Chapter 28

“They’re coming.”

Lothar gazed out over the horizon from his vantage point at the entry of the Westedge Pass. Not a soul in sight, from the thick forests a stone’s throw away, to the villages far in the distance. But the wind carried their scent. The enemy drew near.

“Brother… how long will it be until they strike?” asked Lothar.

“Soon. I don’t know exactly when, but it won’t be long,” the sentry said.

A second sentry then burst into the sky from the treeline, visibly in pain. She landed before Lothar, and winced the moment her paws were on the ground.

“They’re, on the move, Lord…”

“What ails you?” Lothar asked.

“They got me, in my leg.”

The second sentry pointed a talon towards her hind leg. An arrow had burrowed in, it’s iron trip reddened with blood. Every so often did the dark grey dragoness’s injured leg twitch upwards, accompanied by the hiss of her breath rushing between her teeth.

Lothar lowered his head by the wound. “How did this happen?” he asked, upon seeing various scratches on her legs. “You were told not to engage with the enemy.”

The sentry sighed. “I flew over their camp to take a closer look. Something didn’t feel right to me, I had to. One archer spotted me quickly, and got off a lucky shot. But that’s not what’s important here, they’ve brought ballistas with them.”

“Say that again?!” Lothar bared his teeth, his breathing now accompanied by a throaty growl.

“They have ballistas, ten altogether, my lord.”

“Oh by Divinity…” Lothar shook his head. Their plans were in dire straits, for neither he nor his commanders had taken the presence of a single ballista amidst the reinforcing imperial army into account, let alone ten. Originally, he had his human troops man the defenses on the ground, whilst the dragons rained fire from the skies. But with ballistas present, his blood brethren were in mortal danger.

“You two, hurry!” Lothar roared. “Our brothers and sisters must be prepared for the battle at hand, Quickly! And one of you, inform Raghes first and foremost!”

“Yes, lord Lothar!” The two sentries took off towards Westedge. Lothar gazed over the horizon one last time.

You will find an early grave here, invaders… I will see to it myself.

* * *

The victim stared into the monster’s maw, as the claw preventing their escape threw them in. From the moment the monster met their gaze, they were destined as sacrifices to his raging appetite. To his every pleasure. Predatorial fangs pierced into the victim’s skin. With a crunch, the apple crumbled into wet chunks, which then slid down Victor’s throat.

“Ahh, I love apples…”

Victor licked at his chops, hoping for any stray bits of his delicious meal to be swept up by his tongue. Ever since his transformation, apple had become his favorite food: Crunchy, sweet, filling… eating them was enough to forget about his worries. But the beast craved for more. Immediately after devouring the last, he craved another. The branches above were rich with fresh apples. With a lick of his lips, he got to work.

“Another one? Vic, you’ve eaten six already.” said William. Sitting against a tree, he watched the red dragon climb up another tree, tail-tip swishing back and forth, and jump out with another apple in his claws.

“What? I’m starving, Will! And how could you blame me for wanting more, they’re so good!” said Victor, before opening his jaws wide.

William laughed. “Don’t you think seven is overdoing it, though?”

“No.” Victor threw the apple in his jaws, and tore it to shreds. Food was meant to be enjoyed, and thus he rolled onto his back, rubbing his stomach with his claws and grunting in approval. Dragons of ten feet always had room for more, it turns out. Deep down, he would’ve liked another. But alas, that wasn’t in the cards. Reality approached fast, carrying Raghes’ smell.

“You two, come with me, now,” Raghes said. The blue dragon spoke in a stern tone, one unlike his usual pleasant demeanor. From his tense muscles and the rumble of his breathing, one could tell he wasn’t joking around. It wasn’t a request, but an order.

Victor rolled off his back and jumped to all fours. “Raghes, what’s happening?” he said, nervously sniffing the air for clues. Gone was the atmosphere of a peaceful lunch in a small orchard, as the wind carried the tense air of a fast-approaching calamity.

“We don’t have much time. The imperials are here, and you won't be safe here! Hurry!”

William bit his lip, as he rose off the grass. “A-already? But where can we go? The roads are all blocked off, aren’t they?”

“I know of a safe place, away from the front. Now get on Victor’s back, the imperials aren’t waiting for us, quick!”

