Glass Soldier REWRITTEN

Chapter 20

         Taking long and quick strides toward the dragon that was crushing a barely standing Latro in its jaws, I leaped into the air once more. Linking my thickened fingers I slammed my protected fists into the beast's snout, the Latro disappearing just before I made contact. My shoulders shook at the force, my jaw clenched as I reached for the remaining roof, successfully keeping myself from falling again.

         Pulling myself back up while the dragon let out a loud rumble that rang against the inside of my ear, shaking its head backward and sliding out of the ceiling with a few firm steps. Grunting as my obsidian claws reached for the ceiling I was barely holding onto, they scratched at it while I looked for something to grab with my hands.

         "Uh oh," I wilted as the dragon locked onto me, my claws lightly trying to reach while I tried a smile. Its throat glowed again as I let go. Please. Please. Please. Ple- The cold obsidian claws found a crackling magic that cracked the very air. With a leap far too confident I rushed away from the following flames, doing my best to guide them away from those still fleeing below.

        With every step, the air cracked, a bright and thunderous sound bouncing off the walls and just barely digging into my head. Small slivers leaked from my steps, striking below with minimal strength. Sliding I kicked off the wall I had neared, twirling my body away from the boiling temperatures, hissing as my back burned.

       "Vitreus!" I called, a circle glowing from the ballroom's floor. My dragon stepped out as I happily leaped toward him. "We have to get it away!" I shouted, his wings already opening, my hands digging into him as he shot to the sky. My body slammed into him at the sudden change in motion but it didn't take me more than a second to twist around him, ignoring the roaring pain of my back and sharp jolt in my shoulder, firming leaning into his back and clutching at him. Looking away from the dragon I curled myself as close as I could, bracing for impact.

            Despite my best efforts, I was sent from his back with a cry. Without stopping or hesitating, Vitreus was biting at the bigger dragon once again, digging his claws and doing his best to shove it back. Locking around his tail, I dug my fake claws into it and wrapped my arms around it desperately. With a firm flap of the wings, we had separated from the bigger dragon- who was quick to follow.

          With a situation I knew, I was carefully climbing back to his back, his speed not slowing for a second as he bobbed and weaved the snapping dragon hot on his tail. Rooting myself into place, my obsidian claws disappearing into his shoulders with my legs inside them, I bend backward to see just what I was working with. The arch to my spine left my shoulder to jolt as my skin popped here and there against the chilled air, liquid rushing down my back. Liquid I didn't doubt to be mixed with blood.

           Sure enough, there was a dragon with a wide and open mouth, baring the sharp and large fangs. Ready to swallow us whole. Shit, how do you fight in the air? Can you even fight in the air? Suddenly, a thought came to mind. With a mouth so agape, it certainly would be easy to drop something into it. Say, a potion.

          Roughly digging through my shorts I found something I had been told not to bring. A spacial bag. I have to have at least four potions in this one. It was small but so were my potions. Shoving my hand into the small pouch I found the very orb I was looking for. Tossing it over my shoulder I grabbed another and another, tossing each with a vague idea of where the beast was. Turning around, I was blessed with the sight of the last going off- having met with the beast's teeth.

           The rest following after, exploding within its mouth while it shrieked, jolting back. I suppose not even a dragon can swallow fire. Vitreus was quick to serve, the dragon struggling to stay in the air while it clawed at its face in distress. A second thought comes to mind. Well, if a beast that spits fire can't even swallow it, I can only imagine what something sharp would do.

         The thought was hardly even half-formed before I had a smooth black marble in hand. The marble stretched and pointed into a thin sharp arrow with no head and small flares. With a deep breath, I had a bow spine made, a warm and shocking string pulling the arrow back while Vitreus banked. The dragon let out an enraged roar, my heart in my ringing ears as I let out a slow breath- the arrow slipping from my grasp.

          The arrow grew, larger and larger as Latro took form. Until the dragon's jaws snapped shut. Within seconds it was crashing while we remained in the air, staring down at the larger dragon that had quickly stopped moving. A slow laugh fell from my lips, a laugh that quickened as I threw my head back. A warm liquid fell from my nose as I touched it, blood on my fingers. The blood rushed through my body cooling as I could very suddenly feel every little thing.

          Gasping for breath as my back burned, both sore and sharp pain racing through me, my arms heavy and shoulders throbbing, my head spinning and chest heaving. "Down... Vitreus I need down..." I gurgled, clutching my chest as I curled into him, as I put my forehead on his back. He obligated, slowly taking me to the ground freshly cleared by an oversized dragon a few meters beside us.

        Sliding down him I stumbled to my knees, digging my hands into the grass gagging, sweat pouring down my face. It hurts. Everything hurts. Moaning I took large deep breaths, pushing myself back, my raw and ripped hands fell into my lap as I tried to steady my breathing, my head back and hair brushing against my face. A concerned Vitreus chirped as he lowered his head and stared, gathering I was in too much pain to freely touch.

         "It's okay," I sobbed with a smile, reaching out to him, "I'm okay, we did it, we did great," I wailed throwing my arms around his neck as he purred softly, curling around me. "Oh gods, Latro," I hiccuped, wiping my cheek the tears not stopping but slowing.

        "Latro!" I called, my mana strained and reforming it out of the question. But I could still feel the pull at my emptying mana. The large stomach of the dragon jolted, watching, waiting, as it soon burst. Latro holding a large and gortest object. "What..?" I asked with a sniffle, messily wiping at my cheek with my wrist.

       Mana. The voice gurgled, muffled, and strained in the back of my head as they kneeled in front of me slowly, placing it between us, a gentle set of claws brushing a stream of blood from my nose. Their smooth head tilting, an incorrect understanding having a choked laugh fall from my lips.

         "Mana," I nodded sniffling while I carefully pulled the large mana core closer. Rubbing at the dark blood covering it I found a vibrant orange hiding. "Thank you Latro," I smiled weakly, the obsidian creature already melting back into the small marble core as my mana reached its limit. Taking a deep breath, I dropped over the core as sobs raked my body.

         "I'm a-live, I'm al-live, we d-did it, I did it, oh g-gods," I wailed like a child, a soft shrill sounding as the warm magic moved to curl around me. "N-no," I shook my head putting my hand up and looking at him while he paused, "You-you need to get Averin and Yastum,"

         Staring for a long moment, he growled softly before getting to the sky. Watching him fly away I took several deep breaths, swallowing the sobs and wiping my tears. I couldn't cry. Not in front of them.