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

Chapter 27: Stranger

As Yina screamed at the man she charged, deciding that going on the offense would be better then staying on the defense.  Pushing the pain to the side she intercepted his next blow twisting her wrist down letting Raen's blade slide between the gaps over her daggers.  

Twisting with good arm she pulled Raen's arm to the side, she quickly struck with her injured arm aiming to pierce his heart.  His bound reflexes allowed him to shift just enough to avoid the fatal blow and took the daggers to his shoulder.  The blow send him skidding backwards the great sword wrenched from his hand.  

Gripping the wound slightly Raen smiled.  "So not just a pretty face are you."  Slipping both hands behind his back he produced two daggers and held them in front of his body in a defensive stance.  "Guess I need to get serious."  

"I doubt that will be enough to save you."  Yina spat back slipping into her defensive stance ready to fight the man at close quarters.  This was what she was good at, and she was not going to just roll over and die.  

Tyn continued his fight, deflecting the whips as the came his way.  He was not always successful as more and more cuts started to cover his body.  Each one caused his own movements to slow down slightly.  Taking several steps back he stumbled a vine spouting behind his foot.  

Riller took advantage of this and struck out with both whips at the same time.  With a quick slash of his sword Tyn clumsily missed as one of the vines slammed into the blade sending it spiraling out of his hands, the second one making contact with his chest.  Intense pain raced through him as a gash was created on his chest sending him flying backwards.  

Upon contact with the ground the wind forcefully retreated from his lungs leaving him stunned for a moment.  Tyn's sword landed several feet away the blade sticking straight into the ground.  Attempting to push off the ground Tyn found that he could not, vines were quickly encasing his body leaving him helpless.  

"Just a ordinary boy after all."  Riller stated stalking over to him and bending down next to him.  "How about you watch us kill your little friend."  His breath smelled like poison as the vines started to shift pulling Tyn up off the ground.  

Grunting in pain he struggled the thorns digging deeper into his body with each attempt.  Moments later the vines had created a column only Tyn's chest and head exposed from it.  Hanging his head he felt useless, wondering what had made him think that he could be of any help to Yina.  "I am sorry Yina."  

"Do not be, you put up a valiant fight."  Riller stated as he walked away from Tyn towards Raen and Yina's fight.  Looking up at the sky he wondered where the other raptor was, Athel.  

Nyssa's fight was not going so well either, the dark green dragon had started to learn her tactics.  Each time she tried to make a quick strike it would counter easily with either his tail or his own claws.  Her breath was getting ragged as she circled the larger dragon trying to figure out a way to win.  

With little warning the green dragon charged forward and slammed his jaws into Nyssa's neck pulling her off the ground and taking off into the air.  With a muffled cry of pain Nyssa started to claw as the large dragon's neck her claws prying into the cracks of the scales.  With all of her strength she started to pull a scale back with one claws hand.

Determined to not lose Nyssa slammed her other claw deep into the dragon's neck.  The cry reverberated through the area as he tossed Nyssa off him.  This caused her to become a disoriented flailing violet blob as she descended towards the ground.  Using the final bit of magic she had she shifted into a lightning bolt and slammed into the ground creating a small crater.  

Looking up she saw the dark green dragon circle up and then sharply turn going into a nose dive towards Nyssa.  Straining the young dragon managed to gain her footing and stand, blood running down her throat.  "I will not give in."  She roared towards the incoming dragon.  

"You are a dragon, that is to be expected."  The green dragon send towards Nyssa in a deep booming mental voice.  His claws coming together to increase the chance of piercing through Nyssa's scales.  

A flash of red scales streaked across the sky slamming into the green dragon with great force.  A man stood on the dragon's back wielding a poleaxe, a few quick slashes and the green dragon was falling the webbing of one of its wings in tatters.  

Nyssa watched as the green dragon tumbled from the sky, its other wing trying to control the spiral it was falling in.  A loud crunch could be heard as the dragon slammed into the ground.  It lay there motionless, it took roughly a minute for a dead dragon to shift into a egg.  That was if the dragon was dead.  

The red dragon mimicked the green dragon's earlier move and went into a dive pulling up just in time before hitting the ground.  A huge gust of wind burst out from the epicenter of the landing causing everyone to look towards the new comer.  

With a calm ease the man jumped from his dragon landing neatly on the ground stabbing his poleaxe next to himself.  The stranger wore basic brown leather, with his right arm covered in a metal vembrace.  Shoulder length platinum hair hung in almost perfect straightness as he took in the battlefield with his brilliant blue eyes.  

His dragon was beautiful, he was a slender dragon with red scales.  The dragon's wing were see through, black crystals ran down the dragon's back in stark contrast to the red.  A reddish black hazes was given off around the dragon's body but mostly around the tail causing it to look like plumes of feathers.  

"Sorry that I am late."  He stated to no one in particular as he strolled across the battlefield towards Tyn's fallen sword.  Snatching it up he held in gingerly, "This will do nicely."  Grabbing the sword in both hands his face strained in concentration.  Moments later a reddish black haze surrounded the blade before it was pulled into two parts.  

In the mysterious strangers hands were now two identical obsidian swords.  With confident steps he walked towards Tyn and made several quick slashes with the blades.  Released from his imprisonment Tyn fell to his knees, his body weak from all of the wounds.  "You do not mind if I borrow this right."  He stated with a smooth voice holding one of the swords up.  

"No sir."  Tyn stammered out, not sure why he was being so proper to the man.  It could be the way he held himself.  Smiling the man gave his thanks and continued on towards Riller.  

"Well, shall we see what you are really capable of?"  The man stated getting into a loose stance one sword held above his head pointing towards Riller.  The other arm was held across his body the sword pointing straight up into the sky.  

"That is a Rak fighting style, curious.  I however am not one to turn down a challenge."  Riller answered walking with a similar confidence his eyes scanning his opponent.  Gripping the vines a little tighter then before.  A small sliver of anger hung in the man's eyes, anger for his dragon.  

The unexpected appearance of a new person had paused Raen and Yina's fight as they watched the quick exchange in the sky.  The moment was not long lived as Raen used this chance to strike out at Yina, he had faith that Riller would be able to handle the man.  "Better keep your eyes on me."  Raen stated full of confidence.  

Pulling up her arm to deflect the daggers Yina sucked in a sharp breath.  Coming towards her was three arms each one looked like the real one just coming at her in a different attack.  Taking a wild guess she chose the middle one, it seemed like the best choice.  

However it was the wrong attack as the lower one came up and slashed her across her bicep.  It was the same arm that had the previous be injured, now it was pretty much useless.   "So this is what you meant by not holding back."  Yina muttered taking a few quick steps back to give herself some space to react.  

"You thought I was a one trick pony, I am hurt."  Raen mocked as he took confident steps forward his body showing two other versions of himself branching off slightly.  "Be impressed, most never get to see this."  

"O yeah, I feel so special."  Yina countered as she held her right arm in front of her, the left hanging almost limply.  Reaching deep inside of herself, she had at most enough magic to get off one more blast of electricity.  If she planned it out right she might be able to win this fight.