The Silver Reckoning

Chapter 40: The Beginning of the End

The city of New York was shrouded in shadow. Dragons swarmed in the sky above like a hive of bees. There were thousands of them, tens of thousands, of all different species and ages. Hatchlings barely the size of a dog and a number of dragons that were centuries old, rivalling the size of a large truck. But they all had something familiar about them. Every one of the dragons had a blinking red device in the middle of their forehead.

In the centre of the mass was a large metal sphere situated on top of a multi-story building. A sky scraper with a flat roof. The machine was glowing from within, a white light that radiated a strange sort of power outwards. The dragons above were approaching in groups, breathing their respected elements through the crevices built into the machine. Every little bit of power added into it made the white glow become slightly more intense, slightly more powerful.

Watching the spectacle was another group of dragons, around a thousand or so, grouped up at the edge of the city. They were frightened. Nervous chatter circled through them like waves. At the front of the small army was Iraliene and Silver, watching the sky.

"There's... a lot of them," stated the metallic dragoness, looking to the sky, "You think Eldawin would make them attack us?"

"Of course he will," snorted Iraliene, "He wouldn't just let us wonder out there without resistance."

"I'm wondering why he moved the Machine so obviously into the open," it was West that spoke, having taken up a position near the front.

Both dragonesses looked at him.

"Maybe it's easier and quicker to charge it out here," suggested Iraliene, "That is the only reasoning I can think of."

When they had left that morning they had expected to have to explore the city to find an entrance into the underground A.O.D.H base beneath New York. But when they were met with the sight they were currently facing it caused them all to reassess their plan.

"Retrix," said the life dragon, "How many of us do you think you can get in there with your portals?"

The void dragon was also with them, studying the sky above with a small frown. He didn't seem at all fazed by the numbers of the enemy, and there was a calmness about him that made the others slightly confused.

"Including myself...ten, if they were all around my size," he replied with confidence, "But bigger dragons then me... I would say around five."

"We will try for seven," said the life dragoness, "Silver, Gravon, Brand, Delta and Cragin, you are coming with us."

Brand was an older fire dragon that was often seen at important meetings around deciding battle plans and strategies. Delta was a shadow dragoness and one of the best fighters at Sky Mountain. Cragin was a high-ranking telekinetic dragon; one Silver had met before. It seemed Iraliene was gathering some of her stronger fighters into one group.

She then turned to the rest of the crowd, "I want the rest of you to run interference with the dragons above. Protect the lightning dragons around you, for they will be the ones to create the most damage in their ranks. Try not to kill any of them. Remember they are doing this against their will. They do not have a choice in the matter, but stay safe and be smart. Don't try to take on the whole army by yourself but pick at the stragglers. Distract them until we get rid of the machine. If everything goes well... then we shouldn't have any trouble."

There were a number of murmurs from the army as they looked to the sky. This wasn't going to be an easy victory. They all knew it, but they were willing to fight. The humans among their ranks moved to get onto a number of dragon's backs. Everyone within the army had a mind breaker to protect against Eldawin, but somehow Silver suspected that the small device wouldn't do much.