Dark Snow White (Grimmoire Series)

Part XI

20 years earlier… The Serpentine War…

A Grey-Bellied dragon, from the RedCrest clan, flew overhead, fire roaring from its mouth. A bone-back dragon, from the enemy camp, wrapped one wing around itself for protection, parrying back some of the grey-belly’s flames. The moment the grey-belly ceased its attack, the Bone-Back opened its wings and spewed a stream of black and green toxic sludge from its jaws. 

The Grey-Belly retaliated, flames bursting forth from its mouth, lighting the toxic sludge on fire. The flaming sludge fell to the ground onto the soldiers below. The soldiers from both camps scattered in all directions, screaming, some on fire.

Eleanor, short hair, eyes bigger, cheeks fuller and Orion, his face soft, unhardened by war, also with shorter hair, looked on along with three other soldiers; Roberts, Jones and Jensen. They were fortunately situated back from the chaos, out of sight, waiting to make their move.

“How did this happen?” asked Jensen. “Excuse my impertinence, Your Highness, I thought we weren’t supposed to release the dragon until the last moment,” said Roberts, annoyed. “Well what was I to do? The enemy unleashed theirs first. I had hoped not to involve the kingdom’s Grey-Belly and now, now, we have two wild beasts out there, wreaking havoc,” said the Queen, distressed.

“Give it a few more minutes,” said Orion, pensive, scanning the battlefield. “Have you completely lost your mind? With dragons on the loose, we need to go,” reasoned Eleanor.

“Our mission is to get that Brökkr box,” said Orion, turning back to Eleanor, “And I always finish my mission.” “It could be in any of the enemy tents,” explained Eleanor. “Aye, but with the four of us, we’ll make short work of it,” said Jones, wiggling his eyebrows.

While Roberts, Jones and Jensen all kept watch, Eleanor took Orion aside. “I understand that now is a good time to strike, while everyone is distracted, but it’ll be safer if you wait. Besides, we have to defend the bridge,” pleaded Eleanor. “I have a good feeling about this,” said Orion, “and when I have a good feeling about something, it always comes to pass.” Orion gave Eleanor a cheeky grin.

Eleanor sensed a double meaning in Orion’s words. Orion studied her eyes. There was a moment of silence between the two of them.

“You hold down the bridge and I’ll deliver that box into your hot little hands before you know it, Your Highness,” he winked. Orion addressed the other three, “Men lets move out.” 

As the men made their way onto the battlefield, Eleanor headed back to the bridge. A sudden explosion rocked everyone. The Queen looked around for the source of the noise.

A fireball erupted in the sky, almost blinding the soldiers with its brightness. The enemy's Bone-Back had met its end. RedCrest's Grey-Belly dragon sent it plummeting off a cliff, cinders falling gently to the ground.

The enemy camp had catapults that launched blade-laden nets into the sky. A strong weapon to use against a dragon. An enemy soldier was adjusting the catapult to line up with the Grey-Belly, which was hovering in the one spot, breathing fire in a sign of victory.

Orion read the soldier like a book and launched an axe. A moment too late. The enemy soldier just released the catapult a split second before Orion’s axe took him out. Orion watched helplessly as the blade-net flew into the sky, forming a ‘U’ shape and slicing right through the Grey-Belly’s wings.

The dragon of RedCrest cried out. Unable to remain airborne it hurtled towards the earth and with a sickening thud, the wingless dragon crashed down to the ground. 

The impact was so strong, it forced the remaining fire out of the dragon’s belly through its mouth. Flames sprayed out, engulfing Roberts, Jones and Jensen along with a battalion of soldiers, who happened to be in the wrong place. The flame subsided. A pile of ashes lay where the men were standing only a moment ago.