“We are joining the enemy,” Obrin said.
“What?” One of the Generals asked.
“You heard me. The dragons have overstepped their bounds. We must stop them.”
“No offense, your highness, but that is madness. They’ve nearly decimated the enemy force. True, many dragons have fallen, but none of the powerful ones.”
“I don’t need excuses. You may stay here and live under their tyranny or you may die at my side ensuring that they are too weak to rule.”
*
Kade threw himself in-between the dragons and Amber. He felt the power surge through him as he threw up his hand at the closest of the creatures. The shadow dragons and the spirit warriors had been foolish in using him a weapon. His time spent under their control is what ultimately taught him how to tap into his magic. He still lacked the control to specify what he wanted the magic to do, but he didn’t care as long as it harassed the dragons. The magic shot out of his finger tips and slammed into the nearest dragon. He sent off several more spells before turning to check on Amber. The Knights of Ardevale rushed to his side and formed a wall of shields to protect them from the dragon fire. Kade nodded to Attos in thanks.
“Get her to safety, I’ll keep them off your backs,” he said.
The young sorcerer turned toward the dragons. A massive earth dragon let out a roar as it bore down on him. He threw his arms forward, unleashing a mass of stone spikes. The dragon attempted to change course, but it was moving far too fast. Kade used his magic to toss aside the corpse. The ease at which he had dispatched the creature caused its allies to pull back. They continued to slowly retreat as he approached. He smiled as they continually retreated back. His newfound power came with a dangerous overconfidence. The dragons continued to draw him further and further from his allies. Kade realized his mistake too late. He turned to head back and found that they had cut off his retreat. The dragons rushed toward him. He began slinging spells in every direction. His efforts pushed back the first attack, but the creatures pressed forward.
Kade continued blasting them with spells. He cried out in pain as one of the dragons managed to connect with a tail swipe. His barrage continued as he fell to one knee. The beasts continued to circle around him, looking for an opening. He took several smaller hits and was unable to keep up the same level of defense. The dragons closed in around him, treating it like a game of cat and mouse. Kade closed his eyes and focused on the magical energy inside of him. He drew upon as much as he could muster and let it pour out of him. A massive shockwave shot out of him. His body withered under the sheer power that was coursing outward. The dragons tumbled into each other and slammed into the ground as the torrent of magic threatened to break them. Kade felt himself losing consciousness, but he refused to let up the assault. He could feel his body breaking down, but he could also hear the creatures crying out in panic. His final action pulled another massive shockwave, crushing dozens of dragons between the two waves.
*
Wrotan’s hands shook as he watched Zaira slump to the floor. He rushed to her side and tried to comfort her. Tears streamed down her face as she dug her face into her hands. The hunter unhooked her father’s sword from his belt and placed it on the floor next to her. She thanked him for telling her in person and asked for a moment alone. He nodded and backed out of the tent. The camp was a mixture of hate, despair, and resignation. The word had spread far quicker than he had expected. There were more casualties than survivors and the dragons still needed to be defeated. Hrimgur called out to the hunter. The dwarf was standing with Attos and Amber. All three of them had been arguing about something.
“We have a visitor,” Attos said.
“Can’t somebody else handle this?” Wrotan asked.
“You are the only commander we could find,” Amber replied.
The hunter nodded as he calmed down. Things were worse than he had realized. They had all agreed that Lamont, Bertram, Padraig, Wrotan, and Hadrin would be the four heads of the army. If the other four couldn’t be found, they were likely injured or dead and thousands of soldiers with them. He let out a sigh as they led him toward the visitor. The majority of the survivors were armed and ready for a fight. Whoever the visitor was, he was not popular among the army. Wrotan nearly lost it when he spotted Obrin. The night elf King was a large part of why everyone had been in this situation in the first place. He was only able to restrain himself when he realized that it likely meant that Hadrin was seriously injured or worse. The night elf King dropped to his knees and extended his neck forward, signifying that he was willing to lose his head over the visit.
“Now is hardly the time for more death. Stand up,” the hunter said.
