“This is it, everyone in position. AZURUMENE, COMMENCE EGG DROP!” The black birds filled the sky descending on the army of Black Knights gathered in the field surrounded by orb wielding overlords. The birds dropped their eggs, unleashing a pestilence of red fire over the black knights. The fire rapidly spread, consuming the army. The masters swung their white swords. Sending multiple dispel waves to quell the flames. They destroyed more than half of the Black Knights.

Next the dragons took to the field. Rungii, The Dragon of Flora, and Tial-Meh The Dragon of Tempest circled the remaining army. Desperately the masters swung their dispel blades, but they were no illusions. The dragons unleashed their powerful breath attacks. The properties of Tial-Meh’s tempest melding with Rungii’s spore breath forming the green fire of creation. It burned the remaining Black Knights to soil and caused the masters to flee on their steeds. The dragons flew off to ready another attack. Clesio paired with Aletha, and Sperio paired with Gron, mounted the Highhorns, and with their superior speed easily caught up with the fleeing masters. They ran circles around them, corralling them into a tight space. The overlords used their crystal balls to form walls of clay and ice to stop the Highhorns, but their horns pierced right through. Sperio and Clesio bombarded them with ice and fire. From somewhere in the dark a horrid wail crashed over them sending all tumbling off their steeds. Zurtegus and Kartegus watched from aboard Couraderi as the large tendriled monstrosities arose.

#

“Gupa those look like.”

“Yes, Kartegus those are twisted Nebzulu infected with malignancy.”

“That’s horrible, how can they live like that?”

“I’m not sure, but those abominations stand as evidence that these humans are beyond redemption. Kartegus it is time.”

“Yes Gupa.” Zurtegus and Kartegus mounted their mechs Nantidae and Heniptera.

“I’m coming with you,” said Drumya turning part wyvern.

“All of you be careful of the dispel wave, sink them fast,” said Vlux.

“Couraderi is eager to help,” said Kartegus as the spheres began orbiting. That dispel wave is a perversion of a Nebzulu’s natural ability.”

“What else can this thing do?” asked Vlux.

“I’ll let Couraderi show you.” The spheres formed a staggered circle in front of the vessel. Some spheres moved clockwise the rest counter clockwise. They generated a singularity in the center, pulling in one of the wailing beasts and crushing its body. The spheres reversed motion, moving many times faster. Couraderi shot the husk like a bullet knocking out another beast, though plenty more continued progressing.

“When this is over, I need you to write a manual on Nebzulu,” said Vlux.

“Honestly, that surprised me. All Nebzulu have a way of drawing things in. But launching it back with that much force, Couraderi you’re amazing.”

“Here comes another wave everyone brace,” said Vlux.

“Couraderi will protect us,” said Zurtegus, as the spheres moved to circle the vessel establishing a shield that blocked the wave.

Kartegus knelt and placed a hand on the vessel. “Good work Couraderi, keep everyone safe, we’ll handle things from here.” Zurtegus, Kartegus and Druvyranya, flew out to engage in air-to-air combat. From behind the corrupt Nebzulu came several overlords, mounted on feathered beasts with lizard heads and noxious breath.

“They also have wyverns,” said Zurtegus.

“No those are cockatrice, they're related to dragons but more vicious, with a death element breathe,” said Drumya.

#

Back on the ground, Gron deployed his shield Phalanx, protecting himself and those near him from most of the dispel wave. He quickly ran and revived Aletha, who used Binary to revive the twins. The overlords got to their feet. Aletha created a sharp point of ice on Binary and spinning it like a drill, dug into the soil. She churned the surface forming a pit of quicksand that sucked in some overlords. They retaliated with a barrage of elemental bolts. The friends took cover behind Gron’s shield. Waiting for an opening to attack, they felt a breeze blur past. Thramuny and Rux riding Euyene caught up. Rux jumped off and used Sluice to slice into the night. One by one he defeated several overlords. They turned their attention to him. One overlord could see his next exit point and shot a fireball at the opening setting Rux ablaze.

The barrage lifted, Sperio and Clesio jumped from behind cover. Sperio summoned a wall of fire to keep the masters at bay while Clesio tended to Rux. She extinguished the flames and cooled his body. A soul piercing roar echoed through the night as a fanged beast of primal terror suddenly appeared. Its jaws opening impossibly wide consuming the overlords in a void of darkness. Thramuny bashed them with Boa. Over a large hill, they could see a line of Koru troops ready to descend.

