Kon, 1,000 years ago...
This is an organized attack. Kitaya watched the ten flyers shoot back toward the outer wall, three at a time. They swooped low, nigh grazing the royals standing there. Three, then another three, and another three. And as the last one swooped in, the Lyberra barrel-rolled and its rider plucked someone from the wall. Frilly dress, and silken ribbons. Raylen.
Kitaya ground her teeth together. These people were advanced flyers, people she'd chased the skies with many times before. "Damn it!" She put her fingers between her lips and released a whistle that pierced the din, before turning to the Head Archivist. "Sorry, Samiel. Perhaps we'll find time in the near future to talk."
He gave a dismissive wave. "Godspeed, my lady."
Seven Shujaa guards zoomed by overhead, giving chase to the kidnappers. Chaga flew close behind and swooped down to meet Kitaya.
She leapt onto his bare back and bounced once before hugging it tight. With no saddle or collar, this flight would be a daring one. But there was nothing she loved more than a dance with danger. So when Kitaya threaded her fingers into Chaga's mane, exhilaration replaced fear.
They flew up from the market district and banked south, picking up speed with every passing second. Before long she came alongside the Shujaa guards.
"Lady Kitaya, fall back!" one of them yelled at her. "You can't fly that fast without a saddle."
"I can handle it," she yelled back. "Just cover me." Chaga shot forward and Kitaya hugged his back tighter with her knees. The sun beat against her back and the wind threatened to rip her from her seat.
Three flyers were up ahead, the one carrying Raylen leading while the other two flanked. The Lyberra they rode were built for strength, to fly with ease while wearing heavy, enchanted armour.
But Chaga was trained for speed and dexterity, executing tough maneuvers and navigating rough skies – taking advantage of every current and updraft that caught his wings. So closing the distance was a trivial matter.
The flankers broke formation and fell back, flying up over her head. Magic filled the air with its unmistakable buzz and nipping bite, along with the crackle and pop of flames. Orbs of fire filled the skies like a thousand suns, their glowing orange centers peering down at her like eyes.
Kitaya swore out loud and buried her face in Chaga's mane as he dove and rolled to avoid the onslaught of fire. Heat licked at her skin, hungry for something to devour. Crashes and explosions sounded in her wake as the fireballs crashed into the fields. Chaga lost altitude faster than bird shot dead and was nearly brushing the field of wheat before the barrage stopped.
She reveled at the cool breeze that replaced the singeing hot air, but her heart sank as she raised her head from Chaga's fur.
Up ahead the south side of the farmlands came into view. Clusters of buildings and silos lined the wide road edging the fields. They flew close to the ground and with the speed they were going, trying to make a sharp enough to avoid crashing would be impossible. But they couldn't ascend in time to clear the row of grain silos. The buildings beyond them were only half the height, and a quick ascent would guarantee their safety.
If they could clear the silos somehow.
Kitaya measured the distance between the two silos ahead. They could squeeze in, but only if they flew in sideways, and even then, it would be risky. She glanced back at her pursuers flying high above her head, barely visible through the smoke clouding the air. She needed to get away from them before they rained fire on her again. Straight ahead then. The muscles in Chaga's back tensed as they neared the silos.
YOU ARE READING
The Wielder and the Source
Random[Magika Book II] Aldeheid knows better than anyone that a man could not run from his past transgressions. So when given the opportunity to atone for his sins, he seizes it without hesitation. Fighting to preserve the human realm had become his life'...