After a quick flight over the villages around Westedge, where all the joys of flight had been replaced with anxiety over the imminent battle, the two dragons landed on the edge of a cliff, not far to the north of the pass. Victor grew worried.

“This can’t be the safe place, Raghes. Look how close we are to the pass!” Victor’s pointy ears flicked up from the sound of boots marching in the distance. “I can hear them, Raghes! There’s got to be some better place.”

Raghes shook his head. “No, Victor. This is a good place to wait out the battle, don’t you worry.”

“But what if the imperials find us here?” William said sheepishly.

Raghes laid a claw on William’s shoulder. “Have no fear, my little friend. They’ll search every nook and cranny before this one first. And remember, you have your arrows, and Victor has his claws and teeth. Stay here, and wait out the battle. Whatever you do… don’t jump down.” He backed away, and stretched his wings back open. “It will only bring you sadness.”

With his parting words spoken, he left Victor and William behind in their small clearing. As the sound of his wing beats softened, and the blue dragon vanished beyond the tall rocks, Victor lowered his head. Imperial, Draconist, it didn’t matter. Hundreds of people would die today, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Father… Raghes.... Imperials have mercy on each other.

* * *

“Stop!”

The column of men stopped dead in their tracks. Straight ahead of them was the entrance to Westedge Pass. Something wasn’t right. Eric squinted his eyes and stared into the pass. Barricades blocked the march of his army. With a rasped breath, he kicked the rocks on the side of the road as hard as he could.

“Damnit!”

“Sir, what’s wrong?” asked one of his men.

“Look out there! You see that?”

The soldier leaned forward, shielding his eyes. “There’s, uhh, those look like barricades, sir.”

“Those scum, those murdering, monstrous, man-eating vermin... They got there first!” Eric let out a harsh sigh, and paced back and forth before his men. All hope for a simple march with no hardships had been lost. A battle stirred on the horizon, one which wouldn’t be pretty. They’d have to storm headfirst into an entrenched enemy with the ability to rain fire down from the skies. There was no turning back. Sanctullator would have his head marched through the streets on a pike if he shied out.

“Men, we’re in for a rough spell… but I believe we can break through this mess. We’ll see how well those pretty dragon wings stand up against our bolt throwers. Are we ready to slay some dragons?”

“YEAH!”

“Just how I like it!” Eric smiled. Looks like I have a meeting with destiny on my hands… Victor, William, I hope you’re watching up there. This is for you both!

“Alright, I want to see those bolt throwers pointed skywards. Give those scaled bastards the shock of their lives! Remember, if we win, they’ll sing about us in the taverns for generations! And if we fail… let it be known that we died with bravery and honor, defending our homes and families from the most wicked, twisted cult to have walked this planet!” Eric orated. Battle cries and weapons filled the air as he finished, His men’s will to fight unparalleled in the whole of civilised Lokahn.

Eric stepped aside, and allowed his men to march onwards. The end of the Draconist cult had come, with him as its prime spectator.

* * *

With a nervous twitch of his tail, Lothar watched as Raghes landed before him. “It is done, my lord. Your son is safe,” the blue dragon said, wings fluttering.

Lothar let out a sigh of relief. “Thank Divinity… Now then, Raghes. You must assist our brave human allies in holding the defenses. Inform your brothers and sisters of the same.”

Raghes stared puzzled into the Lothar’s amber eyes. “But my lord, weren’t us dragons supposed to attack the invader from the skies?”

With a heavy sigh, Lothar stared towards the horizon. “As fate would have it, the enemy has brought ballistas to the battlefield. To take wing now would be a guaranteed death sentence. Any attempt at conquering the skies will result in the deaths of dozens of our brothers and sisters.”

“...I understand, my lord.”

With shaky breaths, Raghes bowed his head before the sun. “Divinity almighty, please grant us strength… please grant us strength … your loyal followers are in peril…!..please grant us strength...” Anxious, and unsure of himself, Raghes recited his prayer as he made his way to the front, at a glacial pace.

