A Wizard's Fire

Chapter 26

The dwarves in the valley were gathered at the forges that were built, where the embers of the fire melted the air with their heat along the embankment of Rainmoor. More than a hundred blacksmiths were assembled along with the knights that had endured the quests for the components, the six elves from Faregood and Tallwood, and the Company of the Court. The brief few weeks of their training were coming to an end as they prepared to go out and find the dragons once Saysmyth's work was done. The work of equipping the knights with the magic weapons had been more than difficult for the wizard, who spent every waking moment casting his spell of a wizard's fire and working his magic at the forges where the blacksmith's fashioned the steel.

On a table near the moor rested what remained of what had once been a pile of items that covered the entire surface of the table, the magic items that were collected into the wizard's hat from throughout the kingdom. Now, the pile was much smaller than it had been, only perhaps fifty items remained. Of the items that were collected the only magic was purely ornamental, recreational, or just plain simple, but transferring their power into the weapons through Saysmyth's spell made a far greater magic. One last night and the remaining items would have their energy transferred to finish equipping the knights, and their ride to Farwest would begin.

The knights knew that the dragons had been made known of them and their plan, and they were well aware that they could expect the unexpected. In fact, most of the knights expected to be ambushed once inside the mountains, and they knew they had to be prepared. The Kurom had spent all their efforts in trying to prepare them for fighting dragons in flight, introducing them to their own strategic tactics in battle in the hopes of giving them insight. Precious little time was spent simply relaxing.

Gavrel and Minok stood with their bows and arrows forty yards from a four foot tall target, a slate of wood carved in the shape of a dragon. Kasman sat nearby watching with delight as they practiced.

Gavrel pulled an arrow from his quiver and read aloud the inscription on the shaft written in elvish, "League of archers."

He aimed at the target and fired.

The single arrow multiplied into more than a score of arrows as it arched through the air toward the target, covering the wood slate and the ground around when they fell.

Minok stepped up, knocking an arrow as he aimed, "This one is a lightning bolt."

He shot the arrow toward the target, aiming and firing straight rather than in an arch. The arrow shot through the air with the speed of lightning, burning with electricity all the way. A crackling rumble echoed through the valley as the target split into pieces, and a dwarf ran to set another target into the ground.

Gavrel smiled, aiming his next arrow as he waited for the dwarf to distance himself from the target.

"Starstriker," he said as he looked to Minok.

He fired the arrow in an arch. It flew toward the target, piercing into the middle of the shape of the dragon when it fell and exploding into a thousand tiny stars in the same instant. The dwarf replaced the target yet again.

"A smooth sailer," said Minok as he knocked his next arrow and aimed, pulling the strong as he fired in an arch. The arrow flew evenly through the air untouched by the wind as it landed perfectly on the carving of the dragon, piercing into its eye.

The overcast clouds began to rumble as rain suddenly began to pour down. The agreement they had made with the cloud giants was that it would only rain once a day between five and seven, which was when they would eat their supper anyway. Until their business in the valley was done, the giants agreed to the arrangement. The magical waters of Rainmoor that cooled their arrowheads and new magical blades after they were forged heightened the power of the magic Saysmyth made.

Minok and Gavrel went into a nearby hut as Kasman yawned and rested his head to nap in the rain. The hut they entered was full of arrows hung on the walls. They seated themselves in chairs at the table as Gavrel lit the lantern.

"Have you built some confidence in the past few weeks?" he asked.

Minok nodded, "I think I've gotten used to these new weapons. I only hope it doesn't come to using the swords. Though they are magical as well, I much prefer the distance of the bow."

"Aye," agreed Gavrel.

Evelyn and Elise entered the hut from the rain, seating themselves at the table as well.

"Supper is almost ready," said Elise.

"What is it going to be tonight?" Gavrel asked.

"Vegetable stew," Minok answered.

"Excellent," said Evelyn.

"Yes," Gavrel agreed.

