Page 101 of A Rising Hope

I turned back to Bear and Daibog.

“They don’t know we are here. Let’s keep it that way.” We matched them in numbers, though we lacked calvary and our archers were our smallest group, not even enough for their own battalion. “Warn the battalion left at the chateau, have them prepare for battle should the worst come to pass,” I ordered, and the scout was already galloping ahead to the abandoned chateau behind the long stretch of hills.

“Form lines,” I shouted an order to the grim soldiers behind me. On my command they moved, creating a half circle in the field, crouching behind the stalky corn, prepared to ambush the quickly approaching army.

Seconds stretched on, and the minutes of waiting were agonizing. Not a word was exchanged between the soldiers hidden between the tall rows of corn.

The power within me jolted like a bolt of lightning at the loud clatter of the approaching army. Adrenaline coated my blood like iron and fire drummed to my hands, ready to lash out. I held my fist up, signaling the soldiers to hold.

We would have to let them march in closer, we’d encircle them, cutting off their archers first, calvary would be next, andinfantry last. My thoughts chanted commands, playing out the battle in my head.

The enemy soldiers’ cheerful marching song became louder and clearer with each breath we took. My heart drummed against my chest in an anxious melody, and I let my powers flare, sending notes of courage to those standing behind me.

“Now!” I shouted and all of us jumped out of the fields, charging for the oblivious army ahead.

The initial arrows flew, and the first sparks of fire erupted between us. But when I thought the battle would explode and the clash of metal would ring in my ears, I only saw the enemy soldiers freeze mid attack, their bodies trembling, eyes widened and dense, sudden fear, like a tsunami rolling through the field, shocking me.

Confusion recoiled through me. Their archers stopped shooting, their horses reared up, throwing their riders as they ran. Their soldiers ran too. But not towards us.Away.

“Retreat!” they shouted, panicked. I paused, unsure of what to order next. My sword drawn, fire at my fingertips but there was no battle to be had.

I felt the roaring thunder then. A shadow as large as a fort encompassed the field.

I dared a look up. My mouth opened wide as two large black dragons’ bellies turned bright red right above me.

“Take cover!” I shouted, dropping to the ground, just in time before raw fire erupted from their giant maws, scorching the now running enemy and fields around them to sheer dust. But out in the open there was nowhere anyone could run or hide from the monstrous creatures in the sky. Creatures only heard of in the most ancient scrolls, spoken of only in myths, hovered above us, burning the earth with their raw fire.

Their wide stretched wings flapped, causing winds as wild as the most violent of storms. Their luminous yellow eyes, viciousand furious. A horrifying chill ran down my back and life and death flashed before my eyes as they pierced me with their gaze, as another round of flames blasted from their mouths and nostrils.

Nobody dared to move, questioning if their lives were next as the creatures landed, the earth shuddering under the weight of their large paws.

They have raw fire.A thought nudged me, and I dared to look up.

My mouth opened wide as I saw the small figures atop them, nestled between the thick spikes on the creature’s long neck.

Finn, and across her lap laid the unconscious body of Gideon.

On the slightly smaller dragon was Priya, paled and audibly cursing as she held on to the impenetrable scales of the creature.

The dragon’s yellow eyes shifted as Finn spoke something to it. It lowered its giant head at her command, and she slid down its large nose, standing in front of it.

None of us dared to stand, or to kneel, still gripping the dirt in our fists.

“I am sorry I couldn’t come sooner,” Finn uttered, glancing at the scorched fields where the enemy armies previously stood. None of us moved. She scanned the terrified soldiers around her, unsure. “The dragons are no threat to you,” she assured us with kindness in her voice, but we still didn’t dare so much as breathe or blink. “It’s okay. You are safe now.” She encouraged the soldiers. When nobody moved, she shouted, “Rise!”

But her command was met with silence. Not a very long one, as the dragon standing behind her huffed smoke, his chest glowing with a hint of red in warning. He growled then, the vibration reached our bones, reminding us of our feeble mortal state.

I rose first, but not fully, bending my knee and neck as I bowed low to her. Every soldier followed suit, one by one,kneeling and bowing to the Empress of Destroyers, the Queen of Dragons.

Finn scanned the crowds, her forehead wrinkled as she inspected each one of us. The muscle in her jaw twitched as she noticed our bodies battered and bruised, and the notable reduced number of our soldiers.

Finn swallowed, unsure of what to say, she opened her mouth, but before she could say a word,

a loud thud sounded against the ground as Priya fell off the creature, catching herself on all fours, before loudly retching.

“I am never fucking flying again.” She gagged on her bile, angrily flipping off the dragons and everyone around them.

PART III

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