Richard Tuttle - Army of the Dead

“Wimp,” chortled the dragon as she banked so steeply that Marak felt his leg lifting off the dragon’s back.

Marak laughed after he caught his breath. The laugh died in his throat as Myka headed straight into a mountain and then suddenly turned upward just in the nick of time. Marak held the knife with both hands as he felt his seat separate from the dragon’s scales.

“Enough,” pleaded the Torak when he could speak. “I prefer to die in battle where I at least have a chance.”

“You must learn how to fly, Torak,” taunted the dragon as she reached the peak of the mountain and immediately tilted to soar down the other side. “Learn to anticipate my moves and balance your body without the need to hang on. When we fly into battle, you will need both of your hands on the hilt of your sword.”

“Fly into battle?” echoed the Torak. “What do you mean?”

Myka snorted and smoke blew out of her nostrils. “Do you think I am just something to ride so that you can enjoy the scenery?” she quipped. “I am a winged warrior. Have you not figured out what my specialty is?”

“I am to fly you into battle?” gasped the Torak.

“So,” chortled the dragon, “you are not so stupid after all. I guess the elven princess was mistaken.”

“What did she say?” Marak asked indignantly. “Which one was it?”

Myka snickered and soared upward again, rising along the face of a snowcapped peak. She flew over the peak and headed down again. Marak saw that they had just entered the valley of StarCity. The Sakovans shouted and pointed at the dragon as Myka soared low over the streets of the city. The people scattered before the flying behemoth, and Myka cackled joyfully.

“Into each life a little levity must fall,” quipped Myka as she glided to a halt atop the palace.

Palace guards raced to surround the dragon, but they halted when they saw Emperor Marak sliding off the dragon’s back.

“Which princess said I was stupid?” frowned Marak. “What did she say?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Myka said innocently. “I wonder if that last bank loosened something upstairs, if you know what I mean.”

Myka chuckled and winked at the Torak. Marak tried to act stern, but he realized that he was being toyed with. He started laughing just as the Star of Sakova arrived.

“I am glad that you can find humor in this situation,” frowned Lyra, “but I cannot. My people are about to start dying. I find no humor in that.”

“It was my fault,” apologized Myka. “I thought some humor would ease the tension of the situation.”

“Ease the tension?” echoed the Star of Sakova. “Does that include soaring into StarCity and terrorizing my people? You are very fortunate that my archers did not pepper you with arrows on your flight here. I am not sure what kind of sauce would go good with a giant lizard.”

“Giant lizard?” whimpered Myka. “Oh, that hurts.”

Marak started laughing so hard that he doubled over. Lyra stood with her hands on her hips looking angrier by the moment. Myka frowned in confusion, and her tail twitched nervously. Suddenly, Lyra could hold the pretense no longer. She started laughing also. Myka’s eyes narrowed as she watched the two humans.

“How did you know Myka was coming?” asked Marak after he stopped laughing. “I thought you would be petrified by a dragon landing on your roof.”

“So did Rejji,” chuckled Lyra. “He warned me hours ago. He also warned me about Myka’s strange sense of humor.”

Large billows of smoke shot from Myka’s snout as she shook her head.

“I guess I had that coming,” admitted the dragon, “but Rejji will rue this day.”

“Just make sure that we are around to see it,” chuckled the Torak.

“Were you able to find the armada?” asked Lyra as she turned to a more serious conversation.

“We found it,” Marak nodded seriously. “It is huge, and it is headed for Alamar. We did not see the skimmers. I fear that they may arrive too late to do any good. We saw the evacuation of Alamar. It gives a whole new perspective on things to see them from the air. Are you ready to go to Alamar?”

“I am ready,” nodded Lyra. “How do we do this?”

“I will get on first,” offered Marak as he started to climb up Myka’s back, “then I will hoist you up behind me. Then the lizard can take off,” he added with a grin.

Myka’s tail moved swiftly and knocked Marak to the roof. The Torak fell into a roll and came up shaking his head.

“Oh, sorry,” grinned the winged warrior. “You know how a lizard’s tail has a mind of its own.”

“Okay,” nodded Marak. “Truce?”

“I suppose,” sighed Myka.

Marak climbed onto the dragon’s back and extended his hand towards Lyra. She hesitated and looked Myka in the eyes for a moment before climbing up and grasping Marak’s hand.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” cackled Myka as she leaped off of the roof and took to the air.

“Behave,” Lyra said as she patted the dragon’s scales.

Lyra wrapped her arms around Marak and held on as Myka soared out of the valley. The Sakovans shouted, cheered, and waved as the dragon disappeared over the peaks.

“This is incredible,” Lyra remarked as they flew over the forest. “So this is what our scout birds see when they go out on patrol.”

Soon they were over the sevemore forests, and Lyra saw the armies gathering below. As they approached Alamar, she saw the packed road leading south. She shook her head with sadness at the number of people being uprooted from their homes.

“Where should I land?” asked Myka.

“In front of the Imperial Guard headquarters,” answered Lyra. “It is that big building in the center of the city.”

Shouts rang out around the city as the dragon was spotted. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched as the dragon glided into the city and settled in the street where Lyra had directed her.

“Too many people will believe in dragons before this war is over,” groused Myka. “That is not healthy for my kind. Next will come the adventurers intent on making a name for themselves. There will be no end to the torment that mankind can inflict on us. They will all want scales as souvenirs, or free rides so they can brag to their friends. What have you done to me, Torak?”

“Or they will revere you as the elves do,” countered Marak. “The humans are coming to know Kaltara. Those that survive will treat you with respect.”

“Hmm,” Myka replied. “You do look at things in a positive manner.”

The Torak and the Star slid off the dragon’s back. Marak instructed Myka to find a safe place outside the city to the north. He promised to use an air tunnel to find her and call her back when she was needed. The dragon took off as Lyra and Marak entered the Imperial Guard headquarters. General Manitow entered right behind them.

“I could not help witnessing your arrival,” greeted the general. “Welcome to Alamar.”

“Greetings, General,” smiled Lyra. “Alamar is the target of the armada.”

“We are sure about this?” asked the general.

“Positive,” nodded Marak. “Unless they make a drastic change of direction. They are headed right for us and should arrive tomorrow night. Can I ask what your strategy is?”

“As far as the defense of the city goes,” replied the general, “it has not changed since we last spoke. When Alamar falls, we are hoping to lure the Motangans along the coast road to the south. The remnants of my army will fight a retreating action, trying to slow them down and bottleneck their forces.”

“Three hundred thousand men is a large number to string out along a road,” warned Marak. “What if they decide to use the ships to get around your men?”