Berobus sat inside the small hut that had been built to serve as his quarters, studying the dwarven inscriptions on his blade intently when Redspar flitted in through the shutters of the window out from the rain. He went to close the window as the bird perched himself the chair at his desk and began to hawk loudly.

"What is it my wild friend?" the knight commander asked.

The bird looked into his eyes as images filled his mind, things that Redspar had seen, and the knight snapped with alarm. Arming himself with his bow and arrows, he went out of his quarters with his sword in hand.

He ran toward the large huts that served as the barracks for the squadrons and the huts that accommodated the elves from Faregood and Tallwood and the Company of the Court.

"To arms! Out of your huts before they burn them! The dragons are coming!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

The roar of thunder and wind drowned out his cries as he went from door to door, calling inside each building. Redspar flitted over him, flying away into the sky to act as his eyes as the others emerged from the huts one-by-one.

Everyone in the valley scattered for the outskirts as fast as they could run as the dwarves' ponies and the horses fled freed from the stable huts. The Kurom leapt into the air and began to circle the peaks of the surrounding mountains to confront the four dragons when they arrived.

The four red dragons appeared in the sky from behind the mountains as they charged the buildings in the valley, setting them to flames with their breath as they dove. Draiden flew down toward the table where the remaining magic items lay covered from the rain and breathed white fire on the table and the forge next to it, melting the stone. The magic items on the table melted with the stone of the table, cracking and exploding from the heat. The four did not take long in burning all the buildings in the valley before they realized the Kurom charging.

Veldraega flew in behind Draiden, striking at his back with his claws, shredding scales of armor from his back as the red dragon dove out of his reach and spun to face him.

Cayun charged Ogmin as Ogmin circled to face her and meet her challenge. The two collided and hovered in the air as they wrestled each other.

Kasman flew toward Torkain, each was aware of the other as they charged. Torkain grappled Kasman by the neck and the two fell a distance toward the ground as Kasman held Torkain, but the two finally freed themselves from each others grasp and spun to face each other again.

Valos approached Roahik as Roahik finished burning the last of the huts in the valley. Taking Roahik by surprise, Valos dove on top of him and sent him crashing into the ground. Valos clawed at Roahik's back as the red dragon slid through the valley floor, ripping scales from his back and clawing at his exposed flesh.

The fight was out of the range of their weapons, so some of the knights charged to enter the valley to assist with the fight between Valos and Roahik. The fighting in the sky could not be assisted by them on the ground unless any of the red dragons came within range, but they stood ready on the high rises at the skirts of the mountains.

Saysmyth watched from the cover of the trees at the valley's edge, unable to use his magic without exposing himself to attack. What energy he did have would not get him very far, and he would undoubtedly be killing himself to attempt to join the fight. Perhaps if it were a few hours later in the evening he could do something, but all of the day had been spent working a wizard's fire. He watched helplessly as the dragons fought each other in the sky, and as Valos and Roahik struggled on the ground.

The knights that charged the fight between Valos and Roahik came into range unseen by Roahik, and prepared to fire their first arrows from a good distance.

Draiden saw them in the cover of the trees and broke from his fight with Veldraega as Veldraega pursued. The knights diverted their attention to Draiden as he turned to attack them, firing their arrows before he could breathe his fire.

They were knights of Gavrel's squadron. They were Gavrel, Han, Wren, Naoma, Teana, Madeline and Anges. The seven of them knocked their arrows and fired.

As their arrows flew toward the diving dragon they each multiplied into scores more. Most of them bounced off the dragon's scales, but many of them sunk through the scales and into his flesh. The dragon was wounded and enraged, spitting his white fire toward them in a chasing stream as they scattered and fled through the trees of the valley.

Veldraega grappled Draiden from behind as he chased after the knights, bringing the two of them crashing into the burning trees with furious roars as Draiden returned his attention to the gold dragon. Draiden twisted his head around to face the gold dragon as he brought him to the ground, and bit his jaws into Veldraega's neck.