“That is a kindness that I do not deserve,” Obrin said.
“It isn’t for you. Isaack and Hadrin wouldn’t want me to be the one to kill you.”
“Then what I do will be one final action to honor them. Ungaroth is at castle Altarius. We must defeat him.”
“Why should we believe you?” Hrimgur asked.
“I have nothing more to live for,” Obrin replied.
“It is true, I saw it with my own eyes,” Alandra said as she slowly made her way through the crowd.
“Hadrin is dead?” Wrotan asked.
“Mariah, Bertram, Lamont, Hadrin, the spirit warriors, and I believe Kade as well.”
“Gather the troops, I will have the dragon’s head by the end of the night.”
Wrotan could barely contain his anger as he headed toward his tent. He dropped down onto the floor as soon as he got inside the tent. The weight of all the deaths felt as though it would suffocate him. A single tear streaked down his cheek. There was too much anger for anything more. His body was exhausted, but his need for revenge fueled him onward. He pushed off his knees and stood up. The dragons would pay for all the death they had caused. He didn’t care if he survived the battle. His only goal was to make them pay.
*
Amber stood with Attos and Zaira as they waited for Wrotan to return. He came back wearing a suit of armor that the Knights of Ardevale had made for him. In his hand, he carried the standard of the dwarven realm. The tabard on his chest had the emblem of the borderlanders on the front. His necklace held a single crystal from the Arcane Academy. A wildlander battle horn also hung over one of his shoulders. There was a noticeable protest from those of the magic realm. Before Wrotan could address their concerns, Zaira stepped forward and held forth the leprechaun King’s sword. The hunter looked down at the sword for a moment. Amber was uncertain of the significant of offering him the sword, but many of the members of the fairy army seemed insulted by her actions.
“King Padraig was a good man that did not deserve death. I accept this sword from him only as long as his people feel I am worthy of it,” Wrotan said as he placed his hand on the hilt.
“I would not dare question my father’s ability to judge one’s character. The sword is yours,” Zaira said.
“Call it honor, revenge, vengeance, or even hatred. I do not care what others think. My goal is to make Ungaroth pay. My life is unimportant. I will do everything in my power to ensure our casualties are at a minimum, but many of us will die. Perhaps even all of us. The beast may be beyond all of us, but that does not mean we should cower in fear. I, for one, will give my life to see that foul creature put down a notch.”
The remnants of the alliance let out a cheer at the hunter’s words. Amber had no doubt that they felt much like he did. She didn’t think that any of them believed the dragons could be defeated, but she knew that it wasn’t going to stop any of them from trying. The crowd went silent as Obrin stepped forward. Wrotan and the night elf King clasped forearms and nodded to one another. Each of them, like most of those gathered, had lost somebody close. Whether they trusted one another no longer mattered. They both wanted nothing more than the death of Ungaroth. Obrin moved to the side and opened up a large portal. Wrotan was the first to step through.
*
Wrotan
held his sword high above his head as he began the march toward castle Altarius. Ungaroth perched atop the main keep, looking as though he thought himself invincible. A dozen dragons circled in the skies above. The remnant of the alliance combined with some of Obrin’s elven army as they marched toward the castle. Their archers readied their arrows as the first of the dragons began to dive toward them. Within moments, all of the dragons began diving down toward the army. These dragons were not like the others. They were larger and more powerful. The strongest of them being Ungaroth. He lifted off from the keep with a loud roar. Wrotan let out a war cry as he began charging.
Obrin began using his magic to clip at the wings of the oncoming dragons. Their first pass took out a large chunk of the army, but it also left several dragons vulnerable. Wrotan charged the closest of the downed dragons and leaped at its neck. He attacked with such a fury that the beast was unable to react quick enough. His blade sliced through the creature’s neck as though it were a piece of bread. The hunter looked down at the leprechaun King’s blade in wonderment. Perhaps the fight was not as lopsided as it seemed. Ungaroth landed in the center of the battlefield and called the other dragons to him. The night elf King screamed as he ran toward the enemy’s leader. He thrust both of his hands forward, sending tentacles at the creature. Several dragons swooped down to intercept him and were caught up by the tentacles.
