Jean Rabe - Dragons of a New Age

“Come and get me, you ugly beast!” the sea barbarian taunted. She danced back and forth, and effortlessly ducked just as it opened its mouth and a bolt of lightning shot out. Shaon slashed upward and her blade pierced the scales on the creature’s abdomen. It screamed again, unaccustomed to the novel sensation of pain, and brought its claws down hard. Miniature lightning bolts leapt from its fingers and grazed the top of her head.

Shaon fell back, moaning, her hair singed and her scalp tingling. Her clothes were covered with the creature’s blood, and she grimaced at the stench and stickiness of it. The creature stared at her for a moment, looked down at its wounded abdomen, then growled as it advanced. She jumped to her feet and threateningly waved her sword.

“Get out of here!” she shouted. “I’ll cut you again! I’ll kill you!”

Dhamon scrambled to his feet, saw the tall blue draconian keeping its distance from Shaon, and quickly looked about for his own sword. His eyes grew wide as he saw it under the foot of one of the creatures. This one was broad, thick about the chest and heavily muscled. It grinned at him, then turned its head toward Blister, who was several yards away, and opened its horrible mouth. Dhamon saw the lightning around the thing’s teeth spark, and in that instant he darted forward, his feet scrabbling over the mud. He barreled into the creature and knocked it to its scaly knees, just as a thick bolt of lightning erupted from its mouth. The bolt struck the damp ground, sending up a shower of dirt and mud.

Blister ran forward, waving her chapak in her right hand. Gripping a weapon so tightly hurt her, but she told herself it would hurt a lot worse if the creature cooked her alive with its lightning breath. Still on its knees, it was an easy target for her. She dodged its claws, which were slashing at her. She darted beneath the creature’s grasp, spun around behind it, and attacked the back of its thighs.

Dhamon used the kender’s distraction to pull his blade out from under the creature. His fingers closed on the pommel and he brought the sword up, but the beast was flapping its wings fast and furiously. Dhamon cursed and leapt after it, thrusting upward. His blade managed to slice the dense flesh just above its ankle. The thing squealed loudly as it rose up.

Dhamon pulled back as the creature climbed higher into the sky, out of his reach. He glanced over his shoulder, worried for Feril. The Kagonesti was behind him on her knees, humming and swaying, moving her head in circles and dropping her chin down to her chest. She waggled her fingers in front of her, holding her arms parallel to the ground. As her humming grew louder she raised her arms, still twirling her fingers as if she were working a marionette. The mud in front of her started churning and rising, as if pulled by her invisible strings. It buckled and arrowed away from her, as if a giant gopher was burrowing underneath madly charging the smallest blue creature.

Fury was barking and circling the beast’s legs, dashing in and snapping while keeping an eye on the approaching mud missile. The creature flapped its wings to hover several feet above the ground. It stared at Feril and opened its mouth. Lightning flickered around its teeth.

“No!” Dhamon shouted. He saw the Kagonesti leap out of the first bolt’s way just as a second was released. Dhamon swiveled his head to see the broad-chested beast gliding to the ground, another lightning bolt snaking from its mouth straight toward his blade. When the bolt touched the metal, crackling and hissing, the jolt ricocheted off the sword and into his arm. The sword grew incredibly hot, the pommel scorching his hand. The intense shock raced from his fingers to his chest, then down his legs. His muscles twitched wildly as he fought to maintain his footing.

“Can’t drop it again,” he growled. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the searing pommel and drove the sword forward and straight up. The blade sank into the advancing creature’s abdomen. He pulled it free and drew it behind his head, then followed through with a wild swing that struck the broad-chested beast just below its kneecap. It had launched itself into the air, escaping a lethal blow, but the tip of Dhamon’s sword cut through bone. The creature screamed furiously and began flapping harder.

Dhamon tried to pull his blade free, but this time it was firmly lodged and wouldn’t budge. He felt himself being lifted up. He yanked harder and harder on the pommel, but the beast was bearing him aloft. An image of the boy from the village flashed into Dhamon’s mind. Sky monsters. Dhamon thought of jumping but could not see the ground below so he could judge the distance he would fall.

Holding onto the sword with his right hand, he flailed about with his left until he found a grip on the thing’s scaly ankle. Somehow he managed to climb the creature’s leg as it writhed more than a dozen feet above the ground, trying to dislodge him.

Below, Blister was using her chapak as a slingshot, pelting the draconian with well-aimed rocks. They harmlessly bounced off the creature’s chest, however, and only seemed to fuel its anger.

“That’s no help!” Dhamon yelled to the kender. “Defend Feril! She doesn’t have a weapon!” He had inched his arms up to the beast’s waist and was holding on fiercely. The thing was having a hard time craning its neck so it could shoot a bolt of lightning at him. Instead, it clawed Dhamon’s shoulders and the miniature bolts that arced downward struck his wet shirt and quickly penetrated to the skin.

He nearly lost his grip as the electricity wracked his body. His hair, practically dry now, stood on end—a puffball mane. He felt as if he were dying. Once, a few years before, he had experienced a similar sensation. Dhamon had been ready to die then, but not now. He fought to remain clear-headed and conscious. Continuing to hang on to the beast with his right arm, he slipped his left hand down to his belt, where his knife hung.

His fingers clutched the handle, then drove upward, slamming the small blade repeatedly into the thing’s side. The draconian gyrated in the air, trying futilely to dislodge its unwanted passenger. It was all Dhamon could do to hold on as the battle continued.

Below, he could see Feril still trying to work her nature magic. She gestured with her fingers, weaving a pale green pattern in the air. As the design brightened and began glowing wildly, she threw back her head and howled. Dhamon blinked in astonishment. She sounded exactly like Fury!

As her cry died, the earth missile she’d been crafting exploded into the air and struck the small draconian in front of her. The wet earth projectile caught the thing off guard, slamming into the center of its chest. It was thrown backward through the air from the terrific impact. Its wings no longer flapping, it struck the ground, and was immediately cornered by the red wolf, which barked and snapped at it.

Meanwhile Shaon was advancing on the tall beast she’d been keeping at bay. The thing regarded her cautiously. Lightning crackled from its hands, but the sea barbarian was too quick for the miniature bolts. She darted forward and sliced through its remaining good wing, ensuring that the creature would stay hopelessly earthbound and not be able to escape her. The sea barbarian nimbly avoided the next barrage of lightning that sprang from the beast, though it was clear she hadn’t avoided all the bolts. Her shirt and the black tunic hung on her in singed tatters.

Dhamon’s attention was forced back to his own enemy as it began climbing higher. Its sharp claws raked into his back, sending a wave of pain through him. The creature was trying to pull him off, but Dhamon wrapped his legs even more strongly about the its calves, giving him a better purchase. He felt the things claws rake his skin again, ripping his flesh, and then he felt the warm puddle of blood on his back.