Imperial

Chapter 61

Yet again, we continued attacking the black and green dragoness. We barely seemed to be harming her, but at least she'd barely hurt us; she'd barely drawn blood. Perhaps it was time to try to ramp up the damage a little more - or at least, try to.

Narrowing my eyes, I swooped towards the dragoness, watching as she stared at the humans with increasing horror, most likely from the sheer amount of humans.

Examining her closely I drifted towards her, my eyes locking on the membrane at the base of her wing - the part that connected both wing and flank. Harming her wing there would affect the way she flew - it would hurt more, and ache with each movement she made.

Not wasting a second, I raked my talons along her wing.

Triumph flooded through my veins as she tensed, a grunt escaping her as she whipped her head around. Her yellow eyes locked onto me - once again filled with a fiery rage. With a flick of her long tail, she sent me flying through the air.

This time, she followed me.

Hastily, I struggled to regain balance as she rapidly approached. Beating my wings desperately, I tried to get away, but she was coming closer and closer and -

I could feel her jaws lock against my tail again. Flaring my wings, I tried to pull away, but the dragoness raised her talons, slowly drawing them towards me. She rejoiced in my fear as she flexed her massive, black talons, before abruptly lashing at my flank.

Pain shot down my back. Piercing pain, causing me to scream out in agony. I was lucky that she had not gone for my wings, deeming me flightless, but... the pain! Blood dribbled down my back, my wound stinging, as I remained hanging helplessly from her jaws.

Unable to do anything as she raised her talons again. Another lash was coming.

Bracing myself, I instinctively snapped my eyes shut, squeezing them tightly but nothing happened.

I could have sworn I heard low grunts and human yells, followed by a roar of fury as the black and green dragoness released me. Freeing me.

Wind raced past me as I plummeted towards the earth. I could still hear her growls and roars, growing increasingly loud and frustrated. But on top of that, I could still hear the beating of wings chasing me.  Fear surged through me, and I immediately opened my eyes. Not daring to flare my wings and slowing myself down, I allowed myself to keep falling, allowing myself to use my momentum to get away.

"Argentum,"  Rutilus called, his voice behind me.

Blinking in confusion, I peered behind me.

Only Rutilus was chasing me, trying to catch up to me. There was no sign of the black and green dragoness. Which couldn't be right. She'd been attacking us, fighting us - what had caused her to stop?

"Look," the red and gold drake breathed, nodding his head towards the mass of dragons fighting above us. My gaze landed on the black and green dragoness, and suddenly, I understood. She was busy fighting other dragons - three others, all of which were still bigger than Rutilus and I. "The humans are fighting alongside us."

That did not sound right. They had no reason to go after the imperials - only us. After all, we had escaped them; had planned to attack their city. For the past so many months, they'd been hunting for us. Not the imperial wing.

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, "Why?"

Rutilus shrugged. "I don't know - but we seem to be winning now."

After all, with the masses of dragons from the city joining us, we were no longer overwhelmed by the imperials. Hope stirred within me. Perhaps we had more than a shot of winning. Both of us could come out of the battle alive and well.

So long as the humans didn't turn against us once the imperials were captured.

"Come on," I decided, heading back towards the battle. Whatever the humans were doing, I did not know. Why they were helping us was a mystery. But I'd have to figure it out later. Right now, there was a battle to win.

My gaze ran over the dragons. So many of the dragons, I did not recognise. Yet if I looked hard enough, I could still see the dragons in my wing fighting alongside each other. All of them appeared tired and weary, as though the fight had drained them. But other than that, they seemed to still be growing strong.

"No!" Rutilus exclaimed beside me, staring ahead of us. Confused, I peered closer, but all I could see was Caelum and Thorak continue to fight side by side - and Soriak had joined them. Behind them, Amaroth was fighting a few dragons including the dark purple dragoness that was barely clinging to his scales.

Even as I watched, Amaroth's tail slammed into her.

She slipped - plummeting down.

"Mother!" Rutilus cried, racing forwards. Weaving between dragons, he lunged towards her desperately. Diving after her.

But he was not alone. Amaroth was chasing the dragoness, his fangs snapping at her, and talons swiping at her, stopping her from regaining balance. Heart in my throat, I watched as they neared the line.

Time seemed to slow down. With a grumbling roar, the blue and white drake used his talons to visibly push the dragoness towards the ground. Seemingly satisfied, he turned away, ignoring Rutilus as he dived after his mother.

I could see the purple dragoness struggling. Trying to spread her wings, but unable to. The momentum was too much, and she was too close to the ground. Even as I watched, a piercing cry escaped Rutilus as he darted closer, almost catching up to her, but not close enough.

I forced myself to look away. To stare at the battle surrounding me, trying to ignore the thud that followed, as well as the wails of pain. But watching wasn't enough. With a grunt, I lunged forwards, attacking the closest imperial dragon - a bronze and green drake.

He stiffened, his dark green eyes darkening as he spotted me.

But then, another scream sliced through the air. This time, it was not the red and gold drake. Instinctively, I glanced towards the sound only to see Argon fighting Kronx and Raegon. As I watched, Kronx dived down and...

No.

Something wasn't right. Kronx wasn't diving down, he was plummeting. Falling out of the sky despite flaring his wings. If anything, he only seemed to be unbalancing himself. Confused and anxious, I peered closer, only to realise that only one of his wings were flared.

The other dangled uselessly against his flank.

*~*

1105 words

This started out to be the most gory chapter in Imperial. I have spent a while trying to make it less so, but some does still remain. If it is too much, just let me know, and I'll try to make it better.

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