Dragon 3 Chapter 23 (Patreon)

Helena threw back her head, laughing. “Clear out.” She told her troops.

Tyrande smashed a blast of icy magic into the nephilim, struggling in her grip.

Ice plastered itself to Helena, doing no damage. She glared down at her captive before a swift blow to the head stunned her.

Tyrande looked like a grumpy kitten hanging from Helena’s hand after that.

The Silver Slave raged, smashing buildings and sending freezing fog down the street.

I wanted to chase after Helena as she flew away with Tyrande, but I also knew that was part of why she had been taken. She was bait to snag a new dragon.

Two more blasts from the tree were blocked by the silver slave as it protected the angel’s retreat. Cherubs were disengaging on the ground and escaping through pre-planned routes.

Dozens of angels took to the air, and even the Silver Slave flapped its wings several times, lifting its massive body up into the air at the cost of more buildings.

They had successfully smashed into Sentarshaden, proving that they could attack the high elves even in their fortified city. We’d kept them from their target, but we’d lost the Highaen heiress.

“What’s the play here, Morgana?” I asked, hoping her experience would lead to a simple plan.

“I don’t know. We came to a knife fight, and they pulled out a gun. No, they pulled out a goddamn grenade launcher.” Morgana spat on the ground, staring at the retreating forces.

A few yells sounded from nearby, and as I turned, Yev burst from a cluster of Highaen forces. She had shifted, and I could tell that she had honed in on the enemy. I knew that look. She was single-mindedly chasing her sister.

I cursed, flying to try to catch and stop her.

Morgana threw herself onto my back, and I was glad for her support. If we ended up in that mess of angels, I would need her.

“Yev! Get down, you can’t do anything.” I shouted, my voice a low draconic rumble.

My wings were churning the air as I raced after Yev.

Beams of frost magic shot from Sentarshaden, but the Silver Slave dove in and out, covering their retreat.

They were moving quickly, and I was struggling to keep up.

My dragon screamed inside of me, wanting to catch the enemy. I felt it almost stretching in me, calling on me to go faster.

I followed the instincts, taking all the emotion I was feeling and shoving it towards my wings, urging them to go faster.

Pouring my urgency into the innate magic of my wings, I felt it bolster them. My speed began to pick up, and I was able to catch up to Yev just as we left the city.

The illusion of a mountain snapped into place behind me, and I realized we were potentially in full view of any humans nearby. I looked around, knowing a few mountain climbers might spot us, but otherwise the area looked relatively uninhabited.

“Yev, stop. You are only going to get yourself in more danger if you chase. They want to lure you away from your family’s forces.” I was only moments away from trying to tackle her out of the sky, though that could end poorly for both of us.

“They have my sister!” Yev’s eyes were bloodshot, and she looked frayed. “It’s my fault. I need to get her back.”

Yev had lost it. I wasn’t sure if it was the lack of sleep or her dragon instincts, but she was becoming more manic by the second watching the angels fly away with her sister.

Not sure what to do to shake her out of it, I got close and bit her tail.

Yev let out a very undragonlike squeak. “What the fuck?”

“Get your head out of your ass. Look where we are. You need to head back to the city.”

For the first time since I’d been chasing after her, there was a hint of clarity in her eyes as she looked around and then behind her. It finally clicked in her brain that she’d left the safety of Sentarshaden.

But the angels had also figured it out by the time I’d gotten her attention, and several angels had carved off from the fleeing troops and were coming towards us.

“We have company.” Morgana hissed, seeing the same thing. I nodded, preparing. We could handle a few angels.

But then the Silver Slave slowed, and my stomach dropped.

Sure enough, he turned and started heading towards us, his expression telling me it wasn’t what he wanted to do.

“Oh fuck. We need to get back to the city.” I banked hard, intending to turn around and fly right back into the mountain.

“You can’t. At least, not like you’re thinking. There are only a few spots where you can permeate the illusion.” Yev called out.

“We are locked out?” Now I was panicking.

The Silver Slave looked like it was just floating through the air, but that was a perspective thing. As big as it was, it was devouring up the space between us.

“No, we can get in. We just need to circle around the mountain.” Yev led the way.

Morgana tapped the side of my neck and spoke quietly enough that Yev wouldn’t hear. “Do we really want to lead that thing back into the city, and show it and the angels where the city is vulnerable?”

