Soar

Chapter 39

A friend finally took notice of our plight. One minute we were surrounded, fighting for our lives, and the next the enemy had been forced away.

Runedan's wings started to collapse again. His sides heaved and his heart pounded. We let the gold dragons deal with our attackers.

"You need to land," I said.

Runedan shook his head and hissed. A few scales along his neck had come loose and grated against each other with every movement he made. "Only...need to breathe."

Eying the blood seeping from a gash on his shoulder, I waited. We watched the struggle around us. Something had changed. I could not name it, but a tide had shifted. Both sides had sunk in their teeth and were wrestling to land a death blow.

"It is thickest there." Runedan motioned with his head to a place north of us.

I ripped the mask off of my head and pressed it against my leg. "You cannot be thinking about.... Runedan, no." For emphasis, I beat my heels against his sides. "You have fought enough. You are bleeding."

"So are they." He turned his head toward me.

Blood rushed in my ears, drowning out the clamor around us. A monstrous claw had torn across Runedan's face. His right eye was destroyed and the scales around it oozed.

I fell against Runedan's neck, gasping. "No. Land. This moment, Runedan, before you're killed."

The milky eye fixed on me. "We came to fight, Azadryn. I mean to fight until my wings will not hold me. You can join me if you wish, but I am not turning back now."

Grimacing, I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. I could not tear my eyes away from his face. My dragon - brave, gentle, always protecting me - already marked by this war we had been thrown into. That more than anything proved to me how real, how grave, it all was. I nodded. "Then go. We'll finish this."

I don't know where Runedan found the strength to cross the field. He rushed past every creature that tried to slow him and raced to the heart of the fight. I was not surprised to find Umreo and his red dragon there. A dragon the color of fire danced with the red one, its rider wielding a sword.

All of my friends were determined to die today.

Without a word Runedan stretched out his body, forcing out every reserve of speed. He was like a shooting star, a flash of gold and moon-edged scales driving through the press.

The red dragon was quick. Surrounded by muscled beasts with dark-clad riders, she twisted expertly to meet every assault. Lorkath ducked under her and she pulled up, out of the way. Hedyr's blade bounced off of her claws. About, Umreo swung at a rider who had leaned too close.

Sitara appeared, trying to catch the pair from behind while Lorkath and Hedyr had their attention. The white dragon managed a swipe at the red's hindquarters. I thought I saw Hedyr's blade just touch Umreo before the soldier leaned away.

Runedan hung back, along with several others, considering the situation.

"We need to get them away from the others," I said after a minute. Hedyr and Morena and their dragons were holding their own for the moment. "Make Umreo fight his own battles." I caught the attention of the nearest rider and waved toward the line of enemy dragons hovering at the edge of the duel. He nodded and passed the signal to the next rider in  line.

"Take the rider," Runedan said. "Let me worry about the dragon."  His wings snapped sharply and he moved in on a dragon near the edge of the line. Then his left wing collapsed. He careened into the dragon's shoulder, throwing them both back.