The gold dragon forced Draiden's jaws apart and threw the red dragon's head from him as he kicked him in the chest with his hind paws and whipped his tail across Draiden's face.

Draiden roared with the blow, furiously whipping his own tail back at Veldraega, striking the gold dragon in the neck. Veldraega choked on his breath with the blow as Draiden clamped his head between his claws, but the knights' arrows were upon him again, this time aimed at his back.

The red dragon cried out in pain as the arrows fired by the seven knights pierced into the exposed flesh where Veldraega had stripped his scales. The arrows exploded as they entered his flesh, sending a wide stream of blood pouring down his back.

Ogmin and Cayun had broken from each other's grip and circled the sky to charge each other again. Minok, Lancer, Lynette and Krean of Minok's squadron stood in the cover of the trees on a ledge on the mountainside nearby as Ogmin passed through the sky close to them, and they each let loose their arrows.

The arrows shot straight at Ogmin like lightning, piercing into his scales as they tore into his flesh and their electricity coursed through his torso. The dragon roared as he fell to the ground and Cayun came bearing down upon him, charging with full force. Ogmin groaned in pain as he was crushed beneath the gold dragon.

Kasman and Torkain tackled each other once more, struggling to pummel each other from the sky for several long moments as Evelyn, Dezra, Sharon, and Jill of Evelyn's squadron ran toward where they came closer from the sky where their arrows could reach. The four came within range as the two dragons fought, aimed their arrows and fired.

As the arrows flew through the air they grew in size until they were the length of spears and the width of poles, piercing through Torkain's scales, impaling several feet into his flesh. Two entered his abdomen. One entered his breast. Another entered his back. He fell to the ground as he fiercely pulled each of the projectiles from his body and spat his red fire at the knights, but the knights had distanced themselves from his attack.

More knights had rushed to the fight between Valos and Roahik. Tyrus, Gwen, Laithen, Karaghaun and Vyra of Tyrus' squadron stood within the cover of the nearby trees as the two dragons fought, aiming and firing their arrows.

The arrows struck into Roahik's abdomen, where his hide began to glow through the red of his flesh and scales and he howled in pain as he searched the trees around him for his attackers. Valos kept his attention, swiping his claws across his chest.

Draiden threw Veldraega back from him as he turned toward where the arrows had fired into his back from, casting his white-fire breath into the trees as he saw movement. Gavrel and Han screamed for only an instant before they were dead, even the powder of their ashes burned away in that moment as they and their magic weapons disintegrated in the fire.

Wren, Naoma, Teana, Madeline and Anges fired from the trees behind them. Their arrows glowed with dim red light as they shot strength and struck true, sinking deep into the red dragon's flesh as he nearly collapsed from the pain.

Veldraega quickly grappled him from behind, throwing him across the valley into the nearby mountainside as an avalanche of boulders showered down upon him from above. Draiden struggled to stand and move away from the falling rocks as the rocks began to bury him, but Veldraega was quick to charge him. Circling past the red dragon, he whipped him in the skull with his tail so hard that the dragon lost consciousness as the avalanche continued.

Wren, Naoma, Teana, Madeline, and Anges charged from the trees toward the fallen dragon, firing their dim red arrows as they ran. They fired as the dragon began to stir as their arrows impaled into his skull, and Draiden struggled to pull himself free from the boulders and debris that covered him. He finally dragged himself out of the rocks as Veldraega flew toward him. He quickly leapt into the air and flew out of range of the knights' magic arrows, flying out of the valley sky into the peaks as Veldraega pursued.

Redspar flew parallel to the dragon unseen and at a distance as Berobus watched the images of what the falcon saw enter his mind. The knight commander ran through the near mountain basin exiting the valley toward the direction where Draiden went and Veldraega pursued.

Cayun wrestled with Ogmin on the valley floor as Ogmin struggled to free himself and kept a close eye on the trees, wary of the knights that had fired upon him. With a triumphant grin he let slide his tail as he whipped through the trees at the knights before they fired again.

