“She is my daughter. I will take you.”
“NO!” Tretchbolt roared. “You are the king. I will take Thomas there. If you think you can handle things here.”
The Red Dragon facing off against Alkamire was a large brutish looking beast. It had grown frustrated with trying to get at Sammuel, and now had his head buried into the chest of Alkamire, and was pushing him backward.
“Just get going!” Alkamire twisted the other dragon around onto his back.
Tretchbolt launched up into the air without another word.
The flight out of the fray was bumpy. Many of the Storm Dragons were flying around, launching elemental attacks at Alkamire's group on the ground. Most of the Red Dragons had already landed to face the remaining forces. Thomas noted there were a great deal less of Ganton's forces moving around. Tretchbolt flew straight through the first couple of dragons like they were paper in the wind, but as more dragons saw the lone Blue Dragon trying to escape the masses, the more that joined in the chase. By the time that Tretchbolt had reached top speed, they had a good hundred or so Storm Dragons literally right on their tail. Lightening flashed, and air currents tossed them about. The Storm Dragons were doing everything in their power to bring the two down. One of the faster of the bunch latched onto Tretchbolt for a moment, but Thomas turned, and with as much care as he could, extracted a black stone and threw it at the dragon. It bounced harmlessly off him, and the dragon looked bewildered for a second until it all of a sudden started to shrink. The Storm Dragon shrunk to the size of a dragonfly right before Thomas eyes, and was lost in the wind. Tretchbolt immediately regained speed and continued to manoeuvre through the air.
“I was afraid of this.” Tretchbolt screamed through the wind. “We have to get rid of them somehow!”
Thomas thought fast. If he did anything too large, he would be too tired to face Victor. The speed that they were going, if anyone were to hit something, it would knock the sense out of them. Perhaps....
“Wall of air, strong as steel,
Between them and us, we conceal.”
The first of the horde chasing Thomas and Tretchbolt to hit the invisible wall did so in an almost cartoon-like manner, sliding down the unseen barrier and falling off into the unknown. Then a pile of dragons hit the invisible shield at full force, and reverberated off also falling off into the clouds below. There were now about fifty or so dragons that were cautiously testing the air to find a way around. Tretchbolt and Thomas now had a significant lead, but it still wasn't enough. As soon as Thomas was gone, Tretchbolt was going to be in serious trouble. Thomas was a little tired, but he had to find a way to take care of all the dragons at once.
Thomas pointed his arm toward the pursuing group and chanted,
“In the minds this thought will creep,
Now is time for them to sleep.”
That did it. The last of the Storm Dragons curled up as if for a nap, and dropped from the sky. It would be a very short nap, thought Thomas. He looked around, it looked as though they were free of their attackers at last.
Thomas cursed under his breath. If he had thought of that spell earlier, he could have saved a lot of innocent lives. He may have also ended up putting everyone to sleep.
“That's a neat little trick kid.”
Thomas didn't feel like answering.
Tretchbolt swooped down toward the fortress now that the threat had been dealt with. From here Thomas could see the ogres hurling boulders down on the dragons below. Thomas felt furious, but also quite tired. The battle was taking a lot out of him.
As if reading his mind, Tretchbolt responded to Thomas' unspoken thought. “Save it for Victor. I'll take care of them.” Tretchbolt was now zeroing in on the fortress. “Where do you want let off kid?”
Thomas actually had no idea. He figured wherever it was that Victor was, he would want a good view of the invading forces. That's when Thomas saw the light reflect from the upper wall. An explosion smashed into Tretchbolt's right wing and Tretchbolt started spinning out of control, heading for the ground. They would soon be passing over the wall where Thomas had seen the flash of light, but it was still hundreds of feet below. He decided to take a chance. In an instant he was fishing in his bag for stones and pulled out three. A few others came out and fell out of sight as well. Amongst the three in his hand, was a couple of green stones and a white stone, exactly what he needed.
“Tretchbolt!”
