War of Dragons (60 page)

See you later, Joseph. Good flying.

Mark and Noah watched Joseph fly off into the distance and then turned their attention back to the Red Dragon Army, which was still in the process of taking off. About half of them had taken to the air now and were slowly rising from the ground. The ones still on the ground were now more spread out, and were taking to the air more quickly.

So, what do you think, Noah? Even numbers, if Joseph is right. That should be an advantage to the Reds, shouldn't it?

It should. The Reds long necks and longer legs give them much greater reach and they're not that much slower than the Blues, so with even numbers you'd expect the Reds to win normally. But with these sorts of numbers I'm not sure how much of an advantage they have. With two armies of this magnitude facing each other there's only one thing that is certain, and that's death. Lots of it. We can only hope that your friends come back alive. If I was you, I'd be concentrating your efforts on talking them into turning around while they can.

I've tried,
Mark replied.
They're too stubborn. I think they'll only turn back if it looks bad.

That would be too late,
Noah told him.
They're slow, even for Red Dragons. If the battle turns and they have to flee, the Blues will catch them.

I'll stay with them if that happens,
Mark promised.
I'll make sure they get back.

Good luck with that,
Noah replied.
Right, I had better go and join these commanders. See you later, Mark.

***

Fly!
John screamed to Wami.
Fly as fast you can!

The roars of the angry True Dragon were deafening, carrying for miles around. As soon as John had let go of the fruit he had pulled out of the dive and turned back towards Wami, but had kept his eyes fixed on the creature behind him. He was surprised to see how nimbly it had leapt to its feet, searching for the culprit. It spotted John and roared again in fury before taking to the air. It climbed much faster than John had thought possible for something so huge. Fortunately, John had a good head start and was much higher already, but the True Dragon was not going to make this easy.

You don't have to tell me that twice,
Wami replied nervously from up ahead.
Just worry about yourself. You're the one he wants to kill.

John looked back again briefly and saw the angry face of the True Dragon behind him, flapping its wings furiously to try and catch up with John. The Putrid Fruit had smashed on its nose, spilling all over the monster's head. It had wiped most of the fruit off with its claws, but stains from the juice coated its dark scales and small lumps of fruit were scattered all over its head and neck. The smell must have been terrible.
I think I got a good hit,
he told Wami.

Great,
Wami replied flatly.
I'll ask them to put that on your tombstone. Just fly!

John flapped as fast as he could, keeping his eyes on Wami, rather than looking for landmarks to help him navigate. Wami was much higher and a long way ahead of him, about as far ahead as he could be and still be able to communicate with John. John heard the True Dragon roar again and was alarmed to see that it had gained ground on him, slowly closing the gap between them.

It's catching up!
he called out to Wami in alarm.
How can it fly this fast?

Because it's really angry,
Wami replied. John,
I hate to tell you this, but I think it's going to get very hot in a minute. I think it's almost close enough to give you a bit of a toasting. My grandfather told me that thing has fire that you wouldn't believe.

Looks like I'm about to find out!
John replied, glancing back at the gaping jaws of the approaching True Dragon. Just as the True Dragon unleashed the full power of its flames, John changed direction and dived towards the ground, picking up speed and moving away from his pursuer. He felt the warmth of the fire as it narrowly missed him and heard the angry roar of the beast as it realised that John had evaded his attack. It dived after John, continuing to roar angrily. John banked to the right, changing direction dramatically and dodged it again.

Nice move, John!
Wami called in encouragement.
It's faster than you but it can't turn as quickly. Watch out, here it comes again….

***

"Officers," General Zygar began, addressing the assembled generals, colonels, division commanders, wing commanders and flight commanders. Perak knew that Zygar would have liked to have addressed the whole army, but the numbers gathered were too large. As it was, he had an audience of thousands. "A momentous day lies ahead of us. Never before have so many of our dragons been gathered together for battle and never before have we been so strong. This will be the beginning of the end for the Red Dragons. And yet, in their arrogance, they actually believe that they are going to win. Almost all of their forces are gathered to the north-west and are preparing to attack us. But this isn't just down to their stupidity and arrogance. Through the foresight and cunning of General Perak they have been duped into believing that our number is just a fraction of what it truly is. They will save us the trouble of attacking them in their cities and will fly here to their doom. Then you will crush them! This will be a massacre and none of them shall survive. Today, you will destroy the Reds' army and there will be nothing to stop us seizing not just their capital, but all the lands to the west as well. Go! Go and destroy the Reds!"

"Have you heard Zygar address the men before?" Pan asked Perak.

"Not for a long time," Perak replied. "But this is a special occasion."

"Nice of him to mention you, don't you think?"

Perak shrugged. "Credit given where credit due. Hiding most of our troops in the forest was an unpopular idea, just as was my suggestion to give up Obud, but this has drawn out the Red Dragons. Their army numbers one fifth of our number and they will have no city advantage today. It will be a battle of attrition, but with the numbers we have, there can only be one outcome."

"Such fools," Pan agreed. "Amazing to think they've survived this long."

"Indeed, and then we'll deal with the Browns. They'll regret the day they decided to ally with the Reds. They may have taken some of our land, but they'll lose it even more quickly. "

"I look forwards to seeing the back of them even more than the Reds," Pan agreed. "I was brought up not far from their border. Arrogant little creatures. They attacked us many times, but always fled quickly when our dragons took to the air. They only do well when they surprise us, taking the coward's route rather than facing us in open battle."