The hunter ran toward the dragons and slid underneath one of them. He jumped at the next one, slicing into its belly. The tentacles began draining the life out of the dragons that they had ensnared, allowing Wrotan to ignore them. He slid to a halt as a massive gold dragon landed between him and Ungaroth. Obrin used his magic to launch himself at the gold dragon. He grabbed hold of the beast’s neck and began draining it of its life force. Ungaroth shot up into the air and then spun around into a dive. He can down and smashed into the night elf King and the other dragon. Obrin sent out a massive blast of light that knocked the dragons back. He collapsed to the floor, still trying to launch spells at the beasts. Wrotan charged toward Ungaroth and the dragon whipped his tail around and hit the hunter in the chest, sending him flying back over a dozen feet.
“This isn’t over yet,” Amber said as she knelt down beside him.
“You heal him, I’ll use my magic to strengthen his attacks,” Josephine said.
Wrotan could feel the pain drain from his body. He stood up and faced the leader of the dragons. Both sides had taken heavy casualties and whether or not the hunter succeeded at killing Ungaroth, they had succeeded at destroying his army. The dragon let out a roar as it began charging toward him. He yelled back at the beast as he took off at a sprint. Both dragon and hunter leaped at one another. They crashed into one another and Wrotan drove his sword into the side of the dragon’s face. The force of the impact threw the hunter backward. He reached out and grabbed hold of his sword, pulling it free. Despite the magicians assisting him, the pain from colliding with the ground nearly knocked him out. He gasped for breath as he slowly rose to his feet. Blood streamed from the gaping wound just above the dragon’s mouth as he launched himself toward the hunter. Wrotan charged forward and raised his sword above his head. The blade sliced into the creature’s underbelly. As Ungaroth reared back to attack the hunter, Alandra and Attos led the last of the able soldiers in an attack.
“Aim for areas where he is already wounded!” The head of the Knights of Ardevale yelled.
The dragon was forced to give up his attack on the hunter in order to save himself from the charge. He pushed off from the ground and spread his wings. Hrimgur called forth the dwarven ballistae and they unleashed several bolts at the dragon’s wings. The ballista bolts tore through the leathery skin on Ungaroth’s wings, forcing him back to the ground. He let out a roar as he spun away from his attackers. Wrotan lunged forward and grabbed hold of the dragon’s tail. He used his sword to climb up onto the beast’s back. The dragon attempted to throw him off, but he was able to drive the sword into the creature’s spine. Ungaroth let out a labored roar as he came crashing to the earth. The hunter was thrown free and slammed against the ground.
*
Alandra ordered the charge as soon as she saw the dragon come crashing down. Attos and his Knights followed closely behind. They descended upon the thrashing dragon and did everything they could to finish it off. The elf continued hacking at the dragon’s head. Even as exhaustion threatened to take over, she still managed to raise her arm again and again. Attos and Amber grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. The dragon had been slain once and for all, but she still felt hollow. Her rage and want for revenge had not been sated. The others pulled her back and everyone regrouped. Josephine did what she could for the injured before they gathered together to discuss the next course of action.
“We need to find all of our dead and injured,” Hrimgur said.
“He’s right, we may be able to save some of them,” Amber said.
“Those that we can’t save still deserve a proper burial.”
“Where is Wrotan?” Attos asked.
“I thought he joined the last attack with the two of you,” Zaira said.
“We need to find him,” Alandra said.
*
Wrotan groaned as he awoke. The pain and exhaustion from the fight were almost too much for him to handle. He wanted to sleep some more, but somebody was shaking him. His vision began to clear and familiar faces were standing around him. He smiled at the sight of Amber and Attos. Alandra nodded to him from across the room and Hrimgur smiled. Josephine stood with the same mysterious look that she always had. Zaira had the leprechaun’s sword in her hands as she stood next to the bed. He looked around the room for others, but these were the only ones he could see.