Minok, Lancer, Lynette and Krean were hurled through the air as if they had been hurled by a catapult. They were dead when they hit the ground.

Cayun roared with rage as she pinched her claws through the scales of the red dragon's chest, and the red dragon's steaming, red blood began to place puddles on the earth. He began to gurgle on his own blood as his hind claws gripped the gold dragon and pulled her from him by the waist. He jumped up into the air and flew from her, circling to face her as he prepared to dive with all his weight.

She leapt into the air after him, charging upward with great speed as she rose and dove toward him with all her weight. The two closed on each other in the blink of an eye, colliding with such force that the valley echoed with the impact as the two fell from the sky and crashed to the ground.

Ogmin was the first to stand, but Cayun was barely able to keep her head from swaying and her eyes from closing. The red dragon roared his fury as he raised his claws over her, and arrows shot from the trees.

Elise, Kenneth, Matthew, Sage and Hanna of Elise's squadron stood inside the shadows beneath the sparse canopy of the valley forest reloading their bows as their first arrows flew. The arrows glided swiftly at Ogmin as swirling, white spheres of light surrounded their shafts spinning. The red dragon moved to dodge them, but they spun in the air to fly toward him where he moved again and again as he fled till he fell on his back and the arrows pierced into his belly. He roared with agony as he spit a stream of yellow fire into the air.

Kasman and Torkain dodged each other's attempts to overbear each other as they charged each other again and again in the sky. Torkain was certain to keep himself out of range of any bows fired from below. Kasman sought to send the red dragon falling from the sky where the knights could attack him with their magic, but Torkain was deft.

Kasman looked to the ground out of the corners of his eyes as he spun past Torkain, giving the red dragon a swift kick in the belly. Torkain roared as he pursued, following Kasman as the gold dragon ascended through the air along the mountainside.

Arrows flew out of the darkness at Torkain as the members of the Company of the Court, Prince Chaus and Anthos fired their bows. Piercing into the red dragon's flesh the arrows of frost magic turned the areas they penetrated into frozen spots of ice in his torso as he squealed. He turned to dive in the direction from whence the arrows came, blasting a stream of red fire in his path.

As the company, the prince, and nobleman Anthos scattered Cadra fell screaming upon the ground as her body covered with flames. The others cried out as their companion met her fate, hiding where they could as Torkain circled in the air and charged the mountainside again.

Kasman dove to intercept him.

Tyrus, Gwen, Laithen, Karaghaun and Vyra fired again at Roahik as the red dragon fought Valos. Their arrows multiplied in number as they flew at the dragon and struck into his back. Though most of them bounced off the dragon's scales, many of them impaled through his scales into his flesh. The dragon wheeled as he threw Valos down upon the ground, turning to search the trees in the direction he was fired upon from as if someone had inconveniently tapped him on the back.

He drew his breath deep and spit his blue fire into the trees. Tyrus, Gwen, Laithen, Karaghaun and Vyra could be seen bolting through the forest as the rain poured down, struggling to move quick while trying not to lose their feet in the slick mud. Roahik sneered as his keen dragon sight recognized the insignia of a squadron commander on the leather shoulder pads of Tyrus' armor, the insignia of a falcon perched on a sword. The dragon drew his breath again as he prepared to spit, but before he could breathe Valos was upon him again, clawing at his chest and face as he was forced on his back.

Ogmin jumped from the ground where he lay and vaulted into the air out of reach of their arrows as Cayun pursued. The dragon was quickly on the outskirts of the valley, far overhead as he made distance between him and the magic arrows of the knights.

Torkain suddenly veered from his charge on Kasman as Ogmin flew past the two of them and out of the valley. He followed Ogmin away from the magic of the knights, suddenly realizing the level of danger. Kasman was suddenly alongside Cayun in pursuit of the two.