"Yes, well, their day will come to an end soon as well. Come, we will take to the air. I have orders to remain an observer today, so that's what I will do. The men will be emerging from the surrounding forest soon and will form the largest army that has ever assembled. I mean to watch them transform and take to the skies."

***

Doesn't this thing ever give up?
Wami asked as John evaded yet another furious attack.
You've been dodging it for ages.

John had lost track of how many near misses he had had and glanced back to see the True Dragon still hotly pursuing him.
We're relying on it not to give up, remember?
he replied, hoping his own strength and stamina would hold up long enough.

How's it going down there?
Wami asked, glancing back to look at John.
Getting tired yet?

You'll know when I'm getting tired,
John replied grimly.
I'll be dead and it'll be after you instead. Just keep me going in the right direction.

Alright,
Wami agreed.
I'm guessing on the direction. I had expected to have seen some Blues by now though. Hang on, John, up ahead! I think I see them. Yes, that’s got to be them!

Are you sure?
John asked. He was desperate to end this chase as his strength was fading. Once he was close enough to their army he would transform into a Blue Dragon and hope that it wouldn't be able to keep track of which one he was.

Definitely,
Wami replied.
There are a lot of them! Just a little further. Most of them are on the ground still.

John looked back. His pursuer hadn't slowed at all and if anything, looked even angrier than before. John flew up upwards, hoping that the True Dragon would struggle with this and he could gain some distance. He looked back again after climbing a few hundred meters and saw that the True Dragon had kept pace with him and if anything, had gained a little ground. But Wami was right; they were nearing the Blue Dragon Army and they had been seen. Up ahead, thousands of dragons began to take to the air, rising up to meet them.

Here they come, John! Just a little further….

***

Stay high, sir,
Eric warned Perak as they circled high above their troops.
That thing shouldn't notice us here.

Below them the True Dragon was approaching their camp and many of their men were still on the ground. The rest were flying towards it, looking tiny in comparison to the monstrosity bearing down on them. Alarm bells were ringing out across the camp.

It's so fast,
Pan said in awe.
Can we defeat it?

Those fools won't,
Perak replied darkly, his eyes fixed on the approaching monster.
The best they can do is slow it. Colonel, find me that fool Kessick. Now is his moment of glory. And have someone bring me a lance.

You don't mean to attack that thing, surely?
Pan asked in amazement as Eric left them. Down below, the True Dragon reached the first of the troops, passing through their dragons as if they were not there and leaving hundreds of corpses in its wake killed by its teeth and claws.

That thing may destroy this whole army unchecked,
Perak replied.
Look, our dragons can't even scratch it!

Blue Dragons swarmed around it, slashing with their claws, but it barely seemed to notice them, not even slowing as it moved towards where the bulk of the army were situated. It spied a division on the ground, not yet transformed, and swooped down to bathe them in fire. Their screams were cut short and they disappeared in the cloud of fire.

Where is that damn Kessick?
Perak snapped.

It just wiped out an entire division!
Pan cried in shock.
That's ten thousand dragons!

I know, dammit,
Perak retorted.
They shouldn't have still been on the ground. Don't they understand what those bells are for? Where is that fool Kessick?

The True Dragon was flying amok, chasing after large groups of Blue Dragons and rather surprisingly, catching up with them and dispatching them with ease. It appeared to be focussing on large groups, trying to kill as many as possible.

It's too fast!
Pan cried out.
Our troops can't outfly it!

They could make it a little harder for it though,
Perak replied irritably.
They need to scatter when it approaches.

Scattering went against their training though and they stuck to their units, which made it easy for the True Dragon to slaughter them in large numbers. The braver among them attacked in response, desperately striking at it as it flew through the army, but doing little other than slowing it as it swatted them away like flies. The dead were beginning to pile up on the ground beneath them with no end in sight to the slaughter. It was an unstoppable killing machine; even dragons that were caught by the flapping wings were stunned and dropped from the sky to their deaths. But it was the creature's fire which caused the most deaths; each time the sky lit up with flames they could hear the screams of thousands of Blue Dragons that were being incinerated.

There's Kessick!
Pan shouted triumphantly.
He's going to attack!

Kessick led a large group of Blue Dragons towards their tormentor, carrying heavy metal lances in their claws. The lances were twice as long as they were and some of them looked like they were struggling to hold them.

Damn fool,
Perak replied.
He'll just get himself killed. Where's that wretched division commander? Oh, Eric, there you are. Why hasn't Kessick come to find me?

Eric flew up to join them, carrying two long, dark lances in his claws.
He asked me to tell you to catch him up, sir. He's going to attack it now. Here's your weapon, sir.

Good. I see you have two; is the other for you?

Of course, sir, but I didn't bring one for Wing Commander Pan.

Perak glanced at him before replying dismissively,
Pan prefers to sit this one out. Eric, follow me. Quickly, before Kessick and his men are all dead.

Kessick and his men were about to launch their first attack. Being a small group, the True Dragon ignored them, focussing on the larger groups of Blue Dragons. This allowed Kessick and his dragons to fly at their target unchecked and he led the way.

Ready your lances!
he roared.
We may just get one attempt, so make it count!

The fool!
Perak snapped.
That'll never work!

Kessick and his men struck at the True Dragon side on, their lances thrown or driven into points all along the side of the creature. A couple stuck in between the creature's scales, but if it was hurt it didn't show it. It swiped at the passing Blues with one claw, knocking several from the sky, and followed up with a half-hearted stream of fire, but quickly turned back to its task of murdering the rest of the Blues.

Retrieve your weapons!
Kessick commanded as he glided to the ground.
We'll attack again!