#

In the sky, the aerial combatants engaged the corrupt Nebzulu and cockatrice. Scattering to avoid a dispel wave. Kartegus confronted a group of cockatrice and riders. He activated the circular blade of his weapon and swung it around, slashing one cockatrice out of the sky, and diverting the rest. Zurtegus charged his crescent blade and fired a sharp half-moon blast slicing a wailing beast in half. Druvyranya flew around the beasts. He set their malignancy covered bodies aflame and shot down riders with palm blasts. Kartegus took a direct hit from a dispel wave, the sheer force sending him and Nantidae plummeting from the sky. Zurtegus seeing his grandson falling dove after him. Kartegus activated the runes on his wardrobe. They slowed his descent to a feather fall, but Nantidae, having moved too far away deactivated and crashed to the ground. Kartegus saw the two cockatrice riders coming for him, when Tial-Meh came up from below. She blasted them with blue fire and caught Kartegus. Rungii above rained debilitating spores on the Nebzulu, causing them to sprout debilitating mushrooms all over their bodies.

#

On the ground, Koru troops rushed down the hill, quaking the land. The friends retreated behind Gron’s shield which he made as large as possible, although against such overwhelming force it would not last.

“ISU NOW!” said Vlux through her ACORN. On the opposite hill Isu lifted her veil, revealing an army of Satke mounted on Rhinos led by Brek, with Ang next to him.

“CHARGE!” yelled Brek as they flanked the enemy, catching them off-guard. The Rhino’s bulldozed the twisted steeds. Seizing the opportunity Clesio called down a bird to evacuate Rux. Gron with Thramuny and Sperio with Aletha mounted the Highhorns, Euyene close behind. Gron took point and used his shield to break the Koru’s front cavalry line, scattering them. Thramuny whacked a rider of his steed and leaped onto it. Another charged her, spear pointed ready to impale the steeds made a head on collision. Thramuny, spun Boa, knocking the spear out of the troops hand, and bashing his head. She launched herself high over the battlefield landing perfectly on Euyene’s back. Aletha spun Binary into a tornado full of debris. Sperio added his fire to it, creating a tornado of magma, that ravaged the field, scattering all remaining cavalry.

“Vlux, the Koru ships are on Lake Censelbon,” reported Bassinee from within Couraderi.

“Crap, they must know the entrance is there. It’s only a matter of time before they play the correct notes to get in. And all our best fighters are out here. I’m taking some birds to intercept,” said Vlux.

“No Vlux,” said Azurumene jumping out of the Couraderi. “You’re our leader. We need you here. I’ll intercept them.”

“I’m coming with you, water is my element.” said Clesio.

“I’m not out of this fight yet.” said a heavily bandaged Rux.

“Rux you get back down here, your wounds are still fresh.” scolded Bassinee over Vlux’s ACORN.

“I’m covered in Kiliyi’s silk bandages, my wounds will heal as I fight.”

“Sorry Bassinee, Rux I trust your judgment, just be careful.”

“They won’t get me a second time.”

“Better not, Clesio keep an eye on him.”

“I will.” Clesio, Azurumene, Rux, and most of the big bird army flew to lake Censelbon. The black ships scouring the lake looking for the access point. They dropped red fire eggs, burning a few of the ships, but only sinking one. Clesio dove into the water, while Azurumene and Rux boarded the largest ship.

“Can you fight Azurumene?” asked Rux.

“You’re gonna learn about me.” He assumed his monstrous form. Rux shocked and terrified backed away, the troops aboard mirroring his reaction. Azurumene devastated his foes, slashing and tossing men overboard. Some jumped into the water. Clesio confronted them, freezing the troops. Once the ship was clear, Rux took the helm.

“This is for you Haxx.” He pulled a lever, folding the sails down and submerging the vessel. The enemy ships also dove under and fired their syringe harpoons. Clesio deflected a few but several harpoons impaled their hull. Rux steered the vessel into another destroying both. Clesio froze the ship. Azurumene grabbed Rux and began swimming up. Clesio encased them in a bubble and brought them to the surface. Bursting out of the water the enemy ships surrounded them. The birds flew over dropping the daughters on the ships. Then together the birds and daughters ravaged the crew, tossing men over so Clesio could freeze them. The daughter's bit and incapacitated soldiers. Azurumene called a bird down to pull him and Rux out of the water and circle the ships.

#

Above the battle ground a few cockatrice mounted overlords attacked Couraderi directly. Couraderi bashed them out of the sky but a few evaded the spheres and jump to the vessel. They drew their white blades, as Vlux readied her weapons, Splinter and Home. They sent dispel waves at Vlux who remained on the defensive, blocking with Home’s hard cover. Suddenly a man was blown off the vessel, another set on fire, a third hit by a rock, the fourth encased in ice and shattered. Vlux looked back to see her sister slowly approaching with a terrifying look on her face trembling with rage and oozing a black aura.