Roahik fought to free himself from Valos' grip as the other dragons fled the valley, and he soon found himself the sole enemy in the presence of the knights as they came charging toward the melee between the two dragons. They came screaming out of the darkness, all of them, knights, dwarves, and the others in the valley. Their arrows flew as Valos ripped his scales from his flesh, and he soon felt his body covered with arrows as their magic worked its way through his scales. Even the non-magical throwing axes of the dwarves sunk into his body where Valos had torn away his scales, and Roahik felt the weakness of death overtake him as he fell forward into the trees. With a mighty crash he became the first of the four to die.

Tauk shook the fear from his head as the dragon finally went limp and lifeless.

"I can't believe it," he gasped. "One down!"

His expression then changed to that of horror as the chase between Kasman and Cayun and Torkain and Ogmin changed direction, and Valos leapt into the sky to join the chase. The dwarf cried out as Saysmyth appeared amidst them with the same expression of fear as the dwarf.

"They are going to the Kingdom of Norock!" Tauk shouted as he ran toward the wizard. "Saysmyth, they are going to destroy the kingdom. Do something! Cast a spell!"

Saysmyth was already in the midst of spell. His eyes closed as his mind concentrated and he held up his palms. From his hands appeared a portal, a magical doorway. Beyond it were the catwalks of the fortified walls of the dwarven kingdom nearby. The wizard continued to concentrate to hold the portal open as Tauk cried out to the others.

"Here! Run through here!" he shouted. "Defend the Kingdom of Norock with your new magic. Put it to good use after all that has been done to acquire it. The dragons fly toward the kingdom!"

The knights, the Company of the Court, Prince Chaus and nobleman Anthos realized what the dwarf was saying and the wizard was doing, and they dashed through the portal onto the catwalks of the walls of the dwarven kingdom. There they stood amidst the dwarven warriors stationed there as Tauk suddenly appeared, followed by Saysmyth as the wizard struggled to keep from fainting after draining himself with the spell he had cast.

"The dragons are coming!" Tauk shouted. "To arms!"

The dwarves on the catwalks went to their stations, arming ballistas and preparing their crossbows and bolts to defend. The knights and other companions scattered themselves across the catwalks as they faced the sky. In the distance the shadows of the dragons approached as they flew out from the cloud-filled sky above the Valley of Rainmoor.

Veldraega tackled Draiden as they flew through the air, bringing him toppling out of the sky with him as they fell into the mountain basin below.

Draiden threw the gold dragon from him with a roar as he swiped a claw across Veldraega's abdomen, ripping scales from his body.

Veldraega fell on his back and rolled onto his feet again, thrusting his jaw and claws into Draiden's chest as he tore at the red dragon's scales.

Draiden pummeled the gold dragon with a mighty swing, knocking his head to the end of his neck as he swiped his other claw across the scales of his torso and bit into the flesh of his chest. Steaming blood coursed down Veldraega's abdomen and side as Draiden pushed him to the basin floor.

Veldraega howled in pain.

"Did you really think you could chase me down and just bury me?" Draiden hissed as he whipped Veldraega in the skull with his tail and the sound of bone cracking echoed through the walls of the mountains.

Veldraega moaned as he attempted to stand, but Draiden struck him with his claws again, ripping scales from his body. The gold dragon swung clumsily at the other, dizzy and faint from Draiden's attacks, but Draiden needed only to step back for a moment to avoid the attempt. Stepping forward again, he whipped Veldraega again with his tail. The blow struck the gold dragon upon the same soft, bruised flesh where he had struck his skull before, breaking the scales as they fell from the side of his head. The golden skin below the scales was bluish black from the injury.

"What can you do now?"

Veldraega's expression twisted with smite as he snapped the incantations of a spell so abruptly that Draiden could not but suffer the spell.

The red dragon roared in protest as his body began to tremble and his limbs began to convulse uncontrollably and his size diminished as he transformed into the much smaller form of a human.

He stood naked, a heavily muscled man with long, red hair with curls like flames and skin as white as snow. His eyes were black and his face was small and sharp. Without making a face his face had the natural expression of one who was in a dark mood.

