Thomas Reid - The Fractured Sky

"You may not pass," the guard said, speaking in perfect Draconic.

Here we go, the half-dragon thought as he glided into range.

"Turn back or be destr-"

The guard's words vanished in a thunderous boom as Myshik emitted a great blast of lightning and engulfed her. He saw the other three grunt in pain at the searing burst of light. They spun away, covering their faces with their arms.

Though she cringed in blindness from the unexpected assault, the female guard looked otherwise unmarked.

Resistant, Myshik realized. Would have been good to know.

In the moment it took for the guards' eyesight to return, Myshik pulled back his axe, aiming at the closest guard's neck.

A shout of warning from one of the other hound-creatures caused Myshik's target to start. She tried to spin away as Myshik reached her, but the alarm came too late. The half-dragon swung his axe around in a huge, sweeping arc and cut into the guard's shoulder and neck. The magic of the axe thundered.

The guard gave a short, shrill yelp as the blow knocked her sideways. She tumbled head over heels and went sprawling into the shallow water of the pool. It began to turn crimson. She did not move again.

Another of the guards gave a howl of dismay and lunged at Myshik, swinging his sword in a wide arc. Myshik leaped backward to evade the weapon. He landed lightly on his feet, brought his axe into play, and the fight was on.

The three remaining guards circled the draconic hobgoblin, mouths agape as they eyed him with anger. Myshik spun in place, expecting a coordinated attack. He knew he couldn't overextend or fall for feints, so he kept his blade defensive, waiting for that first sudden burst.

He was not disappointed.

The trio moved elegantly, together, leaping in to slash at their foe. As the half-dragon shifted to evade the first strike, two more came at him lightning quick. Though the guards' swords were bulky and slow, they handled them well. He deflected the first two swipes, but the third was too fast. The edge of the sword raked across his shoulder, cutting through his thick leather armor.

Myshik snarled, but he let the pain wash over him. He focused on it.

It infuriated him.

Another struck at Myshik, followed by another. He roared in defiance and swatted the attacks away with his axe. The weapon felt almost weightless in his hands. It took no more effort to wield than if it were a hollow stick. He bellowed again, challenging the guards, and rushed at one of them.

The hound creature faltered and stumbled back a step. The other two closed in behind Myshik, but he didn't care. All his fury, all his hatred, he poured into the thought of destroying that one foe retreating from him. He closed the distance, one, two, three steps through the shallow water of the pool. All the while, he yanked and hacked with his axe, pummeling the guard's defenses, battering the sword out of the way.

Myshik could see the strength waning from his enemy, could see the grim determination in his eyes turn to worry, then outright fear. Myshik never relented, even when he felt the faint stroke of a sword across his back, striking one of his wings. Another step forward and he had the guard down on his knees, scrambling to keep his sword high enough to block Myshik's relentless axe strikes.

On the third blow, Myshik's axe cleaved the sword in twain and kept going, splitting the hound creature's skull. The explosive thunder that accompanied the strike rendered the guard nearly unrecognizable.

The half-dragon barely sensed a slice across the back of his knee. His leg weakened. Rather than allow it to give way, Myshik channeled even more anger into himself. He spun, refusing to show any sign of the injury, and chose another target.

The two remaining dog creatures pressed the attack, and Myshik saw that their swords were bloodied. Absently, he decided it must be his blood.

He didn't care.

Pressing the fight at the guard on his left, Myshik assaulted anew. He used quick, powerful strokes with his axe to bludgeon his foe's defenses, shifting his attention only long enough to ward off the worst of the other guard's attacks. As before, his rage and focus overwhelmed his enemy. The guard staggered from his ferocious strikes, and when he went down to one knee in exhaustion, Myshik stepped in for the killing blow.

Before he could finish off his opponent, a brilliant illumination filled the half-dragon's field of vision. A presence had arrived, glowing with power, and Myshik flinched despite himself. The being hovered above the kneeling guard, a creature of silvery white. It gazed sternly down at Myshik with golden eyes, a massive greatsword clasped in its hands.

"You who have defiled this place and slain my guards, your end is nigh," it said, and its voice filled the pit, shook the walls, and sent ripples dancing across the water. It drew its sword back to strike, and Myshik cowered.

A shadow passed over them.

The magnificent and terrible creature faltered and turned its gaze skyward. Myshik smiled to himself as the massive form of the storm dragon, Tekthyrios, slammed into the angel. The white-skinned creature went spinning backward, its sword lost. It struck hard against the wall of the pit and sagged downward.

The two guards, who had stepped back to give the solar room to mete out its justice, stood frozen in place, staring at their fallen savior.

Tekthyrios wheeled and settled into the middle of the pool. The storm dragon nearly filled the open area. The guards quavered before the beast. Terror filled their expressions.

Myshik hefted his axe and struck. He heard the familiar concussive thump as he connected, and the head of one of the guards tumbled away. Its body flopped down into the shallow water.

The dragon roared at the angel and slashed out with his claws. The keen appendages were as long and thick as Myshik's legs and as sharp as the finest swordmaster's blades. Blood spattered the entire grotto. The dragon struck again and again, and the solar screamed in pain.

Myshik ignored the battle. Though his rage and strength were waning, he had one last guard to deal with. The hound creature, his eyes filled with dread, backed away, then turned to run.

He managed three steps before Tekthyrios's tail slammed against him. The force of the blow sent the archon sailing across the open pit to crash against the far wall. As he slid down and settled onto the damp earth at the water's edge, his eyes rolled back in his head and his tongue lolled from his mouth.

"Well done, my friend," Tekthyrios boomed. "Well done, indeed."

Myshik bowed in acknowledgment, and the act nearly made him faint. Woozy from injuries, he felt each gash and broken bone keenly as his rage faded. He sank down to his knees, panting.

"I fear I have spent myself," he said. "My strength is gone."

The great dragon stepped close to him and reached a clawed foot out. Placing that appendage gently against Myshik's back, Tekthyrios muttered a prayer, not in Draconic but in a language the half-hobgoblin did not recognize.

Myshik felt energy flow into him, restoring his vigor and easing his injuries. When the dragon completed the spell, Myshik stood straight and tall again, refreshed.

"Now," Tekthyrios said, "let's see if we can retrieve my prize."

Aliisza struggled to shift the stone block that trapped the young girl's foot, but she couldn't do it. Despite her magically enhanced strength, the alu could get very little leverage. The weight of other debris atop the stone compounded the difficulty.

"Hurry!" Kaanyr growled. "Quickly, Aliisza!"

"I'm trying," she answered, reaching for a thick length of wood to use to pry the stone upward. "She's stuck under something."

The girl stared fearfully at Aliisza as the alu wedged her makeshift lever under the rock. Beside her, a small child, a little boy of only a couple of summers, cried, his tears making glistening tracks in the dust on his face. Aliisza shoved on the lever and saw the stone budge the slightest bit, but she was at the wrong angle to bring her full weight to bear.