Lothar laid a claw on his stomach. A deep, unwell sensation brewed within him, a dread of the absolute worst unfolding. From a hill by the terminus of the pass, he observed the battle’s beginning. Man and dragon alike took position on the three lines of defense, staring anxiously down upon the army at the mouth of the pass. One army had the finest equipment in the empire, the other had either homemade weapons or their claws and teeth. One army had the high ground, the other had a difficult uphill battle ahead of them.

But both sides were inexperienced. No proven combat prowess to speak of. Neither side knew what to expect, but a chance that today was their final day on Terris. For a moment, things became quiet. Quiet enough to hear the bugs skitter around, their primitive minds unaware of what lurked overhead.

“HERE THEY COME!”

Battle cries echoed throughout the pass, as the imperial army stormed towards the rebel positions. Several dragons raised a thunderous roar in response, their impetuosity and bravery clear as day for any to stand in awe of. Amidst the rebel ranks, any and all fear dwindled away. There would be no surrender, no giving up. It was either death, or glory.

“Divinity with us!”

Arrows and bolts blitzed through the air, raining death upon the invader. The frontal imperial troops raised their shields, yet the barrage paid them no heed, instead passing over the shields into the men behind, who fell by the dozen as the arrows bored through their skin. Dragons spat their fiery breath at the enemy, and dozens more were incinerated to ash.

But step by step, the army drew near. They had the numbers, and could keep up the casualties. As long as the bolt throwers behind stayed intact, and the army linked up with the garrison in Westedge, they would emerge victorious at the end of the day.

As the imperials reached the first defensive line, all hell broke loose. Their superior weaponry and training swept through the rebels like stormwinds through fall leaves, ripping them off the trees, leaving them vulnerable to rot and rain. Shouts, cries, and roars of pain filled the air. One farmer-turned-rebel died, then a former imperial, then the next, and on it went, their blood spattering over the ground and slipshod barricades

The five dragons manning the line fought hard and valiant, swiping at the imperials with their claws. Roaring, beating their wings fiercely at the enemy to throw them off balance, spitting fire, all they could to stop the advance. But as the ballistas came in range, and opened fire, they had no choice but to retreat. Two dragons were hacked to pieces, whilst the other three managed to make it out by the skin of their teeth. The first line of defense had fallen. With a mere tenth of their numbers gone, the imperials pressed on.

Lothar’s fears rattled his weary bones. This is not good, we must fight harder! If it weren’t for those damned ballistas… wait...all of their weapons are... A wicked grin spread across his snout. Ohohoh... you have made the worst mistake of your miserable lives, invaders.

* * *

Ears perked up, Victor laid wide-eyed on the ground. William had shuffled against his side, quivering under the comfort of his wing. His anxious rumbling breaths was overshadowed by the sounds of war: Men screaming, dragons roaring, swords clashing, ballistas firing, arrows speeding through the air. Even tucked away in their hiding spot, the sound was unbearable. Strong enough to make his friend slide under his wing. Victor glanced at him, and forced a smirk to his snout. A little comfort in this dark time.

But the air teemed with the sharp irony scent of blood, and the noise kept raging. It was never ending: Every second marked the deaths of dozens, charging headfirst towards their demise. Victor pictured it in his mind. All the blood being spilled, the bodies of the young strewn over the pass. Young people, much like himself and his friend, gone forever. It was then that a sting of his instincts pierced into his flesh, carrying a simple message.

I need to get out of here…

With how close the battle was, it would be a matter of time before the wave of death would claim them as well. Every second, the stench of gore filled his nose, a steady trickle of disgust and horror. For his and his friend’s safety, they had to leave.

Victor lifted up his wings.“ Will, get up. We have to get away from here.”

“N-no, we can’t run away now… Raghes told us to stay here.” William bit at his cheeks, while backing up closer against Victor’s side.

With a lash of his tail, Victor nudged his friend away. “Not so close, please,” he said, frowning.

William lowered his head. “Sorry. I’m just not sure about-”

“It’s alright, Will,” said Victor, easing his expression. “I’m honestly a little scared as well, that’s why I want to get out of here.” He gazed over the cliff’s edge. The expanse of trees not far below would make an excellent hiding spot, away from the horror. They’d have a few hours from themselves: climbing trees, flying, exploring, eating apples… if it weren’t for William’s reluctance, he’d already have jumped.

