Chapter 8: Dragon's Attack

The Dragon Council was worried by the amount of times Drakath had tried to take over the Dragon Cave and all the dragons in it. That was the cause for the Dragon Council was called into session.

     “I plan to attack Drakath in a fort night. He has threatened us too many times. It is time for us to attack,” Goldenflame said. His voice was calm like a controlled fire; warming living things and sparking hope.

     “I agree,” said Sea Spirit. “Who does not agree to attack?” Not one dragon said a word.

     “Okay, we will prepare for battle. Begin training immediately,” finished Goldenflame.

     The dragons of the Council left to inform their Element Group.

     In the next two weeks, every dragon trained hard. For the Wind dragons, training mainly consisted of learning complex attack flight formations, the Fire dragons were heating up the Cave with their fireball launching practice, while the Waters were training their skills of how much water they could produce and their attack power. Shadow dragons practiced their shadow hunting techniques and claw to tooth combat, Forest dragons continued to build defenses around the Cave, Storms were attempting to lure clouds into the Cave, and finally the Lunar dragons were practicing their camouflage and invisibility spells.

     All in all, every dragon was busy . . . including Velicity and Skywing. The sapphire dragon was finally large enough for riding by the second week. The pair was busy practicing flying with a new mentor.

     Her lessons with Skywing were held outdoors. Velicity’s mentor was called Eagleflight, a powerful Wind dragon skilled in all styles of flying.

     “First you must learn how to mount onto Skywing. Let me see you try it,” said Eagleflight watching Velicity carefully to insure that she wouldn’t fall or mount incorrectly.

     “So . . . I just climb on?” asked Velicity uncertainly. Skywing was at least the size of a large horse by this time. The dragon nodded so Velicity stepped over to Skywing who stood still while Velicity mounted. She first put her foot onto Skywing’s hind leg then clambered onto his broad back. Velicity then sat down in the slight dip between Skywing’s neck and shoulder.

     “Good. Now you can direct Skywing where to go through your mind. I am assuming that you know how to do that already.”

     Velicity took a deep breath and felt for the connection between their minds.

     Up, Skywing.  Skywing took off clumsily with the rider. Now circle around and land. Skywing did just that and landed by Eagleflight.

     Eagleflight nodded, seeing that both dragon and girl were both in sync. “That was good. You just need to adjust your body to Skywing’s movements. Relax but not too much, just enough to stay on.” Eagleflight paused. “And also, you have to listen to Skywing too instead of just telling him what to do.”

     Velicity nodded, taking in each word of her mentor.

     “Now try that again,” said Eagleflight.

     By the end of the fortnight, all dragons were looking in shape and ready for battle. It was finally time to attack. The enormous army of dragons was gathered at the front of the cave.

     “Take flight!” roared Goldenflame springing into the air smoothly. The dragon army followed the golden dragon like a flock of crows; they darkened the sky with their huge size.

     To Drakath’s castle they flew, over human houses, over lakes and rivers, and finally landing near the dark castle. The army was about a hundred wing lengths away from the large castle.

     All the Element Dragons marched to the edge of Drakath’s land. The Shadow and Lunar dragons faded into the early dawn heading towards the castle. The rest of the dragons waited for Goldenflame’s signal to attack.

     Finally, he spotted the panicked mages and soldiers of Drakath’s castle. Goldenflame flicked his tail at the assembled fire dragons. Each dragon spouted a column of flame which spiraled at the jumble of soldiers running out of the castle’s gates. Those swift enough hastily constructed a force field of compressed air around themselves that held back the flame from their bodies. At least half of the mages fell, scorched, and most of the soldiers died in the first attack.

     Now, the mages began to charge, firing attacks at the dragons. Several dragons fell to their assault. Every dragon then began to attack in a frenzy of claws, teeth, and wings.

     Fire and water burned and drowned the enemy. Storm dragons struck at them with lightning, Shadow and Lunar attacked viciously ambushing mages in surprise attacks. Wind dragons flew above diving at the opponents, often with large boulders in their claws. All the dragons were so accurate that the majority of the enemy’s mages and soldiers went down in the first half hour.

     Scales flashed, blood glistened as the sun slowly rose to the bloody scene. Velicity was riding Skywing high above the battlefield firing arrow after arrow at the enemy, felling many soldiers and mages alike. Goldenflame was in the center of the battle, fighting a dozen mages who apparently wanted to capture him.

     Shrieks, roars, and screams rent the early morning air. Drakath was the one causing most of the dragons to fall, shooting spell after spell that put many dragons to sleep.

     From the air, Velicity gritted her teeth frustrated that she couldn’t fire because she might hit a dragon. She attempted to aim her bow at the moving figure . . . down in the fray, sleeping dragons littered the ground around Drakath.

     Twang! An arrow whizzed through the air, Drakath looked up . . . and the arrow drove into the ground a foot away from Drakath. He immediately retaliated by firing killing spells into the air which killed a wind dragon when it missed.

     The battle continued with mounting intensity. The dragons were losing; unconscious dragons were being locked up in cages which were crammed full. Three more arrows shot down from Velicity quick bow, the first two forced Drakath to move right where the third arrow pierced him. Red blood spurted out from the arrow which was buried in his chest. Down he fell, with a look of pure hatred on his face.

     The mages began to falter without a commander and the handful of dragons managed to kill them quickly. There were only a couple dragons left standing, they smashed the cages and slashed through the ropes that bound them.

     Skywing landed with a thud and Velicity got off.

     “They won’t wake!” a water dragon cried, looking to Velicity for help. Velicity gathered near the sleeping dragons along with the dragons that were not asleep. She tried a waking charm. No response, not even a twitch. Velicity saw Sea Spirit among the sleeping dragons. Goldenflame was there too. She tried a different spell. Still nothing.

     “I can’t do anything,” Velicity said softly.

     “What are we going to do?!” wailed a forest dragon. Velicity sighed and thought for a minute. Every dragon depended on her. She had to wake the sleeping dragons up, somehow.

     Finally she spoke. “I recognize this type of sleep. It’s called Deathdream. If you don’t find the antidote fast enough, they will sleep on forever, suspended between dreams and reality.”

     “Then we are doomed!” a wind dragon cried.

     “I know the antidote; a powdered dragon scale from all the Elements of Nature will awaken all that it is sprinkled on.”

     The dragons gave her a scale from each element except for one: Lunar. There were just no dragon left that was a Lunar Dragon.

     I am a lunar dragon. said Skywing into Velicity’s mind. He gave her a small scale. Velicity smiled, relieved. She grinded the scales to a fine dust then threw some over the sleeping dragons. One by one they awoke.