Tretchbolt was still trying his best to gain control with his badly injured wing dangling uselessly to the side. Another explosion narrowly missed them.
“Tretchbolt. Look at me and open your mouth.”
Tretchbolt probably thought Thomas mad, but as there was no time to argue, Tretchbolt did as Thomas asked. Thomas tossed a green stone into Tretchbolt's right cheek and a white one into his left. “DON'T SWALLOW!”
Tretchbolt closed his mouth and turned his attention back to the wall, which was getting closer by the second.
“Spit the right side out at the ground after I disappear, if you get in trouble, spit the left side at yourself.”
Tretchbolt had time for one last incredulous look before Thomas threw the remaining green stone directly down at the wall where the flashing object had been. Tretchbolt looked like he wanted to say something, but Thomas was already disappearing in a shower of blue sparks.
*****
From his vantage point on the roof, Victor could see at least some of the battle below. He could see the swarms of his Storm Dragons, and the newly acquired Reds hovering over the plateau, although he couldn't see the plateau itself. The glass gave him the abilities to see great distances, but not the ability to see through objects. Not for the first time in the last couple of days, Victor cursed the Dragon Princess for destroying his bowl. He wanted to see Edric's destruction. He wanted to fully savour the surprise on his face when he realized his prized ally was fighting against him. Now all he could do was watch pieces here and there.
Victor paced. Well... if he wasn't going to be able to enjoy watching his most hated enemy being destroyed, at least he could enjoy watching the princess wallow in sadness as she witnessed the end of her father, and her people. Victor chuckled. She would also bear witness to the end of her precious wizard boy.
“Shadow!” The Shadow was shifting uncomfortably at the top of the wall. The snow completely illuminated everything to the point where it was bright as a summer's day, and there were no places for the Shadow to blend in.
“Shadow go fetch that young Red Dragon and the princess. I wish to enjoy their company!”
The Shadow was more than happy to retreat back into the castle. It felt diminished whenever exposed to that much light, and though it never let its master know, enough light could prove lethal. The Shadow might be under the will of it's master, but it couldn't help but wonder, not for the first time, how much of an idiot he was. Victor had asked for the Shadow to stay behind, and 'blend into the Shadows' so if the wizard boy were to make it that far, he would take him by surprise, but as usual, it seemed his master was oblivious to the conditions around him. It would have been much better to send him into the pit where the battle was happening. At least there he could have found a place to hide.
After what seemed like an eternity to the agitated old man, the Shadow returned with an irritated looking Gatsby and a bedraggled young girl. The girl looked resigned to her fate now. Tear stained cheeks marred her once defiant stoney features. Her hair now tangled and tossed around in the wind completed the effect.
“Why am I not out there with my father!?” demanded Gatsby.
“You are here to look after our guest.” Victor didn't like the tone this insolent young Red Dragon took with him. “You will do as I say. I don't take well to questioning.”
Victor started to strut along the wall, taking every step in a well measured manner, much as an actor would pick his steps carefully to meter out the best effect.
“Do you wonder why I have brought you here princes
s?”
Alanna barely looked up at Victor. Broken already. Victor had hoped she would have more fight in her. It wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable if she didn't suffer at least a little. Victor continued despite her despondent demeanour.
“This is a monumental occasion. Today we witness the end of not only your boyfriend, but of your father and your people!” Victor chuckled as if amused by some joke. Alanna stared at Victor with eyes like ice. So she did have some life in her after all.
The sky flashed as two massive bolts of lightening struck down onto the plateau. The bolts tore through the Storm Dragons lines, utterly obliterating half of Victor's waiting forces. Victor went cold. What could have done that? And why onto the plateau, and why oh why were the dragons waiting there in the first place? Uncertainty must have shown on Victor's face, because the next thing he heard was the mocking tone of the Blue Princess.
“What's the matter? Something not going your way?”
Maybe bringing the princess out here wasn't such a good idea after all. Well he could still enjoy her demise.
“Gatsby! Bring the princess here.”