“Okay, I’ll come along with you,” said William belated. He stared shifty-eyed over the cliff, trying his hardest to ignore the battle in the distance. Victor could tell he still wasn’t sure about this, and stroked his cheek with a few talons.

“Again Will, don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen. We can defend ourselves just fine, right?”

“...Right.”

“Yes! You’ve got your crossbow, that’ll do. Trust me, it’ll be fun. Far more enjoyable than staying here any longer, that’s for sure.”

“Okay.”

William spent the next few minutes going through the laborious process of climbing onto Victor’s back. Even with Victor practically hugging the ground, it was a challenge. “Is everything alright, Will?”

“Yes, hold on… ugh, this is so difficult. You’re huge, Vic.”

After several attempts, William finally succeeded, and Victor rose off the ground. The red dragon walked up to the cliff, and eyed the trees straight down. Within seconds, his predatorial eyes made quick work of finding a sturdy branch.

“Are you ready?”

“Not really…”

“Well, I’m going in!”

Victor prepared his paws for a jump. With a deep breath, he thrust himself towards freedom, and regretted his decision in an instant. There was no chance any branch would support the full force of his body. A yelp escaped his throat as he slammed into the leaves. For a moment, sight left him, as twigs and branches scraped against his hide, leaving painful scratches in their wake. Gravity kept pulling him further down, as if he was being dragged over a field of broken knives.

With another yelp, Victor crashed into the ground, right on top of a tree’s root, and William fell onto the joint of his wing soon after. His body ached all over; everything from head to tail stung. A groan escaped his throat as he lifted his head up.

“Nnnngh, are you okay, Will?” Victor said, rubbing his sores with his talons. Ugh, this was a terrible idea…

“Yes, but, no…” William crawled off of Victor’s body. His armor had received most scratches, but a small gash ran across one of his cheeks. Blood trickled out of the wound; fortunately, it wasn’t big. Victor raised his snout towards the wound to sniff it. Chances were strong the wound would get infected. Out of instinct, he opened his jaws, and licked the wound.

William’s muscles froze, as the red dragon licked at his injury.. Victor paid no attention to it, however, instead he held on tight to his friend’s shaking body with both claws, and continued to slurp up his blood.

“v-Vic? Can you stop that? Please?”

“Huh?” Victor pulled his head back. Then, a candle lit up in his mind. “Oh, uh… sorry Will. I didn’t want to see you get an infection. I’m sorry..” He lowered his head in shame. The blood in his veins turned cold. I didn’t even attempt to control my urges… What if I was hungry- no, don’t think about it!!

“That’s kind of unsettling, Vic,” William said, cheeks reddened.

“I apologise. I really didn’t mean to...” Victor sheepishly nodded, his tail drooped towards the ground.

William laid a hand on Victor’s nose. “To be honest, I don’t mind it, really. It’s nice to know you care that much about me.”

“Oh, well, thanks.” Victor’s lips curled up into a smile. A weak smile, but a smile nonetheless.

“No problem.” William turned his head around. “So, uhh, where do we go now?”

They found themselves surrounded by thick woods smothered in teal leaves, and blue mushrooms. To the north and east, tall patches of brambles covered the path; had they jumped a few meters to their left, escaping with light injuries would've been a dream. In the south, the path was clear, and the sounds of war everso crisp. Far too clear, in fact. As if the gods demanded their presence at the battle.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice, here,” Victor said.

“But that’s in the direction of the battle,” William said.

“Well, it’s either there, or the brambles. That’s no choice.”

“I don’t like this, Vic.”

“Me neither, Will. Let’s hope these brambles loosen up a bit, and get moving.”

* * *

Weapons clattered on the ground, their wielder following shortly behind. Ballista fire destroyed the second rows of barricades with no effort, and imperial soldiers stormed in. The fighting was brutal on both sides, and though the imperial losses were major, they managed to break through.

Raghes watched on from the third line as man and dragon alike fell. The imperial numbers had overwhelmed the second line, and they too retreated. All thanks to those ballistas, they didn't have a chance. No skies, no flanking, no hope. Eight dragons had been stilled, and ten more were out of action due to their injuries. He flicked his head back, towards Lothar’s hill. But Lothar was gone.

“B-brothers? Where is Lothar?!”

