comfortingly.

Legon was a little irked, "I'm not worried about fighting him Sydin, but thanks for the pep talk."
 

Legon thought he heard Sydin mutter something about the pep talk not being for Legon, but he decided not to comment and focused on the fast approaching green. Legon looked into the dragon’s yellow eyes, trying to read them. He could see excitement in them, a desire to prove himself.
 

"We will have your wing," Sydin said.

"That won’t be necessary, he wants single combat, I can see it in his eyes, and I want the same," Legon said.

"Don't be a moron Legon, there is no way he's fighting you alone," Iselin barked, but Legon wasn't paying attention to her. He too was excited, he too wanted to prove himself against this dragon and he didn't want any help.

Before Iselin was able to argue more Legon sprinted forward at almost the same time Green did. Legon let out a savage roar that was matched by Green. Torrents of emerald and amethyst flames collided and Legon felt Green's power pushing against him. Never had Legon felt the kind of resistance he did now.
 

The two dragons smacked into each other, the force of it making their chest plates groan and grind together, the sound was horrific. As Legon suspected, none of the Iumenta paid any attention to him, and he paid no attention to anything other than Green.
 

Claws cut deeper into Legon than ever before, Green's jaws snapped at Legon's neck and in turn Legon bit down on Green's shoulder, tasting blood and flesh. They separated before they hit the ground. Below them human, Elves and Iumenta ran to avoid the two massive dragons. Legon swung with his tail blade. Green caught the blow and returned with one of his own. Legon stopped it as magic ran the course of his wing, making a poison gas that he used his wings to drive toward Green.
 

The gas met pale green wards and was countered by blasts of wind so focused they could cut steel. Legon's wards stopped the attack.
So you're an Elemental
Legon thought.
 
They both rose in the sky trying to gain the upper hand on one another. Legon felt healing wards strain as he got cut by claw and tooth, but for every wound he received, he dealt one of his own.
 

They were above Salez's main wall now and Green seemed desperate. Magic rebounded off of both dragons as they fought. Green faded back and Legon, too eager, shot forward. Green's tail came swinging up at Legon's exposed head.
 

Green's tail blade made contact with Legon's jaw, cutting armor and flesh, shattering bone. Legon screamed as the lower left hand side of his jaw separated from the upper half and flapped in space. The force of it was too great and the other joint in his jaw broke, leaving his bottom half hanging by muscle and scales alone. Pain fogged his vision and he felt healing wards drain as they tried to heal his jaw. In Legon’s moment of disorientation Green lashed out, getting in two more tail hits to Legon's sides before he could block. Ribs cracked with one of the blows and Legon feebly tried to ward off attacks. He felt his jaw snap back together and finish healing, but he'd lost ground in the fight and was losing badly.
 

There was a sound from Salez and Green separated from Legon and looked back. Legon recovered, but before he could attack Green turned in the air and flew as fast as he could back towards Salez. Legon looked to see the other Iumenta doing the same. Many were going to the ground and picking up other Iumenta and then using one of the city’s jump crystals to leave.

Sydin's voice boomed, "They are jumping out, secure the city’s air space!" he ordered.

There were collective roars from other Elf dragons and Legon joined them.
 

He fell back to be next to Iselin who eyed him. "You almost died today," she said angrily.

"I know," Legon said remembering.

"You're happy about it?" she asked incredulous.

"Of course, Green is my equal in every way and he beat me. That hasn't happened since Kovos, and I know Green feels the same," Legon said warmly.

"I married an idiot," Iselin spat and broke connection with him.
 

Keep yourself alive until we meet again
Legon thought, thinking of Green.

* * * * *

Barnin finished tying his gear and looked up at Ankle who said, "Is there a reason why every time people need to be dropped behind enemy lines now our unit has to do it? I mean, you can't tell me the Elves want us on this mission."
 

Barnin laughed without humor, "I'm sure they don't, but I think the human command wants to prove that our race can be of use too, and we've done this before so..."

"Oh, goody for us," Ankle said.

Barnin left the tent they were in and came to a field with the rest of his men.
 

"Listen up," he said addressing them. "We have several objectives today. We need to help clear battlements looking down on the entrance of the city; if we can secure those it will save a lot of lives when that main gate comes down. Next up, if you see anti dragon flack we are to take it out. The Pawdin Empire has units dedicated to this, but we need to do our part, we also need to watch for artillery and if we can, deal with that too. I'm aware that sounds like a lot to do, and it is. We are here today as a backup, we do not have any hard and fast targets, so be ready for things to change fast on the ground."

Barnin looked to the sky, seeing a group of dragons approach and started laughing. His men looked at him like he'd gone mad, and maybe he had. The massive form of Legon landed in front of him, Opes and Iselin on either side, along with a few others.

"Need a lift?" Legon asked.

Barnin looked over Legon's body covered in thick metal armor; the metal was smudged with dirt and was speckled with dried blood. With his dark purple scales Barnin thought he looked menacing, a defiant force to be reckoned with. This made him smile.

"Where ya headed?" Barnin asked.

"Me?" Legon said. "Oh, I'm going to go destroy a city’s defenses, you wanna come?" Legon said with a chuckle.

This whole conversation Legon had kept between the two of them. Barnin's men were looking at him, worried about the grin playing on his face; he raised his voice turning away from Legon. "Team one on me, we mount up on Legon, he's the purple one! Team two Ankle, you're on Ise!" he said giving orders. The men jumped into action loading up on the dragons with Barnin climbing up Legon's side.