Dragon of Legend: Destiny (Published)

Chapter 25

Fear raced through Akira as she stared at the sight ahead. Unlike the previous attacks, this was a much larger one.

The sky was filled with dragons, most of them a darker shade. The odd thing was that the riders were young; some looked only thirteen summers old. Akira could see it clearly through Redemption's eyes. She felt reluctance at the thought of fighting riders who were young enough to be her younger brother or sister.

Her dragon seemed to notice the same thing. Haiden's using the four Academies, Redemption thought grimly, some look no older than fledglings. His tone betrayed that he too disliked the thought of fighting such young riders.

Akira shook her head in despair. I can't raise my sword at someone so young, she thought.

It's kill or be killed. On a battlefield whoever is not for you is against you, came Redemption's soft reply. If the Rider of Legend hesitates to do what she must, how will the other riders react?

Akira didn't reply. The screams of dragons, which she could never get used to, were carried towards to her ears by the wind. It was a reminder of how far out they still where from the battle. Using Redemption's sight made everything look closer to her than it was; it was a known fact that a male dragon's eyesight was better than that of a female.

"Blazing dragon of death!" Gina groaned from the side. "They have backup below."

Redemption looked down, allowing Akira to see the horsemen on the ground below. They were picking off any riders or dragons that landed on the ground and were still alive. Some of them were shooting arrows up at the lower flying dragons and, while the arrows bounced off most of the dragons harmlessly, the riders were not always as lucky.

"I'd say 'scales' is an understatement!" Drake shouted over the wind as a stray arrow whizzed narrowly by him.

"Understatement?" Gina shot back at him. "This is a disaster!"

Drake rolled his eyes in reply. "Come on, woman. We'll take care of them." As soon as he'd spoken, Flame turned and dived straight towards a clump of riders.

"And you say I want you to die?" Gina yelled after him. "It's more the other way around!" Despite her comment, Sky leaned forward, diving to join the other dragon fight the horsemen.

"Looks like we're left with those above," Seth yelled in Akira's direction. The clash of meta and roar of dragons became louder.

Redemption surveyed the battle as more screams hit Akira's ears. They've got the patrol outnumbered.

Akira flipped open the visor of her helmet so that Seth could hear her better. "Things don't look good; the patrol is falling like flies!" she yelled in his general direction.

"It's not so much the young riders' skill as their numbers!" Seth yelled back.

Time to get to work, Redemption announced. As they reached the edge of the battle, he knocked into a dark brown dragon, sending it spinning out of control and saving a lighter green dragon from being outnumbered two to one.

"I hope Destiny gets here with the others soon!" Akira yelled. She flipped her visor back down and unsheathed her sword. We sure could use more numbers.

Raise to your right! Redemption warned.

Akira raised her blade just in time to deflect a blow from a young rider. The noise around her was deafening, and using her ears to listen for her opponents' whereabouts was already proving to be difficult.

Hold tight, Redemption warned.

Akira responded as her dragon turned upside down. She felt the blood rushing to her head. For a moment, she was completely disorientated. When she felt Redemption suddenly whirl back the right way, relief filled her. Without her own eyesight the sudden turns were no longer as natural as they had once been to her.