The men around him looked towards the hill, and panicked. A wave of terror swept over the rebels. Their leader had given up and fled, and their morale had followed him. The dragons tried their hardest to stay focused, but the shouting and crying made this a Revalian task. A furious Merahn roared, and took control.

“COWARDS! Forget about that golden fool! If you try to run, I’ll rip your heads off myself!”

Merahn bared her teeth at the humans manning the line before her. Her visceral, oppressive anger told her story for her. Knowing there was no avoiding their demise now, the troops faced back towards the incoming forces.

“T-there’s so many of them…”

“We’ve made a mistake, a horrible, horrible mistake…”

“Oh, Divinity, save us…”

“Where is Lord Lothar?! Has he abandoned us?”

“Listen, you fools!! Forget that giant coward, and focus! We can still win this!” snarled Merahn, tail lashing furiously behind her. “As long as you go down fighting for this cause, your soul won’t be lost. Run, and suffer! If not by my claws, then by Divinity’s!”

Raghes shook his head, and resigned himself. Lord Lothar had fled, likely to save the life of his son. And if he was gone, what hope was there? The archers’s desperate volleys wouldn’t hold back the imperial tide for long, and Merahn’s threats weren’t helping. All they could do was inflict as much pain and death on their foe as possible. At least he’d get to drag some invaders down with him. It was a slight comfort, one which made death easier to accept.

“Brothers, brothers! Look, over there!” One of the men close to Raghes pointed towards the horizon. He gasped in excitement, much as a small child seeing a dragon for the first time.

A soft groan rolled out of Raghes’ throat. “What’s the matter? There is nothing to be excited about-”

“Look, look!! Over yonder!! We’re saved!!!”

* * *

With a smirk on his face, Eric leaned against a tree, and took a sip of water from his canteen. The sun shone through the blue leaves, a comforting warmth from Lady Justitia herself. Everything went according to plan. His army advanced further and further into the pass, pushing aside flimsy barricade and unwashed cultist alike. No amount of occult activity was a match for Justitian valiance and superior technology. That’s what you get for taking everything from me, you beasts. Vic, Will, this is just the beginning. I hope the afterlife’s kind on you both. I’ll come over there as well, one day.

He closed his eyes, and relished in his fantasies of vengeance. Ideas stretched out for miles and miles. Far too many to choose from. But one thing was certain: There would be fire and blood. And not a minor amount, either.

But then, a roar pierced through the sky. Eric flinched, and stared up. What was that?! Giant leathery wings beat overhead, sending waves of wind down into the trees, and into Eric's ears. The men manning the bolt throwers at the base of the pass gazed at the sky: Their faces appeared as if they were screaming at the top of their lungs, yet nothing came out.

Within seconds, they had been swallowed whole by an inferno, their flesh vaporized under the intense heat; blackened skeletons were all that remained. The bolt throwers crackled and melted into black lumps of charred wood and metal. Even the representations of the abyss in the new wave of Justitian art were nothing compared to the horror that had unfolded. And then, the beast behind it all revealed itself to Eric.

Cladded in regal gold, the scaly beast swooped into the pass, prepared to unleash his fury upon the defenseless imperial troops. For a second, the monster tilted its head. Two giant slit-eyes, coated in a honey-like amber, gazed upon him with hatred. If looks could kill, Eric’s body would’ve turned to dust. His knees trembled, as the beast continued its rampage. It didn’t take long for the five remaining bolt throwers to meet the same fate. Screams echoed from the pass.

No...not like this, not when we were so close!!

Fear and anger took hold of Eric, as he ran for his life. A glimpse back revealed a scattered army, fleeing in terror, whimpering for their lives. Was it truly meant to end like this? Had it all been luck, or an eclipse? A temporary sight, whose beauty would last for only a short moment? Everything went so well, and then it all went to the abyss in an eyeblink.

But he wouldn’t accept defeat. Not that easily.

* * *

“Hey Will, do you see that?”

“That looks like a clearing. Vic, Do you think...?”

“Yes, that might be our way out of this mess. Let’s check it out.”