Gatsby, who had been as stunned by the lightning bursts as Victor had, took a moment to snap out of it.
“What?” Why was it that Victor had to repeat himself so often lately. He looked around the wall. What had happened to the Shadow? He had been there a moment ago! He sighed, he would deal with the Shadow later.
“I said, bring her here.”
Both Gatsby and the Blue Princess seemed to be ignoring him and looking at the sky. Victor turned back to see what the fuss was about and saw that a group of Storm Dragons had broken off and were chasing what seemed to be a single Blue Dragon through the sky. Victor couldn't imagine what the big fuss about this dragon could be. Then something strange started to happen. It began to rain Storm Dragons. Literally, they seemed to be dropping off like flies.
Victor swung the looking glass around at the dragon swooping through the skies above, and caught sight of something that sent a chill into his bones. The blasted boy wizard was riding a Blue Dragon, and was heading his way. He watched in a mixture of awe and horror as the boy dispatched the last of his followers.
*****
As soon as the green rock hit the ground Tretchbolt felt a sudden sense of disorientation. The ground that had been coming closer suddenly was right under his feet. Tretchbolt rolled across the snowy trail and slid into the first of the Mountain Ogres.
Definitely not the most stylish entry that he had ever made. The Ogres, being much slower processing what they were seeing, were still working through the fact that something had knocked them over. As Tretchbolt got up, he saw them slowly work through the emotions of shock and surprise. Fighting Ogres at close range wasn't as hard as one might think. They were large, but not as large as he, and they took forever to choose to make a move, and when they did, they never had time to take it back. Tretchbolt had fought many Ogres before this, but this was the first time he was going to have to fight with a broken wing, and there were a LOT of Ogres here. Tretchbolt counted at least twenty. Even in a group of dimwits like this, one was likely to make the right decision before Tretchbolt could stop him. He needed some kind of advantage.
The other stone? Somehow, miraculously, Tretchbolt had managed to not swallow the other stone in his mouth. It was sitting there quite uncomfortably cutting into his cheek. Thomas hadn't bothered to pick smooth stones, but Tretchbolt supposed Thomas never thought of feeding stones to a dragon before either.
Tretchbolt spat the white stone out at his foot. It bounced off harmlessly onto the ground. So much for advantage. Ogre's were amazing creatures really. They were the only beings that you could watch the thought process as it moved through their body in slow motion. A few of the ogres had managed to decide that it might be a good idea to face their new assailant. That's when Tretchbolt started to hear the groaning of his harness.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
The buckles started to fly off one by one. Tretchbolt hadn't eaten that much! It must be true what they said about middle age.
Then something strange started to happen. All the Ogres seemed to start shrinking, or.... wait... he was getting larger. Much larger. Tretchbolt had grown in size by close to ten times. The ogres now looked like figurines that a child might play with. Tretchbolt smiled. Not all the Ogres were that slow, a few even realized it was time to run.
*****
Sammuel was near exhaustion. He really was too old for this. The cold had set deeply into his bones, and his arthritic joints were screaming at the top of their lungs. They did not like to be swung this way and that, but swung this way and that they were. Time after time, Alkamire narrowly avoided this boulder, barely avoided that explosion. Sammuel felt like a pinata at a party.
The dragon masses were slowing down and thinning out in a manner of speaking. The waiting Storm Dragons in the sky had disappeared. A good portion of the Red Dragons disappeared as soon as they realized that Ganton was no longer among them. The battle had been costly. Not a spot on the ground showed the white of the snow that was underneath. Bodies lay strewn all over the field. It didn't dawn on Sammuel immediately, but the boulders had stopped raining down from above. At least some good news. There were only a few dragons left fighting, and it appeared that what was left of Ganton's group were already trying to retreat. It was over.
Sammuel scanned the battlefield warily. Friends lay all around in their final rest. A deep sadness overwhelmed Sammuel for a moment. These were all good people, most of whom he had known their entire life. He would be the one with the unenviable job of telling their families the news. He suddenly realized he hadn't seen Judy since the beginning of the attack. Where was she? She had been with Thomas the last time he had seen her. Sammuel scanned the field where he had last seen them. Nothing. What had happened to her? Panic started to seep into Sammuel's old body. He slid quickly off the saddle and started to pick his way through the battlefield.
