Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 087 - Time Runs Out (Patreon)

There!

Kaen was pointing at the orc, who was running after the group closest to them.

Pammon had made it in record time, turning a four-hour trip by foot into a fifteen-minute one as he flew only a little bit off the ground.  Speed was more important right now than worrying about altitude, and they needed to be close for him to attack.

I will lay down a path of fire. You focus on the orc!  I cannot dispatch him without risking hitting your fellow adventurers.

I got this. You do what you can!

Pammon roared right before he reached the edge of the group of goblins and orcs streaming from the cave's mouth.  Kaen could see there were far more orcs and goblins here than had been at his.  The adventurers looked down to two groups and were not doing well as the tier three orc swung at them with a massive hunk of metal, cutting down its own minions when they got in his way.

As Pammon roared and began to breathe fire across the battleground, all of the orcs and goblins turned to see what the sound was, freezing as they saw death upon them, flames igniting their skin and reducing them to ashes in mere seconds.

While the trail of fire swept from outside the cave toward the massive orc who had turned to see them coming at him, Kaen let his lifestone and the fire burning inside it take over.  He felt both arrows between his fingers and the power of his magic flowing to both heads of the arrow.  This was the first time he had ever seen his lifestone do that.  As they drew near and the orc roared at them, preparing to swing its weapon when they got close, Kaen watched as the red-tipped arrows left his bowstring, missing the sight of them connecting as Pammon had angled off to the side to avoid the orc and his attack.

The attack would never have happened as both arrows struck simultaneously, blowing off the shoulder of the arm that held his weapon high and the leg on the same side.  It tumbled to the ground, blood gushing from its wounds as an adventurer wasted no time, rushing forward and slamming its sword into its throat.

[ Archery Skill Increased ]

Grinning, Kaen was amazed at that message.  Two points today.  It seemed impossible to believe he was still gaining points.

You got another point, didn’t you? Pammon asked as he circled around once more to check on the status of what was going on.

Yes… I cannot believe it, but I did.  We need to hurry up here and go find Hess!

The battle quickly changed directions as Kaen fired arrow after arrow at the group of monsters below.  They began to break and run as Pammon occasionally swooped down, running his back claws through them, splitting them like someone stomping on a melon.

When the battle looked like the other two groups had it solidly in hand, Kaen had Pammon hovered a little bit away from them, knowing the groups had seen someone on the back of the dragon and not risked a shot or spell at them.

“FINISH THIS!” Kaen shouted as he pointed at the cave entrance.

As Pammon turned and flew away, the adventurers let out a shout and raised their weapons in the sky.

I think they figured out who we are.

Pammon began to thrum as he gained speed and altitude.

I’m just glad they didn’t shoot at you or me if I am honest.

I would have been fine.

Groaning, Kaen thumped Pammon’s neck and urged him to fly faster.

——-

Hess leaned against the tree; his breath was ragged, and he yanked the arrow out of his shoulder.

“Healing!”

Bobbing his head, Hess glanced at the pack of advancing creatures, smiling and laughing.  He had chosen this spot because of the treeline they had found when scouting.  The twenty massive trees that had grown up in a circle, most of them bark to bark, all coming from a dead tree that was rotted in the middle of them.  There was a good ten-foot opening that they had come through, but the rest of the trees provided a small amount of protection from behind.  He and the last warrior were doing their best with their shields, blocking the arrows that came at them as other goblins and hobgoblins funneled into the enclosure of trees.

His arm burned, having swung the hammer more times than he could remember today.  Bodies of crushed enemies blocked the opening, and the goblins and orcs would pull them out of the way before coming again.

The worst was what he heard through the wounds.

“Little man… little man… I’m coming for you, little man.”

“Ignore it!” Hess shouted as he smashed in the head of an orc who got too close, blowing through its shield and into its skull.

“It speaks our language!” cried out the archer behind him.  “How?!”

“Worry later, shoot more!  How many arrows do you have left?”

A few more goblins died before he heard the man stutter as he spoke.

“Less than twenty!”

“Goblin piss,” Hess cursed as he blocked two arrows and slammed his shield into another creature on the other side of it, sending it flying back into its allies.  “Save them for when I say!”

“I smell you, little man… I’m coming for you.”

The laughter that came after it caused even Hess to feel a trembling in his spirit.

Glancing at the warrior next to him, he saw that the man was frozen in fear.

“Snap out of it!” Hess bellowed as he pushed the man, saving his life from the sword a goblin was swinging.