Victor and William made their way down to a clearing in the trees. Thankfully, the path there was clean; no brambles, and little vegetation besides the blue mushrooms It didn’t take long for them to reach the sun-baked clearing. Victor spread his wings, and let the fresh air envelop the leathery membranes. A pleasant rumble escaped his throat, and his tail-tip twitched slightly upwards.

“It’s nice around here,” William said.

“You could say that.” Victor walked off to the side of the clearing, wings still stretched out. “If only that awful sound were gone, I’d love to stay here for a little while.”

“Yeah, you could say that. It’s a shame-”

Out of the blue, an intense rustling came from the bushes southwards. William flicked around in an instant.

“Do you hear that?”

The red dragon shrugged. “Well, it’s difficult to miss, given how close to the fighting we are-”

“No, Vic, the bushes! Look!” William pointed towards the bushes. Victor’s calm ignorance cracked, as his wings shot back into their resting position. He prepared to defend himself, and sniffed the air to get an idea of what lurked in those bushes. The smell that came to him made his blood run cold. I know this smell... but why can’t I?

With a groan, a short-bearded man stumbled forth from the bushes, and fell upon his knees, coughing out sputters of dirt and leaves. As he rose from the ground, his green eyes met with the red dragon’s gaze. Quick as lightning, he drew his blade, limbs shaking, and teeth bared.

“It’s either going to be me, or you, beast!” the man yelled. Victor’s eyes widened, as a gasp escaped his throat. That voice…! His tail-tip twitched back and forth with every pulse. Underneath the beard, those facial features, that voice…

“Eric, is that you?” Victor lowered his defenses slightly. It had been so long, yet the smell was unmistakable. A mixture of fear and familiarity, it was his friend. His best friend.

“Don’t you there use that name, you fiend!!”

“Eric, it’s me, Victor! I know it’s difficult to believe, but I can explain! ” Victor grabbed his amulet with a claw, and held it up in front of him with a smile. The bearded man glared at it, rasping his breaths all the while. Eric, it’s me alright… you can trust me, as you have all these years. Victor widened his smile, hoping for the best. If William believed it was him under the scales and claws, what would stop Eric?

“Raagh!” Eric growled, and twirled his blade. “You’re not fooling anyone, cretin. My friend’s dead, all thanks to you and your ilk! Did he taste nice? What else did you pilfer from his corpse?”

“Nonononono, it’s me I swear, Will-”

“Quiet! I know your kind! Unless you plan on spitting my friend out, shut it!”

“Uhm, Eric?”

Eric glanced towards William, who had distanced himself from the standoff. “It’s us. Please, uhh, you can lower your sword, it really won’t be necessary.”

“Will? You’re alive?” Eric held a hand over his heart. “Wh, what are you doing out here?! I thought you were a goner!” he said, hands quivering.

William bit at his uninjured cheek. “Eric, I can explain. I know it’s hard to believe, but… that’s Victor.”

“Say that again?!”

“Trust me, it’s him. After the failed raid, the dragons took us prisoner, instead of killing us, as we thought would happen. ” William pointed towards Victor. “But soon after I arrived, that red dragon jumped in. And it’s Victor, it’s really Victor! He still remembered me, he’s still the same deep down! Even with that uh, new body of his,” William said, then shuffled backwards.

Silence reigned. Eric’s shock gave way to a hatred. “You… TRAITOR!” William gulped, and placed a hand on the crossbow. Eric flew into a tirade. “You disgusting scumbag of a human being! We had a promise, we were going to wipe this damned cult off the planet! And instead, you joined them?! Have you no shame?!?” he yelled, as if the jovial side of him had never existed.

Victor quivered, and raised his defenses with great reluctance. “Eric… don’t do this, please…” he pleaded, hoping for Eric’s conscience to take hold, and let him accept the truth.

But Eric didn’t want to accept. He turned back towards Victor, blade pointed towards the dragon’s pale chest. “You might’ve brainwashed my friend… but you’ll never take me!!”

With a cry, Eric charged at Victor, eyes blazing with murderous intent. Victor leaped off to the side, and yelped as the cold steel of the blade grazed his tail. His claws shifted to get Eric back into sight, who staggered from his failed attack. Victor’s heart became heavy with dread, as his body screamed at him to kill this assailant. But his mind sulked, praying and begging the gods to end the madness.