“What is it Edric?” Alkamire turned in concern.
“I... I must find someone.” Sammuel continued to dig through the bodies until he finally caught sight of a figure, lying on the ground next to the cliff wall. A figure with shining blonde hair. A figure wearing clothing that he himself had bought for her. Judy.
Sammuel rushed over to Judy's side praying against all odds hope that she was unconscious, but upon arrival, Sammuel knew it was already too late. Today had cost him the only person in life to matter to him. The one he thought of as a daughter, and had cared for since her parents passed away. Judy was gone. Sammuel knelt in the snow, and wept for the first time since coming to this world many years before.
*****
Thomas bounced like a rock across the stone floor half way between Victor and Alanna. His body shuddered with the impact, a sharp crack sending a shock through his leg. Thomas was in trouble.
Victor was still scanning the sky for the Dragon and boy who had vanished into thin air. Thomas came to a violent rest atop the stone floor, but it looked as though Victor was oblivious to what was happening around him. Thomas stood up as Victor surveyed the ground beneath the wall where a giant Tretchbolt was wading through a sea of fleeing ogres. Victor laughed viciously and began to swing the looking glass in Tretchbolt's direction. Thomas grabbed for the dagger Tretchbolt gave him and said a silent prayer. With all his might, focusing on the looking glass, Thomas let the dagger fly toward the lens. It flew true and shattered it just as Victor was getting ready to unleash a spell in Tretchbolt's direction. Victor turned around with a start.
“THOMAS!” Alanna yelled in disbelief.
“YOU!” Victor didn't waste any time. He drew back his hand and thrust it forward in a motion that created a wave of dangerous looking energy. The burst exploded across the room. Thomas didn't have time to dodge it, or cast a counter spell. He didn't have a charm that would get him out of this predicament, or even have time to try. He realized that this was it. Whatever was going to happen, he was po
werless to stop.
Thomas was vaguely aware of Alanna screaming as the wave of energy hit him in full force, pushing him back against a wall. To his surprise, and indeed, he was surprised to even have a chance at being surprised, except for the stinging sensation of slapping against the wall, Thomas was alright. As the shock subsided, he became aware of the burning hot pendant hanging from his neck. The gift he had found in his belongings with the gold and jade was glowing visibly from beneath his clothes.
“Thomas!” Alanna stared, eyes wide.
Victor just stood there, carefully regarding Thomas with a thoughtful expression.
Thomas took advantage of the break in attack and grabbed for his bag of stones. Not too many were left. He quickly took out a blue stone and pitched it over at Victor. Victor not understanding the significance of the blue stone, did nothing to get out of its path. The moment the stone hit the ground, a large wave of water materialized and continued on in the direction that the stone had been going, which was the direction in which Victor, now rooted to the spot in fear, was standing. The wave crashed into Victor, and swept him away. He struck the opposite wall with a sickening crack, but managed to latch onto the sides with his old and shrivelled claw-like hands, just narrowly escaping being carried completely over. Victor's eyes bulged so much that they threatened to shoot out of his head. Victor raised his shaky arm, sending a shower of water splattering across the floor. He pulled back his arm as if throwing a javelin, and pitched as hard as his old bones would allow, in the direction of Thomas. Thomas grabbed for the pouch and one of the few stones left in the bottom. With no time left to think, he threw the teleportation stone toward the adjacent wall, slipping through the air and bouncing along the edge just as the red jet of fire whizzed through the air where he had been sitting, barely missing Gatsby.
Thomas grunted in pain as his left leg cracked awkwardly against the edge of the wall as he came to a rest once again. His leg was most likely broken. Things weren't looking good. Thomas was low on stones, he would have to take a chance and cast a spell while Victor was still reeling around trying to locate him.