Tom Lloyd - The ragged man

'Grandiose insults and the prospect of violence,' Mihn commented. 'Bloody white-eyes.'

Xeliath's grin widened, but any further conversation was cut off as an enormous shape fell to the ground in front of the gate with a crash. They all staggered as the earth quaked underfoot, but not even the cloud of dust was enough to hide the huge dragon now blocking their way.

Mihn faltered, stunned by the monstrous size of the beast. He had never seen a dragon up close before – they were rare creatures in the Land; he'd only ever seen the beasts flying high in the sky. In the Elven Waste he had seen war wyverns go into battle, but they were lesser cousins; this dragon was as powerful, as terrifying, as any that had ever existed.

Measuring more than fifty yards from tail to snarling nose, the dragon was a sooty-black colour. Its torn, ragged wings looked as much smoke as membrane. The wings were crookedly raised, as though shading its body from the sun, and Mihn, remembering the stories of its enslavement, realised the beast could no longer furl its wings properly. Death himself had shattered the bones, and the deep scoring on the stone doorframe indicated it was forced to climb to its perch.

A curved horn rose from its long snout, and grey tusks swept back from the lower corners of its mouth, past its eyes and over its head. The dragon's muscular body was ungainly, its limbs twisted and misshapen, and its thin tail, curled like a scorpion's, finished in a long crescent blade.

The chained beast roared its defiance and Mihn clapped his hands over his ears even as he gagged at the foul stench on the wind: the stink of decay that emanated from the dragon.

Xeliath kept on walking, her arms raised to ensure the dragon's attention was on her alone. Her hand burst into spitting green swirls of magic and white light flooded the plain. The dragon reared, spreading its torn wings as best it could and beating at the air as though trying to retreat – causing the light to falter until Xeliath snarled and intensified the surging coils of magic around her hands.

She began to speak quickly in Elvish, the air around her shuddering at each syllable, but the dragon, fearless and full of rage, ignored her, advancing until the pitted chain that tethered it to the doorframe was stretched taut. The wind swirled up around Xeliath until she was partially hidden from view by shadows glinting with gold and emerald. As the pressure on Mihn's ears began to build Xeliath stamped one foot, and long coils of light lanced forward to lash the dragon's body.

The magic carved furrows through its flesh but the dragon just roared louder, refusing to retreat. It snapped at the glimmering coils with its huge mouth, somehow finding purchase on one, and wrenched its head from side to side like a shark feeding.

As the dragon pulled Xeliath off-balance, her concentration broke and the magic dispelled. It raised its forelimbs, claws extended, and raked through the air towards them. Mihn saw the trails of magic in the air and dropped to the ground, pulling Isak with him, as Xeliath made a sweeping gesture through the air with her glaive and a blistering white shield appeared in front of them all.

In the next moment black slashes tore through its surface and even Xeliath flinched away.

'Give me Eolis,' she yelled, reached back towards Mihn with one hand.

'I thought you would be able to force a path through!' he shouted as an ear-splitting roar of fury deafened them.

'It must be a bloody male,' Xeliath shouted back, a mixture of bloodlust and elation on her face. 'The bastard thing is too proud to back down!'

'Can you kill it?'

'Who knows?' she laughed. 'The Gods failed, but I'll give it a damn good try! Get Isak to the side and wait for your chance.' She grabbed Eolis from Mihn's unresisting grip and hefted it appreciatively.

'What about you?' he began, but she was already moving.

'Go!' Xeliath yelled, breaking into a run directly towards the dragon and shrieking a Yeetatchen warcry.

Mihn tore his attention from the shining figure and looked to Isak, who was staring at the dragon as though physically pained by it. With Mihn's support he moved to the right of the black doors and stood, trembling, watching as Xeliath charged with wild abandon, cutting and hacking with all a white-eye's force. A white band of energy thrashed around her, protecting her from the dragon's raking claws. She forced the beast back, then feinted left, and the dragon followed.

That was the opening Mihn had been waiting for and he pulled Isak towards the door with all his strength as Xeliath screamed in furious delight.

They were a foot away when the dragon whipped its tail along the ground and slipped the horn-blade underneath Xeliath's protective ring. She screamed in pain, and the sound of shattering crystal rang across the plain, swiftly followed by a roar from the dragon as the spitting band of light slanted around and pinned the tail to the ground.

As Xeliath stabbed Eolis right through it Mihn pushed Isak forward, not stopping even when he saw the dragon pounce: once they were through, then Xeliath could retreat. Light exploded up from the ground as the creature smashed its claws down, but Xeliath knocked its head aside, tearing a chunk of decaying flesh from its face. That wasn't enough to stop the creature biting down, to the sound of more shattering crystal. As he laid his hand on the black door itself Mihn heard Xeliath's bellow.

Though he hated to leave Xeliath he couldn't wait. He put his shoulder to the door and drove forward as hard as he could. Isak stood for a moment, then added his own weight. The black door resisted a moment, and then something gave and the two men collapsed forward. Darkness enveloped them, a rushing cold that hit Mihn with all the shock of a kick to the gut.

He tumbled forward in panic, freezing cold all around him, and a moment later he felt some force dragging him up until he broke the surface of the lake. Mihn's first breath was a howl of agony, and his remaining strength failed him. It was only a strong hand grabbing him by the scruff of the neck that stopped him dropping back in the water and sinking like a stone. He fell roughly against the side of the boat, and instinct was strong enough to make him grab on for all he was worth.

An animal yowl shocked him so badly he almost let go entirely, but as he flailed in alarm he realised the agonised sob came from Isak. The white-eye's huge bulk had risen to the surface too, and like Mihn he was gripping the side of the boat for all he was worth. His cries were shaking the entire boat.

'What happened to Xeliath?' demanded the witch of Llehden, standing in the prow of the boat, a rare look of concern on her face.

Mihn was summoning the strength to reply when he saw Xeliath slumped in the bottom of the boat, still and apparently unbreathing.

'How -?' he began, as Xeliath gave a sudden, violent jerk, but his immense relief was short-lived as the girl lifted her shoulders and coughed up gouts of blood over her stomach. She started to convulse and her eyes opened, reflecting not victory but agony.

He threw himself into the boat to hold her, but she twisted out of his grip and screamed in pain before vomiting more blood.

'Mihn, see to Isak,' the witch commanded, though there was little he could do for the white-eye, who remained clinging to the side of the boat with all his Gods-granted strength, keening piteously.

'No!' shouted the witch, who lifted the girl's head as Xeliath's struggles lessened. She held Xeliath close and began to mutter an invocation, but as far as Mihn could see the only effect she was having was to make the blood flow faster.

Xeliath twisted her head towards Isak and at last she seemed to focus, the pain receding in her eyes for a moment. Her damaged features twisted into a small smile.