“How dare you attack my sister!” She said as she blasted the remaining overlords with a wave of darkness reducing them to dust. She bent over breathing heavily. “Woo, I have never used that much power.”

“Whoa! Bassinee what element are your markings?”

“All-elemental, I created these markings so I would have the power to get you back. I swore to mom on her deathbed I would watch over you. I failed as a sister once and let them take you away. I will never let that happen again. Now, turn your attention there. Everyone is looking up to little Vluxcerin, I’ve got your back.” Vlux briefly closed her eyes to fight back the tears welling up, and the urge to hug her big sister. She turned and looked into the distance.

“Oh, no,” she touched the ACORN. “Brek how are things going on the ground?”

“Excellent the fight is in our favor.”

“Good cause we’ve got company coming over the east ridge. Thramuny what do you make of those large creatures?”

“Their dragons, Great ones like Tial-Meh, probably tamed in the same manner Eio managed.”

“Wait, you know about that?”

“I figured it out, in Kebv, don’t worry I’m not upset. Our dragons have neutered the floating screamers, I’ll call them over.”

“I think you mean neutralized, but yeah do that. Brek get everyone back in formation.”

“I’m on it.”

Brek shot fiery tendrils into the sky to rally the Satke to him. They formed up and watched with dread as the massive army of Black Knights, mounted overlords, and dragons advanced. There were five imposing dragons three in the air two on the ground. The three fliers comprised of a winged serpent with a black body and multicolor feathery wings. Flying next to it a dark green dragon with four legs and two wings, and beside that a long bodied dark blue dragon with four legs and several sets of wings running the length of its body gradually getting smaller. One dragon on the ground had a dark brown long body, four short legs, and long thick claws. The last one had dark purple scales, with four legs and two heads. A horn blew, and the army stopped advancing. The brown dragon dug into the ground. The ground rumbled beneath the allies growing progressively stronger.

“EVERYONE SCATTER!” yelled Thramuny, but it was too late. The dragon popped up in the middle of their ranks. It flung Rhino’s and Satke in all directions, causing complete chaos. The long blue dragon, and the black serpent veered off toward Couraderi circling the vessel. Vlux and Bassinee stood back to back behind the shield. Tial-Meh, Druvyranya, Zurtegus, Kartegus, who recovered Nantidae, and a few birds came flying over to help. Tial-Meh loosed a tempest on the black serpent, but the serpent countered with its own black breath. Druvyranya tried to burn the beast, but its scales were impervious to normal fire. Tial-Meh bit its tail. The serpent wrapped its body around her and bit down on her wing tearing it out. She struggled with her three remaining wings to stay aloft and fight. Finally, grabbing the serpent in her jaws she dove to the ground.

Zurtegus and Kartegus slashed at the blue dragon. They cut off a few of its wings and maimed its body. Their weapons running dangerously low on energy and becoming ineffective. Couraderi disengaged its shield and began pummeling the dragon with its spheres. The dragon started falling but blasted the vessel with a ball of concussive force that tore out a chunk. Couraderi struggled to maintain altitude, tilting to one side and falling. Vlux and Bassinee jumped on Druvyranya and vacated the crashing vessel. Zurtegus and Kartegus did what they could to save Couraderi.

“Clesio, what’s your status at the lake,” asked Vlux.

“We’ve sunk their ships and are heading back.”

“Good, we need to lay down a defensive line, fall back and regroup.”

“Vlux, it might be best to order a retreat for now,” said Drumya.

“Retreat where? They know where the city entrance is. Nowhere is safe, not even Kyxichen. What happened there started with them. This is an all-or-nothing fight.”

#

In the sky Rungii, fought with the green dragon. His spore breathe inadequate against an opponent that can surround itself with lighting. The dragon fired a powerful plasma blast that fried Rungii. They switched to Dungii’s side, and with no other option flung themselves into the dragon, mushroom first. They shed their body and flew to regroup with their allies. The dragon crashed to the ground wings broken, but still active.

#

In the chaos, Ang’s rhino ran near the two headed purple dragon. The beast loosed a concussive combination of ash and fire, forming a rolling cloud that obliterated everything in its path. He attempted a shield rune, but the force sent him flying several meters. A cushion of air caught him and gently placed him on the ground. A volley of elemental bolts bombarded the beast. He looked back to see a cloaked figure with a web of light in front of it. Ang recognized the runes as the same ones Kiliyi would spin. “Mom is that you?” Lysyntri lowered her hood and ran to her son.

