From three directions, more dragons were coming to join the fighting but of The Raven’s assailant there was no sign. For a time, they all stared up at the sky, taking in the immense and raw animal power clashing overhead. So much force, speed and agility. It was a sight quite without equal and to Hirad it was a stark reminder of their stature in the conflict. They’d been lucky so far but, for the first time since they had faced the Wytch Lords, he felt their destiny was not in their hands. If a dragon wanted them dead, they would die.
‘What now?’ asked Denser, his gaze turned to Erienne as she tended to Thraun.
‘We keep vigilant,’ said Hirad. ‘Above and around. We need Ilkar to maintain the shield for now. Erienne might have scared them off but they might come back. Meanwhile, we have to think how to find the others.’
‘Assuming they’re there to be found,’ said Erienne. She had placed a pad of cloth around Thraun’s wound. The shapechanger had grasped the shaft with his right hand and at her nod, tugged it once, hard. It came free. Thraun grunted his pain and blood spread over the cloth, running over Erienne’s hands. She quickly stemmed the flow, muttered a few words and pressed a little harder. ‘Keep pushing,’ she told Thraun, placing his hand on the pressure point. ‘I’ve knitted the wound inside but it’s still weak. Try not to use that arm for the rest of the day, all right?’
He nodded. ‘Thank you.’
She caressed his cheek with her bloodied hand. ‘Dear Thraun,’ she said, and her troubled face said everything her words did not.
The Raven had stopped just below the lip of the cleft. There were enemies in the grass and enemies in the sky above and they had no idea where they were.
‘Options?’ asked Hirad.
‘We need to push away from here,’ said The Unknown. ‘We know we have to head to the mountains. We can still do that.’
‘I’ll go up,’ said Denser. ‘Take a quick look around, try and spot the others and our erstwhile attackers. What do you think?’
‘Risky,’ said Ilkar, his voice faint with concentration on the HardShield.
‘No riskier than staying here blind,’ reasoned Denser. ‘And we need Styliann. He has the writings.’
‘Do it,’ said Hirad.
‘Be careful,’ said Erienne.
Denser nodded. ‘I won’t be long.’
With ShadowWings trimmed for speed, Denser shot into the air, aware immediately of how vulnerable he felt in a medium so totally dominated by dragons. Though they were far away, battling over the rip, with their cries, their flame and their power an incredibly alien backdrop to his flight, Denser felt all their eyes upon him. He shuddered and looked at the scene below him.
The area around The Raven’s position was clear, their attackers still moving off to the east, their progress marked by the erratic waving of the grass. He couldn’t tell how many there were but they represented no significant danger. The biggest risk he could see was from the fire which raged in three places, sending billows of smoke into the sky as it ravaged the plain unchecked. The blaze nearest to them had taken much of the cleft in which they had hidden and moved steadily in all directions, the breeze slowing but not stopping its progress towards them.
Two larger areas of fire burned fiercely away to his right and Denser could see so easily how the dragons had ruined their land. Nothing but torrential rain could stop this blaze completely engulfing the entire plain which had to cover hundreds of square miles and, looking about him, he saw nothing but blue sky and light cloud. No respite would come today.
He flew on beyond the flames, in the direction of the mountains, reasoning that any survivors would try to move onward. He was quickly rewarded by the sight of grass swaying and flattening in a careless swathe ahead.
‘Styliann,’ he breathed. He swept down over the grass, calling for them to stop. Close to, he could see three Protectors in a wide arc and, though they appeared to be shadowing no one, the movement of the stems ahead told him that Styliann was there but under a CloakedWalk. Not a bad idea when you didn’t care for the safety of your companions.
‘Styliann, stop. We need to regroup.’ He overflew and wheeled in the air.
‘No,’ came the disembodied voice, breathless with effort. ‘We need to get away. I’ve lost Jatha and three of my Protectors have been killed.’
‘Calm down, the dragon has gone.’
‘Don’t you believe it.’ And as if to give credence to his words, a roar from his right told Denser all was not good. Bursting through the smoke, the dragon pounced to the ground and grabbed one of Jatha’s men, or possibly Jatha himself, soaring back into the air and tearing the man in two with his front claws, feeding each piece into his mouth, blood spraying and scattering.
Denser’s heart hammered in his chest and he twitched reflexively away, fighting to hold on to his concentration, his breath ragged, his mouth dry. A shudder coursed through his body and his hand was shaking as he moved it to wipe his sweating forehead.
‘Get out of the sky, Denser; you’re a sitting target. And get Hirad to call his bloody dragon friends in or we’re all dead. Understand? Now stop giving away my position.’ Styliann and his Protectors changed direction and Denser soared away, very aware of his total exposure. Hugging the top of the grass, he flew hard to The Raven’s position, surprised at how far he had come, and trimming his wings for more speed.
With a note of surprise in its tone, he heard the dragon bark. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw it bank and wheel, all the while its eye fixed on one thing.
‘Oh dear God,’ muttered Denser. He was closing on The Raven and he and they only had one chance. He could hear the dragon’s wing beats as it raced towards him, he dived deeper still, his body skimming the tall fronds of grass. He flew into the smoke of the fire ravaging the cleft, holding his breath and turning a sharp left, flying along the line of the fire. Arrowing back into fresh air, he saw that the dragon had carried straight on, missing The Raven in its search for him.
Seizing the only time he had left, Denser flew hard back to them, pulling up to land just as the dragon realised it had been fooled and turned again in the air. It wouldn’t be long in reaching them.
‘Quick,’ he said, talking as his feet hit the ground and he dismissed the wings. ‘Back down the slope. The dragon’s coming back. Erienne, we need anything that may keep off fire. More HardShield. I’ll try an IceWind defence. You never know.’ They cast as they scrambled down, keeping themselves in close formation, with Hirad cajoling them all the way.
As they descended, they knew it was hopeless. They were running back into the flames, the dragon’s shadow passed over them once more, the force of its wings loud and terrifying and, this time, they could all see it bank and turn to fly down the length of the gully, opening its mouth to breathe.
It never reached them. At the top of the gully a huge set of jaws clamped around its neck and drove it into the ground which shuddered violently underfoot. Flame lit up the sky, a dual roar split the air, one was abruptly silenced. There was the sound of wings in the air and the shadow of Sha-Kaan hung over them, huge and comforting. His mouth dripped blood and he heaved great lungfuls of air as he hovered. The Raven’s relief was palpable.
‘I heard your call but I was far from you. Get away from the fire and head towards the mountains, I will bring Jatha and your people to you. You must be ready to close the gateway when our orb reaches its height thrice from now.’ And with that, he was gone.
Denser collapsed on to the ground. ‘Give me a moment,’ he said. ‘Move when you get too warm, eh?’ said Hirad, indicating the flames and smoke scant yards away. ‘Good move into that smoke, by the way, but a pity he saw you landing. Work on that for next time.’