Veldraega's eyes went wide as he gazed at the man.

"Drinn Dracos!" he gasped with anger. "I detected your true nature to be that of a half-dragon as I pondered what spell to use on you, but I never could have known that Drinn Dracos could be just another recklessly idiotic red dragon such as Draiden."

Drinn smiled as he shrugged a nod and snapped his fingers with a word of incantation to cloth himself in chainmail and arm himself with a sword. He crossed his arms with a smile as he crossed his booted feet. His black cape blew in the wind as the sound of the storm in the Valley of Rainmoor lingered in the distance.

"I am none other," he said. "And you cannot win this fight even if I am in human form. I still have my magic as well, and it is greater than yours."

"We shall see," said Veldraega weakly as he raised his hands and began to speak, but his eyes closed as they rolled back into his head and he fell onto his side.

The sound of his body falling echoed like thunder.

Draiden chuckled lightly to himself as he raised a palm and uttered an arcane word, evoking a ray that covered the gold dragon's body with red light as it instantly faded and disappeared.

Redspar sat perched on a nearby tree, quietly watching all that happened as Draiden began walking westward through the basin away from Rainmoor and the Kingdom of Norock.

"I grow tired of this kingdom," he said aloud to himself, "and the cows grow thinner with each year I am in it. I guess I will have to find somewhere else to dine next holiday season."

The three gold dragons chased after Torkain and Ogmin as they flew over the walls of the kingdom out of range of their arrows and ballistas and dove toward the buildings. Cayun and Kasman rammed Torkain as Valos grappled Ogmin. They flew through the air away from the kingdom past the opposite wall and came crashing into the basin beyond. Out of reach of the ballistas on the other side as well, the dragons fought as the dwarves on the catwalks watched in awe.

Cayun and Kasman struggled with Torkain as he threw Kasman on his side and shred his claws through Cayun's torso. Cayun cried out as scales fell from her body and she swung her claws at Torkain. Swiping him through the face, she caused him to stumble backwards as Kasman leapt onto him and bore his talons into his hide.

Ogmin struggled with Valos, biting the gold dragon deep in the side as Valos grappled his tail and began to turn him onto his back. Tearing his claws down both sides of Valos' body, Ogmin managed to push himself free as he freed his tail with a sharp tug of his rear. He snapped the tail across Valos' chest with three swift strokes, knocking the wind out of the gold dragon.

Torkain began to speak incantations loudly as he wrestled with the other two, and Cayun began to speak the arcane words of a spell to counter his magic. The red dragon finished speaking as Kasman held him by the arms and he opened his mouth to breath, only instead of fire coming from inside him came frost so cold that it sent shards of hail falling from its stream as it blasted over Kasman's face. The gold dragon fell on his back as he began to choke and suffocate. He had inhaled the frost of the spell and his cinerary glands had swollen and frozen. He could not breathe.

Torkain turned his attention to Cayun, who had not dispelled his magic in time. She leapt upon him with a roar, biting into his neck with such ferocity that even the dwarves watching from the wall trembled. The red dragon howled in terror as she ripped scales and flesh from his neck and spat them on the ground. He soon found himself choking also, but on his own steaming blood as it bled from his throat.

Ogmin tackled Valos as the gold dragon began to regain himself, and the two toppled together along the basin floor, clawing and biting at each other with rage.

Torkain soon lay dead next to Kasman, who was also dead, and Cayun charged the fight between Ogmin and Valos.

Ogmin tossed Valos from him as Cayun charged, sending Valos crashing into the trees. He stood and faced Cayun as she charged, whipping his tail fast across her skull as she lunged to bite him. With one swoop of his tail he shattered her skull and sent her falling lifeless to the basin floor. Turning to face Valos where he lay unconscious, he bore his claws as the dwarves cried out with despair. The red dragon tore into the gold dragon's chest and placed his claws around his heart, pulling it beating from his chest as he reached it up to his jaw and swallowed it whole.