The man snapped out of his fear and tried to get back into position, but Hess could see the piss running down his leg.  The man’s resist charm skill was too low…

I’m sorry, Sulenda… forgive me.

Hess knew this circle of trees that had grown from death would be his tomb.

——

Pammon suddenly shuddered, and Kaen could feel the change in him.

What’s wrong?

It’s Hess.  Something is wrong.  I can feel it.

Panic spread through Kaen as he heard Pammon speak.

What do you mean?! Wrong how?

I don’t know, but I just know… he is marked for me.  It’s different than you, but something changed.  Something bad.

Can you go faster?! Pleaded Kaen.  Is that possible?

Pammon began flapping his wings more, straining and urging himself to go faster.

I need more power.  I need your strength.  It’s there, but I can't seem to do it alone.

Closing his eyes, Kaen focused on Pammon.  He could feel the strain in his wings and muscles as he beat against the wind, driving himself as fast as he could.  He began pouring his strength into him.  Feeling Pammon go slightly faster.

I need more! Share your fire with me!

Realising what Pammon wanted, Kaen focused on his lifestone.  It had gone quiet as they flew, resting with no need at the moment.  He knew it was necessary, knew it was needed.  Family… I cannot lose my family.

The fire in his lifestone erupted in flames as it had earlier, filling him with power, and he felt it flow from him into Pammon through their bond.

Hold on!

Kaen squeezed his legs without hesitation against Pammon’s neck and clenched the reins with all his strength.

[ Activate Flight Burst ]

The world shifted, or so it felt.  The ground streaked past him so fast that it felt impossible to keep his eyes open as the wind rushed against his face.  He pulled himself closer to Pammon’s neck, trying to streamline himself as they raced over the treetops.

What is this?!

A skill… flight burst! Pammon slowly said, strain coming across as he spoke. Need… to… focus.

Just fly!

Kaen continued to feed his lifestone through their bond, feeling the strain it was putting on Pammon as they blazed across the sky.

[ Flight Burst Expired ]

Pammon was panting as the world shifted back to his normal flying speed.

I need a break before I can do that again, but we are close.  Five minutes, maybe less!

That was unbelievable!  How often can you do that?

Pammon breathed for a couple as he remained silent.  Kaen could feel him thinking and feeling something.

I could do it again right now, but I do not think I can sustain or withstand it.  I am not sure I should have been able to do that yet.  It feels like it's for later when I am older and bigger.  My joints are hurting, and my whole body aches.  It may take a few days for me to recover fully.

My lifestone… it let you do something you should not have been able to like it did for me once.

Yes… We need to be careful with that.  I don’t want to injure myself and fall from the sky, hurting you in the process.

What about you?  Wouldn’t you get hurt?

Pammon started to thrum and then stopped; the pain of laughing was too much.

Don’t push yourself.  How far?

Soon, up ahead is a small clearing. I’m unsure how I will get it down, but I can see it.

Staring across the treetops, Kaen spotted what Pammon was looking at off in the distance but could not see it at all like Pammon could.  How he managed to see that far still amazed him.

——

Hess screamed in silence.  No words came from his mouth, but he knew it would happen that way.  His shield was gone, and his arm was missing from his elbow, ripped off by the orc who was laughing as he ate the warrior he had stood by.  The potion had stopped the bleeding but it could not replace what was not there to fix.

“Tasty meat, so sweet and warm.  I cannot wait to break you,” taunted the orc as he watched Hess rise, a stump where his forearm once was. “Don’t fight yet.  I want to enjoy this before I crush you and suck the marrow from your bones.”

Hess knew there were no options.  He had nothing left to give.  Both weapons were gone, and the rest of the orc’s army was outside the opening, letting their leader enjoy the spoils of all this.

Glancing around the small grove, he saw the others pinned against the trees, dead and hanging from arrows.  One was burnt from the casters, killing his healer and making him vulnerable.

HESS WE ARE ALMOST THERE!

Clutching his head with his right hand, Hess groaned.  Pammon?   Was that possible?

He fished through his pouch and pulled out the tooth, struggling to do so with just one hand.

Rough, sharp, and vibrating, he felt power coming through it.

“It’s too late, Pammon,” he whispered.  “Save Kaen… Protect my unborn child.”

Pammon roared so loudly that the treetops swayed as he passed over them.  It echoed through the woods, vibrating off every tree.

Pammon, what is it? Kaen asked as he felt pain and rage like never before flood over Pammon.

Hess is dying, and he just told me Sulenda is pregnant!