“Ang, the axe, now is the time to unleash its full power.” She helped her son to his feet and placed a hand on the handle. “We’ll do it together, WE ARE.”

“USGRAT!” they said in unison. A dark twinkling mass burst from Hue and formed a titanic bull, with large thick horns and a body full of stars. The bull charged the dragon impaling it and slamming it to the ground.

“Dad?” questioned Ang.

“Yes, let’s leave this to him, your friends need help.”

#

On Druvyranya’s back Bassinee pointed, “Look there, that technique, it’s Lysyntri.”

“If she’s here, then our chances of winning just got a little better,” said Vlux. Dungii came flying over.

“Meep meep.”

“Hey Dungii, you did nice work on that dragon, we’ll help you finish it.”

“Meep meep.”

They flew to the crippled dragon. It tried to blast them with plasma, but Druvyranya narrowly dodged. Dungii flew right into the beast’s eye, momentarily blinding it, giving them time to land. Vlux stabbed splinter into the ground, growing the thorny tree that latched onto the dragon's limbs and slammed it to a rock. Drumya charged a powerful palm blast, as Bassinee charged an all-elemental blast. They fired at once, the dragon’s head crushed in the middle, the body disintegrated.

#

The land wyrm wrought havoc on their remaining forces, tossing boulders and debris everywhere. The overlords blew the horn and continued to advance the Black Knights. Marching close enough that some suffered the effects of the knights crushing auras. A blackbird flew over, laying a thick line of gold silk in front of the army. Azurumene dropped a spark of fire, setting the line ablaze, briefly halting their advance. The birds landed and started evacuating the increasing number of casualties. Thramuny activated Boa’s Anaconda form. The snake wrestled with the wyrm. They dove underground and erupted in a new location, their struggle causing increasing collateral damage. She deactivated, retrieved Boa, and stood before the beast, realizing she had to slay the dragon herself. Eio showed up and clung to her back.

“Eio, finally you’re back. I see Tial-Meh’s body is crushed, at least you took the serpent with you.” A volley of elemental bolts stunned the wyrm. She looked back to see Ang with an unfamiliar woman. “You have my gratitude, are you the one they call Lysyntri the Spider?”

“Yes, are you Thramuny the Breeze?”

“I am and this is Eio the Thunder.”

“So you’re a storm, the perfect thing to defeat a land wyrm. I’m here to assist.” Lysyntri raised her arms and wove hand signs over the top rune of her web of light. She cast a ball of red fire. The beast exhaled a powerful gust, sending it right back. She wove hand signs over another rune deflecting it with a puff of air.

“Now I understand why they call you the Spider. I thought only Kiliyi could cast that red fire,” said Ang.

“The Forge Fire is unique to the Usgrat. It’s difficult to control and dangerous to cast. That’s why I told Kiliyi to only teach it once you grew more skillful.”

Thramuny and Eio jumped high into the air, her hair standing on end crackling with power. The wyrm swung its long thick tail. Thramuny swung her long piercing braids, shocking and lacerating the beast. Dark energy oozed from the wound. It turned to slash with its long claws but Lysyntri stuck an icicle through it, leaving the claw limp. Thramuny raised Boa and came down on the beast's skull, cracking it. The dragon screamed as it collapsed, Lysyntri cast Forge Fire, burning its body. The dragons slayed, they turned their attention to the Black knights. The Overlords caught up to the line and began extinguishing the Forge Fire stalling their advance. Lysyntri reactivated and strengthened the wall of fire. All the remaining fighters regrouped. Beaten, bruised, and exhausted, they looked to one another for conviction. Finding it in the eyes of their friends, they stood firm, the small and mighty against overwhelming odds. Abruptly the black knight army parted down the middle and a large black vault rolled down the hill. Even from a distance they all experienced the petrifying horror of a dagger being held to their throats. The masters undid the lock, and the embodiment of terror manifest before them. It squirmed, writhed and crawled forward, wailing with agonizing intensity, extinguishing the wall. Some crumpled over in fear unable to stand. They picked up one another, struggling to support their brethren, to remain strong in the face of malice itself. Then they saw the sign, a small red flair arc across the sky. They turned to see Couraderi suspending its remaining spheres, allowing Kiliyi and her daughters to weave a mass of Forge Fire runes. With a flick of her leg, Kiliyi ignited the Kil cannon sending a wave of red fire that crashed over the Black Knights. The horror’s wail deflected some fire, but it annihilated the rest of the army. The star filled bull charged, gored, and lifted the horror into the air, slamming it down again and again and again. The affront to nature pathetically crying out. A horn of defeat echoed through the night, as the friends made a final push forward, driving the remaining Koru-Ation overlords back to their fortress.