My immediate answer was no, but that meant I had to deal with the giant fucker outside of it. How I’d do that and survive, I wasn’t sure.

I grit my teeth, hating what I was about to say. “Yev, let’s lead it deeper into the mountain range.”

“What?” Her head turned, filled with shock.

“That thing could smash your city. We were lucky that they fled.”

Yev stared at me for a long moment, processing what I had said. “So then, what are we doing? Sacrificing ourselves?”

“I don’t know. Our best bet is to take down the angels with it. Maybe that will free it? Or keep it from getting more orders?” It was only a guess, and not a great one. But it was the best plan I could come up with at the moment.

“There’s always a chance.” Morgana encouraged me. “You came out on top against an Alpha wolf before you knew to shift. And while you were still understanding your shifting, you took out a god. Do not underestimate yourself, Pendragon.”

I nodded, appreciating the pep talk. She was right; I had overcome odds in the past, but this felt like a huge leap.

But we were about to find out if we’d survive, because the dragon was almost on top of us.

As we passed by the illusionary mountain that hid Sentarshaden, the Silver Slave was closing fast.

I looked for the angels, realizing they were currently riding on its head in comfort. I could nearly make out their faces, that I was sure were smug smiles.

The Silver Slave’s runes light up as it tossed its head. I could tell it was fighting the commands like it had behind the storefront.

A roar shook the mountains, and I watched in horror as dozens of avalanches started around us. If there were any mountain climbers on those mountains, they were now in some deep trouble.

And so were we.

“Dive.” Morgana screamed.

I didn’t question her, tucking my wings into a dive, as a frosty blue beam tore through the air above me.

It was already cold, but the surrounding air dropped dozens of degrees with the blast.

The air boomed as the Silver Slave flew over us.

“Zach, what do we do?” Yev asked, looking up at the massive dragon, terrified.

And I didn’t have an answer.

“Capture them.” An angel screamed above the wind.

There was only a momentary pause before the Silver Slave dove.

I watched it coming, trying to puzzle out some sort of plan. It was faster and larger than us; outrunning wasn’t an option. And even if I did manage to avoid the dive, Yev would become the target.

The dragon descended closer as I prepared my throat, deciding my fire was my best bet.

Just as I was prepared to blast it, a piercing cry broke the air, followed by another. Dozens of paranormals streamed out of the mountain that contained Sentarshaden.

Flickers of fire at the front announced the phoenixes, but they were far from alone. Dozens of paranormals turned into hundreds, as a massive flock of flying paranormals broke free of the mountain, diving for the Silver Slave.

“Yev, to the right.” I said, dipping down and to the right, hoping to escape the massive dragon’s clutches for another minute in the distraction.

I knew we weren’t safe yet. The paranormals streaming out of the mountain weren’t some military unit or hired by the Highaen. They were the citizens of Sentarshaden, standing up for themselves and protecting their city.

During the assault by the angels, they had left it to the authorities, but seeing the Silver Slave come back, the citizens had finally stood up.

They had understood the threat it posed to their secret paranormal city, and they weren’t going to take it.

We just needed to stall for another minute while they got here.

“Zach.” Yev’s voice was full of worry. I knew she hated to see her citizens at risk.

We pivoted once more, but I realized that we were flying straight down into one avalanche created by the Silver’s roar. I nodded towards it, hoping we could hide in the avalanche and evade the dragon’s grasp a moment longer.

“Morgana, come here.” I opened my claw next to her, not wanting to risk losing her in the avalanche.

She didn’t hesitate, jumping into my grasp as I closed my claws around her, bracing for the oncoming wave of snow.

It made my heart warm that she didn’t question me, or even pause. She jumped into my hand as I dove into a natural disaster without hesitation.

As we descended into the avalanche, I flared my wings, once again trying to channel my emotions into them as I flapped two powerful beats of my wings to slow my descent.

I hit the snow, sending a spray of white into the air.

Yev was right behind me, hitting the side of the mountain as the avalanche caught up to both of us.

Despite my size, I was swept up. I held Morgana close and curled around her to protect her.

The avalanche took control of my body, spinning and twirling me among the snowy wave. I wondered if that was what it felt like to be in the laundry during the tumble cycle.

I put out my senses, my stomach dropping as I knew that the Silver Slave had landed on the mountain.

