“A little ironic and hypocritical considering what you’re wearing on your body right now. It’s a fine set. Armored dragons are very hard to kill, and you wear the trophy as you scold me and my men.”
Blood rushed up her neck and flushed her cheeks.
She didn’t know.
She always assumed dragon leather was obtained from dragons who werealreadydead. It never occurred to her that people would actually go into the woods and huntlivedragons. It wasn’t uncommon for those who harvested dragon leather to die or go missing. Now, she knew why.
They were killing dragons.
That was pure insanity.
Or a death wish.
The dragon huffed furiously, its stomach glowing with light as it tried to melt the chains wrapped around its snout. It swiped its giant claws at them as the six closed in, looking for the opportunity for a killing strike. Its tail swung like a jagged sword, the spikes ready to cut down anyone they made contact with. It connected with one of the mages, sending him flying, eyes wide, into the trunk of a tree where he shouted and didn’t get up again.
Whatever chains they used must have been incredibly strong because its fire did nothing to weaken them. Giant wings beat the air, the force of it knocking the rest of them to the ground as the men quickly tried to get back on their feet. The dragon raised a sharp hand, clawing at one of the advancing men as its talon ripped his abdomen open and the archer sent another arrow sinking into the base of its back where it met its wing.
If she didn’t do something, they were going to kill the dragon.
Two more arrows sank into the dragon’s wings and Ambrose knew who she’d have to take out first.
She crouched behind a tree and let her focus slip into her feet and as the charge in her hummed. She let her channels flow freely into the dirt until the echoes of movement pulsed in her mind. Within moments she could clearly see the men tightening their circle on the dragon, the metal mage throwing daggers into the dark, only to call them back again. And finally, a man in the trees pulling back his bow for another strike, as well as something fuzzy in the trees. A shape she couldn’t quite make out.
Ambrose kept the image of the archer clear in her mind, the way he bent his elbow pulling his bow back, how his breathing slowed as he prepared to let his arrow fly. She expanded through the darkness, merging with it until she was able to reach through the world of shadows. Using the inky black tendrils, she wrapped her hands around his head and snapped his neck to the side.
The soft thud of his body hitting the ground startled the rest of them just enough for her to grab her sword and launch herself at the metal mage.
He confidently turned and threw his dagger before she could reach him. It sank deep into her lower abdomen and he sent the second one flying into her shoulder. His hands were so quick he sank two more daggers into her leg before her body even hit the ground.
One of the mages, a short man with chopped hair pulled a boulder half the size of the dragon and threw it at the creature with all his strength. It crashed into the beast’s wing, pinning it to the ground as it viciously clawed at it with its massive talons, chunks of boulder flying everywhere.
Seeing their opportunity, the rest of them rushed forward, eager to be the one to deal the killing blow.
Every nerve in her body begged her to stop. Told her that this was it and she could finally just let go. Enough was enough.
But she didn’t listen. She clawed her fingers into the ground and just as she had for Felius and the others she called deep into the ground as it rumbled and shook. With her other hand she called the fire insideof her, the fury that raged, and the same time the ground opened into a chasm, their bodies burst into purple flames and she willed them to feel every ounce of pain that she did. Their dying screams carried from the open chasm as their bodies disappeared into the land and she closed it around them, snuffing out their very existence.
The dragon destroyed the last of the boulder and ripped the chains from its face, claws digging new scars down the sides of its jaw that it would likely wear for the rest of its life. It opened its wings wide and roared at the place where their bodies had just been. With a few beats of massive wings, it carried itself to the sky.
Ambrose coughed as the taste of blood and iron filled her mouth. At least she’d been able to save the dragon.
The metal mage stalked towards where she’d fallen—her chest rising and falling with labored breaths.
This close, she could see the scars that littered his body, likely from hunting beasts and men, and his expression turned to disappointment. “I’ve never seen a mage wield two Elements before. That is quite astounding. It’s a shame to have to kill you, I’d much rather have you on my crew.” He pulled a dagger from his hip and pressed it into the middle of her chest. “But not even I can ignore the bounty on your head, and the only condition was to bring you back,deceased.”
Ambrose saw someone, a young man, peek out from behind the trees and she wondered how she hadn’t noticed him. He stared at her with wide, terrified eyes as the metal mage put the dagger to her throat and she closed her eyes and prepared for it to finally be over.
At least she wouldn’t die a servant’s death.
She’d die a true warrior.
But the bite of his blade never came.
When Ambrose opened her eyes, her attacker’s feet dangled helplessly in the air, kicking at nothing. Her eyes struggled to focus as they followed his body to where he clawed at a hand wrapped firmly around his throat. The mage emitted a guttural sound as he sliced his blades at the being crushing his windpipe who swatted his daggers away like he was a child holding astick.
Akadian!
The look on his face could kill on its own, his brow furrowed into a twisted expression as he dangled the metal mage in the air. The power radiating off of him was so strong, the plants around him curled and shriveled away. He was beautifully terrifying.