“Where are the others?” He asked as he sat up in the bed.
“Cristoph already left for the spirit monastery. He plans for keeping his promise about helping refugees,” Amber replied.
“I can’t remember anything. Did we defeat the dragons?”
“Thanks to you and a few others,” Attos said.
“We suffered some loses. Don’t deny it, I can see it on your face. How bad is it?” Wrotan asked.
“The majority of our forces didn’t make it. It could have been worse though. Had Obrin not joined us in the end, we may not have been able to kill the dragon,” Hrimgur.
“Then Hadrin is one of the casualties. What of Bertram and Lamont?”
“We thought you would remember more of it. Mariah didn’t make it out either,” Amber said.
“Not Kade, please tell me not him. He had so much life ahead of him. If could, I would bring the dragon back to life so we could kill it again.”
“We are pretty much the survivors. Was it even worth it?” Attos asked.
“War is never worth it. All wars are terrible, some wars are unavoidable, and few wars are justified. All we can hope for is that ours will be looked upon as the last of those,” Wrotan replied.
*
The next several days were full of sadness. Wrotan led the others in their search for the fallen. It was imperative that they hold burial ceremonies according to each group’s custom. The hunter took part in each ceremony and did what he could to dig as many graves as he possible. His companions could see that it was taking a toll on him, but they knew better than to ask him to stop. He returned to camp and sat staring at the fire. Alandra was the first to approach him.
“Is it truly over?” She asked.
“We are victorious for the time being. I’m sure other problems will arise given enough time, but they won’t be as bad as facing dragons,” he replied.
“What will you do now?”
“I made a promise that I plan on keeping. Things may have gone differently had more people survived. Hadrin was not truly related to me, but he was related to my foster father. Beyond that, he was a good friend. Bertram was a good man, I would have liked to help him restore order where it is most needed. I didn’t trust Lamont or Obrin, but that doesn’t mean I wan
ted them dead. Kade and Mariah should be alive. I was supposed to die instead of them. So many deaths that I was unable to stop. It has been a long time since I have failed this badly.”
“Nonsense, you are the only reason we succeeded. Their deaths are on Ungaroth, not you.”
“Even so, I do not see how any of us can return to a life that is even remotely like the one we were accustomed to.”
“I have no plan to do so. The elven lands will be in turmoil without any of their rulers. Hadrin could have made a difference, but without him I have no reason to return home. If our paths never cross again, it was an honor to fight by your side. I cannot bear to stay here any longer. May your years be without strife, friend Wrotan.”
“Yours as well, my friend. You will be missed.”
*
Hrimgur nodded to Alandra as they passed one another. She had already accepted his invitation to the dwarven lands so neither felt it necessary to say anything. He continued on past her and waved to Wrotan. The hunter waved back and the dwarf approached him. Hrimgur joined him in front of the fire and they both stared at the flames without speaking. Wrotan let out a sigh and the dwarf saw it as an opening.
“Too much death, I say. Everyone will agree with me on that, I’m sure. We haven’t known each other long, but I respect you. You gave my people the spirit they needed to come back and beat the dragons. We owe you much, hunter. That is a debt that we can never repay,” Hrimgur said.
“I would never expect you to repay it. Without your assistance there would be no victory. The same can be said about everyone that fought today. We all owe an unpayable debt to each other. It was an honor to have fought by your side,” Wrotan said.
“If ever you find yourself in the north, stop by for some dwarven hospitality.”
“You have my promise.”
*
Attos stood next to Amber as she laid the wildflowers on Kade’s gravesite. The young Knight had not known Kade for long, but they had formed a bond sealed with sweat and blood. He felt that the responsibility of seeing Amber home safely had fallen on his shoulders. It was one last thing he could do for a friend whose life had been taken too soon. He wiped away a single tear before placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and smiled. There was a bit of silence as they both turned back to the grave for a moment. They turned back toward camp and slowly walked toward Wrotan.