Knowing we were relatively safe for the moment, I tried to use the claws that weren’t holding Morgana to get a grip on the side of the mountain.

My claws couldn’t get a good grip for a few tries, but soon they caught, and I pulled myself free of the snow, bracing myself against a large rock as my vision stabilized itself.

The world continued to shift and swirl around me as my head swam.

“Zach.” Morgana groaned from my claw, and I lifted her clear of the snow, opening my claw even as snow continued to pour around us, the rock at my back holding me steady.

“Here.” I tried to give her a view while I tried to make sense of what I was seeing in my own brain.

Streams of smaller paranormals swarmed the Silver Slave. It was clinging to the side of the mountain, its massive maw snapping at the paranormals harassing it as they dove and shot away, spraying fire, lighting and all manner of attacks at the massive dragon.

“Looks like the backup is working.” I felt a big grin grace my draconic face.

“They need to kill the angels.” Morgana pointed at the angels, still sitting on the head of the massive dragon.

Raising my head, I poured mana into my throat and relayed her message at the top of my lungs. “Kill the angels.”

It felt somewhat futile given the distance and the chaos, but slowly it seemed to have an effect.

The swarm’s attacks shifted. They started throwing more and more of their attacks at the angels, who were forced to block with white barriers or dodge along the back of the Silver Slave.

Yev’s head popped out of the snow, looking dazed and wobbly. She tried to fly sideways out of the snow and ended up going back under the avalanche.

I snorted, but the avalanche was thinning, and I could see her green scales even as she tumbled further down the mountain.

Launching myself up over the rock, I glided down after her, grabbing her back and pulling her out of the snow and over to a safe ledge.

“Is it my birthday?” Yev asked. I stared at her, wondering if she hit her head.

“No, but some of your people came to save us.” I nudged her and made her look up at the fight happening further up the mountain.

Hundreds of flying paranormals were continuing their barrage on the Silver Slave and the angels on his back.

But I knew it wouldn’t last very long, and we needed to use the opportunity.

“Come on. We need to end this.” I growled, taking flight once again.

“How exactly are we ending this?” Morgana asked from my back.

I wanted to answer her, but I hadn’t figured that part out yet. Despite the help from the city, the many flying paranormals were like flies trying to take down a horse.

As we flew back up the mountain where the battle raged, the last of the angels tried to command the Silver Slave. His eyes flashed dangerously as he took note of us.

“Capture those two and return them to the celestial plane.” He gave his last commands to the silver dragon before throwing himself at a pterodactyl-like paranormal, taking it out with him as the two of them fell down the mountain, lifeless.

The Silver Slave whipped its head. Somehow, it still managed to find me despite its hollow eyes. Its neck strained as more of those runes lit up along its body. “Please, free me from this misery.”

“How?” I shouted.

“Kill me.” Its voice was hoarse.

I could only imagine what it had gone through. Even now, it suffered countless small scratches along its back, but it didn’t even flinch.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I wanting there to be another way. But I knew there wasn’t.

The silver dragon snapped its wings back out, flapping them twice and launching itself high into the air. I could think of only one way to kill something of its size.

“Yev, it’s last order was to capture us. Follow me.” I turned in the air and started circling, trying to gain as much altitude as I could.

Even if she didn’t know what I was planning, Yev followed.

Enhancing my voice yet again, I shouted to the mass of paranormals from the city. “Stand down. We’ve got this under control.”

At first only a few, then more broke from the fight, landing on the nearby mountains to watch.

I knew that in a straight shot, the dragon may be able to outpace us, but climbing up higher into the sky would be difficult with its weight.

Up and up we circled, until I broke through the clouds, riding on thin air.

“What’s the plan?” Yev puffed clouds out of her way.

“As soon as he’s up above the clouds, go for his wings.” I told her my plan.

“Wait, what? You want to drop him out of the sky?” Yev said frantically. “What if he crushes one of these mountains?”

“He isn’t that big.” I laughed. “But Switzerland will probably get a reading on the Richter scale.”

Morgana was climbing up my neck to hold on to my horns. “Your plan is insane. But it might work. Get me on his back and I’ll see what I can do to help.”

At that moment, the massive silver dragon’s head breached the clouds. It was like some leviathan coming out of the deep ocean as it rose through the clouds inch by inch.

Those haunting, hollow eyes staring right at me.

