A Dragon's View [Book 1 in Rising Dragons]

Chapter XXIV: Battle for Control

I looked up when Apollo landed lightly on his feet. He shook himself as Daphne slid off. "The good news is that there's only one dragon and rider," she started.

And the bad news? Chelsie prompted. What is it?

"The village appears to be designed to look chaotic. According to Apollo, who actually listened in class – the dork, its grown based on population growth and demand. Therefore, it's more or less an undefended town and the only problem is the dragon and rider," Daphne said.

If we bring the fight into the village, it will end badly – especially for the villagers, the orange-red dragon added.

"Do we have any attack plan?" Seika asked, looking at the others.

Lure them out, Drake said with a flick of his tail. They are sure to be on the lookout for us. We get them out of the village and ambush them.

"I suggest only a few of us fight. We might get into each other's way otherwise. It'd be best to separate the dragon and rider," Rosalyn said thoughtfully.

I stood with a shake of my body. I glanced at Sky, who tilted her face up to the sky, the planes of her face highlighted with the last of the sun's rays. "Well, we might as well begin the fight now. The villagers will mainly be heading inside and our foes will be either tired or pleased that the day's ending."

Thaos lifted her lips in a snarl. A simple plan that more or less consists of attack. I like it. Who's the lure?

"Alae," Corin said, looking at the black dragon. "He might make the rider fearful, which will only be a bonus point for us."

I nodded and the black dragon leapt into the sky and roared. I grinned and laid behind a bush, Sky on my back. Are you ready? Sky asked, resting a warm hand on my neck.

One way to find out, I replied as Alae let out another loud screech. No matter what happens, I love you, I told my rider.

And I love you, Sky said. An answering battle cry was heard, the unknown dragon finally answering Alae's calls. Alae lands on the ground, Thomas on his back. The pair looks at the sky and Alae shoots flames, just before the other pair land.

I snarled as I lunged toward the brown enemy dragon, baring my teeth. The brown dragon recoiled and their rider shouted in surprise as the others burst out of their hiding spots. I slashed my claws at the other dragon, which flapped its wings and tried to take to the sky.

Drake lashed out, claws slicing through the membrane while Thalia's teeth bit down on the other dragon's wing bones. The rider and dragon screamed in pain together, and – at that moment – Apollo spat fire at the rider, burning him. The dragon spun around, thrashing in pain as it attacked with teeth, claws, and fire. In its pain, it seemed unaware of what it was doing and left its throat unprotected.

I ducked beneath its head and bit down on its throat, killing the dragon. The brown dragon screeched before falling silent. I let go and moved away as the corpse fell. The dragon looked so small and insignificant lying on the floor, life having fled from its body. I touched my nose to the dragon's face, feeling sorrow for the life it had gone through.

I stepped backwards, and Marius and Kyra pushed the dragon and human into a ditch that had been dug earlier for that purpose. I worked with a few others to cover the bodies in dirt.

It seems so... easy, Lither commented. I thought it would be harder. Little did we know but the words set how the start of the war would go.

***

Cassri was surprisingly easy to attack. We split our group into two, with one group attacking the dragon and rider patrolling the outskirts of the village fields. When the second dragon and rider working for Mark reached the attacked pair, the second group pounced.