Frantic screams echoed from the catwalks as Ogmin faced the fortified walls with a wicked grin and thrust himself into the air with a deafening roar. He came raging toward the kingdom, spitting his yellow flames before him.

An arrow shot into Draiden's shoulder and the half-dragon stumbled as he sharply turned to face in the direction from which it was fired. He faced the dark-haired knight commander, looking into his amber eyes with anger. The arrow began to pulse with energy, a blinking dim, red light, and the pain of injury flooded Drinn's sense as he violently tore the arrow from his body with a cry.

"Hurts?" Berobus taunted.

"Not half as much as I'm going to hurt you," Drinn snapped in reply as he drew his sword and charged the knight.

Berobus quickly threw his bow aside and unsheathed his sword just in time to parry the half-dragon's first swing. Drinn swung again, aiming for his heart, but the knight commander was quicker than he they soon learned.

Drinn thrust as Berobus swung.

The half-dragon missed as the knight commander leaned his upper body back with his swing and ran his blade through the half-dragon's chest. Drinn was better at burning down building and crops, but they soon also learned was not quite matched with the skills of a knight commander with the sword. As their melee heightened Drinn realized he would be unable to easily make a well-placed strike on Berobus, though Berobus found it no easy task to keep him parried and daunted.

For nearly ten minutes they fought before Berobus finally struck Drinn another blow, piercing into the half-dragon's torso as he twisted his blade and Drinn cried aloud. As Drinn began to speak words for a spell Berobus became frantic with his attacks, but not even piercing him a painful blow through the stomach interrupted his spell before it was cast and Berobus fell to his knees. He swayed as he began to stand again, lapsing in and out of consciousness as he fought the magical sleep.

Drinn studied his frightened and bewildered expression as his sword fell from his weakened grasp and he pulled himself to his feet on the trunk of a tree.

"I can kill you with magic if not the sword," Drinn stated, "or I can just watch you lose consciousness."

Berobus fell back to the ground again as Drinn laughed.

"Better luck next time," he mocked as he kicked the knight commander across the skull with his boot and let him fall to the ground. "I have more likely opponents than you."

Ignoring Berobus, he continued on his way.

Redspar followed him through the trees as he walked along, silently watching from the branches above until the half-dragon was met by a more likely opponent.

Standing twenty-one feet tall, the blonde-haired giantess stared to him with piercing silver eyes. Clad in full plate armor, she wore the battle dress cloud giants wore when they are about to descend in a storm, a mighty sword held ready in her hand.

Drinn halted in his steps as he faced her.

"You cannot revert to dragon form," said Felicia.

"Not yet," Drinn frowned with fear.

"That's too bad," she mocked as she approached him.

"Yes it is," he agreed as she swung her blade at him, but he vanished where he stood as her sword passed through air.

Felicia shook her head once with frustration.

He had escaped.

Ogmin charged the building of the kingdom, setting them ablaze as he swooped down on them and soared upward again. The knights and companions had abandoned the catwalks and ran through the chaotic streets in the attempt to get close to him when he came down, but the streets were crowded with dwarves running to flee the dragon.

Soon Ogmin had set fire to countless buildings, smithies, merchant shops, warehouses, stables, school, churches, guild halls, and many more. The knights struggled to get close to the dragon to fire their magic arrows, but to no avail. Movement through the streets was almost impossible, and the dragon had all the freedom he needed to continue his rampage.

Lightning ripple through the sky above Ogmin as the dragon dove and rose. He did not notice the cloud that descended from the sky above as it coursed with light. Coming down with the speed of a falling star it was soon in the sky directly over the kingdom. Only then did the dragon take notice of the pitch black storm at his back as it cast its dark shadow upon him. Lightning exploded from the cloud, striking the dragon with a barrage. Inside the cloud everyone below could see five humanoid shapes as they cast the lightning bolts at the dragons like they were throwing spears. They were the cloud giants that lived above Rainmoor everyone began to realize, and some encouragement sent cheers through the crowded streets rather than chaos.