“Eric, don’t do this!! I can explain everything!” Victor cried out, to no avail. Eric once again attempted to strike him down, but he saw it coming this time, and easily dodged the slash. Victor jumped across to the other side of the clearing, Eric pursuing after him. Once again, he cried out to Eric, “Stop, STOP!! Drop your weapon, please! I can explain everything!”

But his pleas again fell on deaf ears, as the two danced around the clearing. The battle was akin to a turtle and a hawk racing. The red dragon was far more agile and quick on his feet than Eric, and showed no signs of tiring out anytime soon. Eric didn’t yield, no matter how sloppy his attacks, no matter how tired he got, no matter how many times the dragon begged him to stop, that he didn't want to hurt his friend, and that everything could be explained. All the while, William watched the fight from the trees, crossbow in hand, unsure of what he could do to help.

* * *

“Haha, slaughter them, slaughter them all!!”

Merahn cackled with glee, as she eyed the fleeing imperials from above. A target in sight, she dove upon the poor soldier, who could hardly conjure up a shriek before the grey dragoness clawed his chest open. It was a terrible way to go, and she knew it. The thrill of tearing a throat out sent her blood into a pleasant chant, soothing any stress from the battle far better than a simple breath of fire would’ve. No amount of scorn or horrified stares from her fellow dragons would ever change her mind.

The reserve army had been resigned to the history books. All across the pass, the imperial troops were either being killed, running for their lives, or laying down their weapons. Raghes couldn’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief. If it hadn’t been for Lothar, the Draconist cause would’ve been over, forever. But their leader had saved them, just when everything seemed lost.

Wings flapped overhead. The blue dragon glanced to his side, and bared his teeth in a smile as his leader landed next to him, grinning.

A deep, throaty chuckle escaped Lothar’s throat. “Well, Raghes. That was quite the experience, was it not?”

Raghes began to laugh with him. “Divinity almighty, Lothar. You saved our hides there!”

Lothar’s giant wings fluttered, his hearty laughter unyielding. “Hahah, what is there to say, besides that a dragon never surrenders, Raghes? Least of all a dragon as mighty as I! You should have seen their faces, as they realised this old dragon had his fair share of tricks left, ohohohohoho!”

Their spirits raised, the two dragons held a quiet celebration by themselves on the cliffs of the pass. Alas, the mood didn’t last; a single whiff was all it took for Raghes’ nostrils to be overwhelmed by the stench of the aftermath.

“Do you smell that?”

Lothar tilted his head up to sniff, and recoiled back. “Why has the smell of blood gotten stronger? The battle is over, is it not?”

But, as they glanced down into the pass, the answer became apparent. Several dragons relished in the victory by desecrating the bodies of the dead: Ripping off limbs and heads, rolling on the ground until their scales were as red as Lothar’s son, and other wicked acts which would make any civilized person run towards an imperial recruitment office. Raghes shook his head, and turned away from the dreadful sight.

“I thought we had put this behaviour to a stop,” said Raghes, staring ashamed into Lothar’s eyes. To think any dragon could stoop to such lows made him want to weep.

Lothar lowered his head. “I did too… and yet, our senses do not betray us.”

Raghes’ finned ears quivered, as gruesome sounds echoed from the pass. “It’s as if some amongst us desire a life of savagery. Unacceptable.” The blue dragon shook his head.

“Indeed, my blue friend. But I fear that it is too late for some.” Lothar sighed, eyes dawdling towards Merahn. “It is good to see though, that most of our brothers and sisters are better than this. Look, they are transporting the dead for burial.”

Raghes grunted and cracked a slight smile. “That’s good to hear.”

Lothar replied with a grunt of his own. “Hmm, now then, let us put this matter aside for now. Would you please bring my son out of his hiding place?”

“Right away, my lord,” Raghes said. Lothar will have my head if there’s so much as a scratch on him.

* * *

“ACK!”

Victor’s forepaw buckled on the dirt, sending a jolt of pain up his leg. A second later, he fell face first onto the floor, and groaned as he tilted his head up. Eric drew near, a maniacal glint in his eye. Victor raised a foreleg, a final, desperate plea for mercy.His forehead dripping with sweat, Eric raised his sword.

