Dragon Binder: Book One of the Dragonblood Priestess Series (First Draft)

Chapter 26: The Raptors

"Let me introduce myself, I am Raen, leader of the Raptors."  The group of Raen's continued to push the three of them towards the center.  Each one had a rather large broadsword strapped to their backs.  For a normal human it would be a slow and sluggish weapon, for a bound well it would be just as easy to wield as a normal sword.  

Tyn slid his hand down to his sword gripping the handle so hard that his knuckles turned white.  So far only one raptor had showed up, if they could defeat this one soon enough they might be able to make their escape.  Glancing up at the circling dragon, it would be hard to beat both. 

"Just so you know Yina, from what my report says your father is being held in the dungeons for a undisclosed amount of time.  Apparently until they can find proof that he helped you."  Raen stated trying to goad her into making a mistake.  

Giving Raen a level gaze she just smiled, "Well, lucky for him he did not help me."  She lied holding her head up in defiance, she was not going to let this man get under her skin.   

"Come now, it would be to all of our benefits if you just give in.  You would live longer if you did."  Raen stated continuing to coral them into the center of the clearing.  

"I would rather die then go back with you."  Yina hissed, a slight spark running across her skin as she took a defiant step towards the one who they had first seen.  

A soft chuckle left Raen's lips.  "So the rumors are true.  We only found you thanks to that lovely light show a few days ago.  The reports guessed that you had lightning as a power, we will make sure to give Nyssa to a more competent owner."  He hissed at the end.  

Low growling started to form in Nyssa's throat as she stared down the man.  "I refuse."  She hissed letting a bolt of lightning rip from her horns.  The bolt flew right through the man as he vanished in a ripple.  The remaining Raen's just smirked as they reached to draw their swords.  

"Unique in every way I see."  As the giant blade came free they all charged.  Each one seemed to wield the weapon slightly different as they approached.  One of them had to be the real one, but which one.  

Yina pulled on the little magic that she had letting her skin create the typical arc for when she held onto her magic.  Deciding not to wait for the inevitable she flicked her wrists both blades ripping free from each vembrace.  "Here we go."  She hissed charging forward.  

Sliding across the wet grass she dodged the first attack striking out as she slid watching as the image vanished.  "Great, another fake."  Yina thought as she quickly regain her feet slamming her blades through another fake Raen.  

Tyn drew his sword as charged in the opposite direction of Yina, knowing full well that he was physically outmatched.  As he grew close to the images they started to falter and fuzz out a bit as the just being near the sword hindered them.  Now to find the real one, Tyn had no idea of knowing if the guy could see out of their eyes or not but he just charged through the images keeping his eyes open for one that did not shift.  

Using her tail Nyssa lashed out taking several images out at a time.  Following after Yina trying to cover her flank, the images were continuing to try and close in on her.  It would just take the real one to find a opening and any one of them could be dropped with a single blow.  It seemed that for every image they took out another one would appear.  

"We have to find the real one."  Tyn huffed as he was becoming tired from all of the running around.  So far he had not seen a single version of him that did not fuzz as he got close.  

"You don't say, well that is a genius thought."  Yina hissed as she caused a few more images to vanish with a quick flurry of kicks and jabs with her blades.  "Nyssa, can you shoot his dragon?  It might cause the true version to react."  Yina sent to her dragon hoping she had enough magic to do it.