The cheers turned to chaos again as Ogmin attempted to descend to the ground without falling, coming quickly toward the streets below. He collapsed atop several buildings with a stone-breaking crash, and rolled to stand on his feet again.

The knights and companions ran through the streets in madness to get to the dragon, pushing people out of their way and threatening anyone who unknowingly obstructed them.

The elves were the quickest, the lightest on their feet in even the dwarven city full of panicked residents, and they appeared to confront the fallen dragon first. The six entered a street where the dragon continued his destruction even after his fall, slamming apart buildings with a single crash of his fist, blowing flames into crowds of dwarves.

Domino, Tamela, Jasmin, Chastity, Ambrosia and Rachel aimed their arrows and let them fly. As each arrow struck the dragon's body flashed with white light as energy filled him with its agonizing charge, and Ogmin was already wishing he had never seen Escrea.

The elves fled as he saw them and spat his breath toward them while the dwarves in the street fled also. They jumped into an alley as others screamed as their bodies caught fire, and Ogmin came chasing after. The red dragon stared down the empty alley with defeat. They had escaped through it.

Nicholas, Zoe, Bryan, and Shelly of Evelyn's squadron reached the dragon next, taking aim at its back as it stared into the alley after the elves. They let their arrows loose, and they flew through the air straight rather than in an arch. As they struck the dragon he cried out in pain, and he felt the scales around the area where he had been hit by their arrows begin to fall from his hide as he moved.

Seeing the dragon's flesh was exposed by the effects of the arrows, angry dwarves took up their crossbows if they had them, firing at the dragon from windows and from the street below as he spat his breath at the buildings around him.

More lightning came from the cloud above as the five giants appeared from the darkness in the sky nearer the dragon and threw their lightning upon him. Ogmin roared as he took flight again, attempting to make his escape as the lightning struck him and crossbow bolts covered his exposed flesh. With amazing speed he fled, and with amazing agility he dodged the attacks as he flew, but one thing made him refrain from making his escape.

Upon the catwalks of the wall that passed beneath him he saw the robed figure as he watched in astonished fright, and he recognized the man from Draiden's description and logical deduction. How many wizards does one find on the catwalks of a dwarven wall? he thought to himself as he circled back toward the kingdom after passing the wall.

Saysmyth immediately knew it was he Ogmin had doubled back for, and, whether it would be the dragon that killed him or draining his energy beyond recuperation from casting a spell to defend himself, he had little choice but to call on his magic.

Raising his hands he spoke his incantations and moved his arms and hands in gesture as Ogmin charged him and prepared to spit. With a mighty wind the dragon blew his breath, and all was still on the walls as everyone realized the wizard had cast a spell. A thick cloud of fog burst forth from Ogmin's mouth and blinded his vision as he lost sight of the ground below. Unable to tell how high he was as he sped forward, he attempted to dive out of the fog and sent himself impacting head-first into the basin below him. When the fog cleared Ogmin lay motionless and without breath at all.

A silence fell amongst the dwarves on the catwalks as the dwarves worked to put out the fire's in the kingdom and the dark storm of the cloud giants disappeared. Word soon spread that Ogmin had been defeated, and relief began to set the kingdom at ease.

Saysmyth was taken to the dwarven temples and curates, where the most they could do for him was let him rest. The knights, the Company of the Court, the six elves of Faregood and Tallwood, Prince Chaus and nobleman Anthos were all brought to the small rooms of the dwarven inns where they could rest as well. Late that evening Berobus was welcomed within the walls with word of what had happened, and he too was given a room at an inn to rest before he and the others made their inevitable journey home.

Tauk stood amidst a crowd in conversation on the street outside his home as they asked him questions and spoke of the battle.

"At last the dragons are gone from Escrea," he sighed, "and let their deaths be a lesson to the rest of them."