“Say goodbye, you- AAARGGGHHH!”

The blade clattered against the ground, as Eric stumbled backwards. A bolt stuck out of his chest. Shuddering, and heaving for breath, Eric glared at William with hatred powerful enough to sear through stone. “YOU BASTARD!!” he screamed, as he pried the bolt out.

William trembled, as he lowered his crossbow. All this time he had stood and watched, terrified of making the situation worse by joining in. Once Victor was in peril, he finally acted from impulse, and opened fire. But as a result, the man he called friend now eyed him with disdain, as he pulled his sword out the dirt.

“You wanna be like him, Will? HAVE AT IT, THEN!!”

With a burst of adrenaline, Eric charged at William, who was backed against a tree, terrified. Victor gasped in horror. The blood gushed out of Eric’s body; he was on the verge of passing out, unless something was done fast. At this rate, he’d lose them both.

Then, out of nowhere, the pain in his foot vanished. The scratches too, shedded their pain. Every muscle in his body flared with the desire for heroism. The will to save his friends. Like thunder, the beast within roared, and leapt at its victim with inhuman speed, talons stretched out.

“NOOO!”

Victor’s talons struck true. Together, the two slammed into the ground, and rolled to a stop a few meters back, close to the center of the clearing. Eric groaned, as the red dragon pressed his shoulders into the ground with its claws.

Victor panted nervously, brushing the dirt off of Eric’s uniform with a foreleg. “Eric, are you okay?”

“Do I look dead to you, beast?” Eric said with a weak voice.

Victor sighed in relief. “Oh, thank goodness, I was concern-”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Kill me already.”

Victor’s spine froze with dread. “No… no, please, Eric, I can explain everything…”

Eric coughed. “I have no time for your lies. Just look at my chest…” Blood stains ran all over Eric’s chest, and had begun to spill onto the dirt. “All I ask for is a swift death, nothing more. Can you do that?”

A faint whimper escaped Victor’s throat. “Eric, don’t, please! You can survive this, I can explain everything, you don’t have to die!”

“I said, kill me! I don’t want to convert to your disgusting religion! You’ve taken my friend, and my family, but you’ll never take my pride!” Eric screamed. “What are you waiting for?! Do as you please!! Tear my throat out, rip my chest to pieces, I don’t care, just end my miserable life already!”

“No, NO!! We’re still here, Eric, I’m still here! It’s me, Victor, I swear! You don’t deserve to die, please...!”

Eric forced a smile onto his face, squirming his way through the pain. “If Victor was here… he’d do it. I know my friend far better than you could ever hope, monster… he was honorable, he had a sense for justice… he would end my misery…”

“No…no…”

“So, if by some chance it’s you in there… you can prove it… by ending my life. I don’t want to live on anymore. My life is ruined… I just want to see my family again.”

It took every bit of willpower within Victor to open his jaws, and hover over Eric’s neck. It was his friend’s final wish, and even when armed with the knowledge that it was what he wanted, Victor couldn’t bring himself to do it.

It was when his friend groaned in excruciating pain, that he found the courage.

There was not the faintest struggle, as Victor clamped his jaws down on Eric’s throat. No desperate kicking or shoving, nothing. Victor squeezed his eyes shut, and listened to the solemn susurrus of the leaves. He didn’t have the courage to look Eric in the eye, as his teeth sank deeper and deeper into his neck.

Then, what little courage he did have, he lost. He let go. Eric coughed, and inhaled a hoarse breath. He stared, weak and unfocused, at the red dragon.

“P-please… I can’t do this…”

“Coward… I knew you… lied...”

“No…”

“Then… end me already…”

Victor’s blood ran cold as he reopened his jaws. Everything within, blood, bones, muscles, organs, screamed at him to not do it. But it was what Eric wanted. And thus, as a sensation akin to burning alive spread in his veins, he clamped back down.

After a tense few minutes, Eric let out his final breath, and drifted off into the afterlife. Victor opened his eyes. His friend’s eyes were closed, a calm final expression. He was no more. An overwhelming emptiness clawed at Victor. He collapsed onto his friend’s lifeless body. Every memory of their friendship was a knife, digging away at his fragile heart and ripping into his lungs, an eternal reminder of what he had done.