Around and around they spun as they dropped through the clouds. Tiberia flapped her wings as hard as she could, trying to slow if not stop their descent. Kaz realized there was no way the silver dragon could support the three of them, and that Infernus had no intention of releasing his grip. The minotaur tried to pry the dragonlance from the red's chest in the hopes that Infernus might then let them loose, but the lance would not pull free. It was as determined to remain impaled in its target as its target was determined to hold on to Tiberia.
We're going to die! Kaz thought as the first tower tops came into sight below them. We're going to die. Damn you, gray man, we're going to die. I hope you and your balance are happy.
"I… won't… let you… get… hurt… Kaz!" bellowed the silver dragon. "I won't!"
In desperation, Tiberia stretched her neck down as far as she could, focusing on her target. A fireball barely half as large as Kaz struck one of the red dragon's injured paws. Under other circumstances, Infernus might have shrugged it off. Wounded as he was, however, the crimson leviathan reacted with a shriek of agony.
Tiberia flapped her wings with all the strength she could muster, at the same time pushing away from her dark counterpart with her legs and tail. Infernus tried to grab hold again, but the other injured forepaw could not maintain its grip.
The red dragon fell below, backside down. Infernus might have righted himself had he had more time, but they were already too close to the ground.
Only then did Kaz see that they were over the circus.
The streets and stands were already filled with running and milling figures, all trying to avoid the massive forms plummeting down at them. Tiberia could regain control before they reached the circus, but Kaz saw that Infernus was going to land half in the field and half on the stands, crushing hundreds.
"Tiberia! Knock him into the field!" The field was large enough to contain four beasts the size of Infernus if only they could shove him to the side.
He could have saved his breath, for the young silver dragon was already swooping down, evidently having come to the same realization as the minotaur. Tiberia strained with her talons, trying to gain some hold on the hapless, writhing red. Infernus no longer seemed aware of what was happening to him. He merely snapped at the smaller dragon and tried to slash one of Tiberia's legs with his own claws.
The silver dragon seized the one limb. Infernus dug into her paw. Tiberia did not cry out. Her wings shifted.
Infernus crashed into the ground, Tiberia landing on him, then rolling away. Kaz was thrown toward the red dragon.
He bounced against Infernus, then slid helplessly down the crimson terror's side. Belatedly Kaz realized that Tiberia had prevented a major disaster. Both dragons had managed to land on the field.
But what had happened to the silver dragon? Kaz stumbled to his feet and looked around, trying to orient himself at the same time. His left leg seemed on the verge of collapse, his wounded arm was half numb, and his ribs hurt, but he refused to allow the pain to overwhelm him as he searched. Kaz could not see the silver dragon's immense form, though.
Then he saw the small, very human shape lying against one wall of the field. So accustomed to the human form, Tiberia had reverted to it upon unconsciousness.
Kaz prayed the young female was only unconscious.
Then movement behind him reminded the minotaur there was another dragon to consider. Infernus had taken the brunt of the fall and was gravely injured, but the red leviathan was remarkably strong… strong enough still to grasp victory from defeat.
There was only Kaz to stop him. Minotaurs filled the stands, but they stood uncertainly, clearly stunned and confused by the spectacle. By the time they chose to act, it might be too late.
Kaz looked around for some sort of weapon, something he could use to finish off the dragon. To his surprise, he found just what he needed not far from him. It was a godsend, especially considering the shape it had worn when last he had seen it.
Honor's Face, no longer a dragonlance, lay not more than a few feet away. It could not have arrived there of its own accord, yet, there it was. Kaz did not question how it came to be there. He seized it with renewed hope, took one last look at the still form of Ty, then charged toward Infernus.
The dragon suddenly succeeded in righting himself, flipping over and nearly crushing Kaz in the process. But Infernus was not yet recovered enough to rise, much less fly. Still, it wouldn't be long, and Kaz had to move swiftly.
He leapt. The dragon saw him, but too late. The minotaur landed on the upper edge of one wing, then scrambled up to the red dragon's shoulder. Savage jaws snapped at him, but Infernus could not twist his neck enough to reach the minotaur. The red dragon tried to shift enough so that he could bring a paw up, but his injuries and twisted position made it difficult.
Kaz reached the neck. Infernus tried to shake him off, but Kaz hooked his feet into the scales and held fast. He gripped his axe.
"Leave me, gnat, or I will crush you! I command it!"
"No more commands, Infernus, not as high priest or dragon! It's time we were allowed to make our own way in the world!"
"Ungrateful fool!" bellowed the injured dragon, sounding much like the high priest. His voice echoed throughout the circus. "I have guided your race to the glory it has attained! I have molded you into the finest warriors! I sent you into slavery time and again, the better to cull the weak and bring to the forefront the stubbornness, the pride, and the strength you now display! All I ask in return is your allegiance! We will rule the world!"
"You mean you'll rule the world… we'll just do the dying for you." Kaz raised his battle-axe.
"Your kind was nothing before me and will be nothing without me!" Infernus punctuated the statement by snapping at Kaz. The red dragon was clearly weak, thankfully too weak to cast any spell, it seemed.
"We'll take that chance." Kaz aimed.
Infernus suddenly began to push up. Even as the minotaur brought the axe down with all his might, the red leviathan tried to roll over toward him. Infernus intended to crush Kaz beneath him.
"I am your master!" the red terror roared. "I am your destiny!"
Kaz's footing started to fail, but he did not let up. Honor's Face struck the dragon's neck, sinking deep. Infernus, hissing in agony, pushed harder. Kaz raised the weapon again, knowing he might not complete another swing.
"Paladine, let this blow swing true!" he snarled through clenched teeth. His world was tilting, and only one secured foot prevented him from toppling off the spinning beast.
Once again, Kaz brought the magical axe down.
Once again, the axe changed. It seemed larger, longer, the blades growing as huge as Kaz himself. Yet it was no harder to hold the oversized axe and was no more difficult to guide toward its target. In fact, it was almost as if Honor's Face directed his hand toward the most vital spot on the dragon's neck.
The mirrorlike blade struck deep into Infernus… and continued to bite. Incredibly, the cut spread, penetrating the entire neck. Infernus bellowed, and his whole body shook. Kaz lost his grip on the axe and, finally, his footing. He slid backward and would have fallen headfirst to the ground if not for the grappling hook still caught in the dragon's neck. More out of luck than skill, the minotaur caught hold of the rope. He was flung around, but his drop slowed.
The red's shaking ceased.
Still dangling, Kaz waited. Infernus shuddered again, but the motion ended after only a few seconds. Kaz waited a little longer, then began to climb back.
The first thing he saw was Honor's Face. The axe lay on the upper part of the dragon's shoulder. It was back to normal size. Its mirror finish was as pristine as ever.
The second thing he saw was that Infernus's head and neck had been cleanly severed from the body.