Yev was already diving, her green caustic fire splashing onto his back and scattering onto his wings. I was happy that she managed to melt tiny holes in his wing. It wasn’t invincible, just so large that even her attack was nothing more than a paper cut to it.

The Silver Slave sprayed frost after her, but she swooped down and around the massive dragon for cover.

I was up next. Making a pass just over his back, I felt Morgana leap off of me. Wanting to distract him from my mate, I washed his left wing with fire.

He roared in pain and his massive jaws tried to snap at me as I flew over his wings. But something told me he wasn’t giving it his best.

Everything I could see of the enormous dragon told me he was tired and ready to die. The only thing keeping him alive were the damned runes carved into him.

Flapping higher into the sky getting ready for another pass, I watched as Morgana scampered over his back like an ant, her blades and magic leaving what the dragon would barely consider as scratches where its wing joined its back.

But she was damaging it where I most needed it. The least I could do was help continue distracting the dragon.

Swooping down, I did another pass. This time, I focused on his other wing, trying to burn out the webbing.

Yev joined me as the silver dragon sprayed blasts of frigid air that went wide.

By now, I was sure he was missing on purpose.

Then he let out a scream, and I saw the wing Morgana was working on losing its rigidity. The wing flopped uselessly on his side and for a moment. She must have nicked a vital ligament.

He dipped that direction, still flying, but that only lasted a moment before the silver tumbled down into the clouds.

I went to celebrate, but froze and dove after him. Morgana was still riding on top of him.

While I knew she had serious recovery abilities, I wasn’t sure if she could come back from being splattered along the mountainside.

I broke through the clouds, watching as she jumped off the back of the dragon, trying to slow her speed of descent.

She spread her arms, trying to slow her fall.

I dove deeper, spreading my wings and catch her.

Back winging to slow our descent, I caught air and managed to pull us out of the dive just in time to watch the Silver Slave hit the mountain below.

Its body hit hard, sliding down the side of the mountain, completely limp.

The earth rumbled and the boom no doubt could be heard by even the neighboring countries.

Snow rushed down from the peaks, his body setting off another chain of avalanches through the entire mountain range.

Flying paranormals flocked into the air, all getting clear of the falling dragon and coming in closer to watch. We all wanted to confirm he was dead.

“Careful, Zach. We don’t know if it survived.” Morgana warned me.

I nodded, watching carefully. It wasn’t moving. And even as the snow settled, the massive silver dragon lay amid the mountains, motionless.

I swooped down through the other gawking, flying paranormals as Yev joined me on the ground near the silver’s head.

It twitched, and the nostrils on the massive creature snorted. “Thank you.”

Now that we were closer, I could see its stomach. It was ripped open and bleeding all over the snow, its legs bent in every direction.

The silver was messed up and dying, but it still had moments of life, and I wanted answers.

“Yev, get all of these paranormals back to the city.”

“But.” She tried to argue.

One look from me made her snap her snout shut. She turned and followed my command.

I waited until they all started flying away before turning my attention back to the silver. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you saved me from committing more atrocities. Their original plan was to use me to capture a female dragon.”

“Why a female—” Morgana started before her face shifted to one of disgust. “They wanted to breed you?”

“Yes, and I wouldn’t have fought them. As the last silver, I wish for my kind to flourish once again. Maybe with new generations, there will be hope one day.”

My heart ached with his words and the passion behind them. “Thank you for taking it easy on us.”

The massive silver laughed and then curled in on itself, wheezing. “In you, I see an opportunity to atone. To give you my strength, so that you can face what is to come, my king.”

“King?” I wondered if he’d hit his head on his way down.

“Yes, Pendragon.” The silver let out a heavy sigh. “From you, there might yet be another silver. Please, promise me, you will bring another silver into the world.”

I didn’t know what to do other than to accept and promise the dying dragon his wish. “Yes, if I can figure it out, I’ll bring back the silver dragons.”

Never before had I given thought to what my ability to shift between colors meant. But it seemed the Silver Slave recognized something in me and believe with that ability came the ability to restore the silver dragons.

He gave a dopey smile. “I believe you.” And his body relaxed. I had thought we lost him, but then he spoke again. “Then take my strength. Let that be one last thing I do to help my kind after all the problems I have wrought.”

When he’d finished, he relaxed, and his head sank into the snow with a finality.