Dragon Realm
Episode 28's
A drake flew quickly over the fortress and emitted a powerful smoke that turned the Gray Mist yellow. Those closest to the smoke fell to the floor or on top of the wall. They shouted and tried to wipe the foul gas from their eyes. Someone commits suicide rather than continuing to suffer. Some ran wildly from the wall, only to fall to their deaths in the city itself. The three spectators watched in horror.
The lady was the first to react. Cabe felt instead of feeling the first gust of wind that formed around him. It was not strong enough to push the airdrake away, but it rendered its deadly weapon useless. In fact, the wind carried him towards the advancing power.
“I don't know if I can make it float long enough, but that's not the point! Someone has to stop those dragons!”
More drakes made it past the archers. One of them set the catapult ablaze, causing one of the chemical missiles to explode. You who were guarding the catapult died instantly. Fire raged throughout the blast area. The other two war machines caught fire before the people below were able to put out the flames.
The archers could not stem the tide of the dragon. For every shot dropped, two made it to the city. If this was only a fraction of the enemy's strength, the Penacles would have little chance of survival.
The Gryphon had been silent for quite some time. Now he took something out of his inner pocket. Cabe saw that it was a ring hung by three small whistles. The City of Knowledge ruler chose one of the whistles. His face was wrinkled as it considered a more human appearance necessary for the proper use of the instrument. The small metal pipe was placed on his lips and blown.
No sound came out of the whistle, but something immediately replied. There was a defiant scream, as if the nuisance dragon was daring to enter private territory. From buildings, trees, and places unseen in the fog, there appeared flapping wings. The cries of a thousand different species into one. The deadly lizard waves stopped in confusion.
The birds cover the dark sky.
Drake, regardless of his speed, seemed almost motionless compared to birds. From the smallest plant-eater to the largest predator, countless feathered creatures claw and bite the invading reptiles. Hundreds died from fire and gas, but each helped reduce the number of dragons quickly. The drakes snapped and grabbed their enemies, sometimes colliding with each other in the process. One firedrake completely scorched its nearest neighbor, which just so happens to be an airdrake. The airdrake exploded, bringing everything in the nearby area with it.
The most shocking part of this strange battle in the sky was the way the birds herded the monsters out of the city before finishing them off. Some dragons actually died in the Penacles themselves. Those who landed on the outskirts of town. The loss of life is small compared to what might happen.
At some point, the reverse is called. Only a handful of original powers remained, and most of them were injured in some way. Even as they left, more than one suddenly staggered violently and fell to the ground. The birds continued to disturb them until they were far away. When the last drake has returned to enemy lines, the feathered victor returns to town. Most of them never succeed. Released from whatever spell called them, the various birds returned to their normal lives, flying to and fro. Some people who reach the walls of the Penacles simply proceed to their nests.
It was as if they had never taken part in a war.
It happened so fast that no defender believed it was over. The whole battle lasted only a few minutes. Calm down now win. The Lady stopped her spell, then she and Cabe waited for an explanation from their host.
The Gryphon's face had returned to the face of legend. He raised the whistle to them. They could both see that it was rusting before their eyes. In a few seconds, it was dust.
Gween smile. “Another surprise from your trick bag? What was that?"
“Gift to me from someone who died a long time ago. Call it part of my legacy and let it be.”
“What about the other two whistles? What do they call?”
Lionbird put the ring back in his pocket. "If the time comes, you'll see."
He refused to say anything more about the matter.
The invaders have slowed down. Now that they knew some of the resistance they would face, the commanders would reorganize their strategies. For a moment, there was a pause. It's good for the defenders. Quite a number of people would be busy cleaning up the wounded and dying, not to mention extinguishing the many flames that the dragons had started.
The Gryphon suggested they return to the main floor of the palace. The journey took a few minutes. When they get to the bottom, they encounter Blane and the army general Penacles, a fox-like man named Toos. The fiery red hair on her head and face was about the same as Madam's hair, and there was also a silver streak covering her right quarter side.
The smile on Toos' face only made him look more like a fox. “My skills in magic are too little. They only serve to accentuate my ability to command and plan.”
"What damage has happened?" ask the Gryphon, concerned for his people.
Blane's face darkened. “North-east wall hit hardest. Thirty people were killed there, most from initial encounters with the airdrakes. Gods! Which man can fight the air around him?”
The ruler of Penacles nodded. “Yes, that's a problem. I should consult the library immediately. I'm sure there will be something—if I can understand it.”
Cabe looked from one person to another. "I don't understand. Shouldn't you be able to find what you need to win this war? I'm thinking one long search in that library will tell you everything you want to know.
His host is pulling feathers under his beak when a man may be tugging at his beard. “You don't understand the library, Cabe. They give us what we need to know, with one exception. There are no pages of any book written directly. Everything is a riddle or rhyme. It is up to the reader to translate this into real information. In my own opinion, they are written by the mind with a very distorted sense of humor.”
Toos. “There are other things you should know, Sire. We estimate that the advanced group of Dragon Emperors is no more than three days away. Mostly, under Toma, following about a week—maybe ten days— behind. We will be hard-pressed to prevent both armies.”
"Who is worth noting who traveled with the group before?"
“A duke named Kirg led them. I have heard bad things about him—”
Gryphon raised his hand. “You don't need to tell me about Duke Kirg. I know drake. A brilliant sadist. I was expecting to be dead.”
He looks from one person to another. The look on their faces did not give much indication of confidence. Even the Lady, who was famous for her strength, seemed unsure of the days ahead. Only Cabe seemed to have something similar to hope. Others have seen too much destruction in the past. The Gryphon, therefore, was fixated on the young witch.
“You, young friend, are the key to this. Inside you is the blood of the ranks of the greatest witches. Nathan is the best—”
“—dan Azran the worst!” sela Gwen's.
Ignoring him, the ruler of Penacles continued. “The sign of strength is silver in the hair. Generally, the more silver, the greater the power. An exception. Toos have little practical power. Shade—Shade is a puzzle. The silver color in her hair varies every time she is seen.”
The Gryphon turned to the Lady. “Train him. Train him quickly. I suspect that everything we hold dear depends on its ability to harness its power properly and immediately!”
IT's almost done.
With a gesture that left him gasping for breath just a few hours before, Azran cleared out various equipment from his room. Nameless only needed one more burst of power, one very small burst of power. Already, it flared with anger. The box in which it was placed might also be transparent; the power from the sword cut through it like air.
He snapped his finger. A spirit, one of those unborn who was called Azran from the depths of the Other One, flew towards him. He ordered a full meal. Meat is usually bad for the system, but there is no need to worry about it. Now he can eat and do what he wants. The Spirit went forth to fulfill his command. Azran called out to the others and ordered him to bring a mirror. A full size.
The mirror came first. He ordered the dark maid to put it on the wall. After she finished, she tidied up her clothes, which were newly made for this event, and stood in front of the mirror admiring herself.