“In the Heat of Battle”

A boy and a girl, no older than seven summers, were crouched down, poking at the insects that scuttled past with sticks. As the boy flipped one on its back the girl paused to watch, giggling as the insect helplessly waved its legs in the air.

Suddenly a shadow passed over them. The girl seemed to not notice, still giggling as she poked at the bug, yet the boy looked up. Seeing nothing he blinked and slowly got to his feet. He was sure that something large had passed by only moments ago.

Then, a large shape swooshed past again. The boy let out a gasp, his eyes following the body of a large, orange dragon. The insect forgotten, the girl looked up just as another dragon followed the other. Another followed after it.

Dropping his stick the boy turned and ran towards a hill that lay before him, excitement in his eyes. The girl followed, the stick still clutched in her hands as she tried to catch up to the boy, wanting to see the magnificent dragons before they disappeared.

They ran, legs pumping as fast as they could go up the hill. The boy, reaching the top first, came to a halt. He stared in awe after the rapidly disappearing shapes of three dragons. As the girl came up beside him another two dragons suddenly passed overhead. This time it was easy to spot that they were wearing magnificent armor.

The boy stood in awe, unaware of when his companion turned around and froze, dropping her stick. Slowly the girl reached for the boy and wordlessly tugged his sleeve.

Feeling annoyed, and not wanting to give up the last glimpse of the dragons, he brushed her off. Yet when the girl tugged again, this time harder, he gave in and turned around, ready to scold her. Instead, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

Before him, almost as far as the eyes could see, the sky was filled with dragon after dragon. Each was dressed for battle and had a rider perched on its back. Slowly the boy reached up his hands, stretching as he stood on his tiptoes, as though trying to touch the dragons that flew high above, wonder in his eyes.

The dragons flew in no particular formation and yet in such a way that they stayed out of each other’s way, passing over the small boy and girl below without seeing them. Ahead, beyond the dragons, beyond a small row of rocky hills, and across a large flat plain, there stood a gigantic cliff overlooking it all.

On its edge sat a lone figure, her legs lazily dangling over the edge. She kicked them back and forth while sucking on a piece of grass, her eyes looking over the flat plain with anticipation. Akira hummed to herself, and yet that humming cut off as she caught sight of a shape in the sky approaching. Her legs stopped moving, dangling still.

Her eyes watched intently as the shape grew closer, no sooner was she able to make out that it was a dragon than did she suddenly spotted the hundreds of shapes suddenly appearing behind it. With a smile spreading across her face she simply resumed humming and kicking her legs back and forth once more.

She watched, seeming unconcerned as the dragons grew closer. Below her, at the base of the cliff, stood about a hundred dragons, all a shade darker than the approaching ones. They were bearing their teeth at the approaching group while their riders looked fierce, armored with an assortment of fierce looking weapons.

Akira watched as dragon after dragon, with riders perched onto their backs, poured onto the plain, landing one after the other and then slowly walking towards her. She raised her eyebrows as she saw more following behind. It seemed to be an endless flow.

Below her she heard the darker dragons growl while their riders suddenly seemed to get nervous at the number of approaching dragons. They shot unsure glances at each other. It was easy to see that they were outnumbered and yet still, Akira showed no concern.

Staying where she was as she watched the approaching dragons which walked forward, crouched down, their eyes gleaming and their tails swishing back and forth. The dragons following on from behind them, continued flying in the air, seeming to want to reach the awaiting forces by air.

Suddenly Akira’s legs stopped swinging and she spat the grass from her mouth. Slowly she stood up, taking the time to dust off her backside, still watching the approaching dragons while her forces at the base of the cliff stood their ground.

It was then that the graduate ground forces sprang into action. As though a silent signal had been given, they began to run forward as one, the dragons’ paws eating up the ground while the riders leaned forward. The ground shook and the small pebbles at Akira’s feet bounced. Her forces on the ground solemnly watched as hundreds of dragons charged towards the, waiting.

The approaching dragons in the air were faster and rapidly growing closer. Akira’s gaze turned to them and a smile spread across her face. When a shadow passed over her from behind she did not even shoot a glance up. Dragons, darker than the approaching ones, flew over her, so low that she felt the air swoosh past her, making her hair blow about. Some of the dragons were clad in armor, others were not.

They passed over her ready to meet the other dragons who flew in the air head on. As though this was the signal, the forces that had been waiting at the base of the cliff charged, racing to meet those coming towards them.

Akira watched in interest as before her, both below and above, dragons and riders thundered towards each other. A thrill ran through her and her hand itched to go for the larger of the two swords on her back, yet instead she kept it busy by opening and losing it.

A large shape landed behind her and yet still Akira did not turn from the scene before her.

“It’s starting,” Deception’s familiar voice spoke in her mind as behind her the dragon surveyed the scene below. In reply, Akira turned and walked towards Deception, who was clad in magnificent dark armor.

Swinging herself onto her back Akira settled into the saddle, a sadistic smile on her face.

Arriving with the first few riders and dragons, Seth let Emerald follow the others lead and land on the ground. Drake, with Gina beside him, had his dragon land on Emerald’s right. Both Gina and Drake exchanged a look and yet Seth did not even shoot them a glance, his eyes surveying the battle ground ahead.

It was a flat territory, one he would not expect someone who was outnumbered to pick. For what advantage would they hold? Shapes swooshed overhead and he glanced up to see that the later dragons had not landed but continued to fly forward.

Seth’s gaze moved back down to see the forces they were facing were but a hundred at the most. He shot a look at Linken, who sat before him trying to get him to look around. Linken did not seem to notice his gaze.

“This isn’t going to be a battle,” Drake murmured from beside Seth. “More like a slaughter.”

Seth’s fists tightened into fists. Around him dragons pawed the ground, ready to go, their eyes glued ahead. And then, without warning, the graduates charged. Dragon’s ran across the ground, their paws leaving footprints with every step. The ground shook, the air was filled with tension. Seth was dimly aware how suddenly, more dark dragons appeared in the distance, ready to face the ones in the air.

That was when, for the first time, Seth noticed that at the far end, on the cliff that stood above it all, stood none other than a magnificent black dragon. Like the other dragons, she too was wearing armor, armor that seemed slightly darker though than normal. Perched on her back was a figure, watching calmly as the two forces below charged at each other.

“Akira,” Seth’s heart pounded. It was just as he thought her name that the forces in the air clashed first. The sound of roars and crunching metal was drowned out by the sound of thunder coming from the feet of the dragons charging on the ground.

A large shape dropped from the sky like a rock and Seth was just able to glimpse a flash of yellow scales as the dragon crashed only a few feet to his left, right into another dragon, before he and Emerald were past. As the ground forces reached each other, those at the front launched themselves forward, jumping a few feet into the air as they crashed.  Almost at once the screams and roars of dragons and riders drowned out all other noise.

Seth ducked as the tail of a dragon swept over him. He shot a glance to his right to see Gina, and yet Drake seemed to have disappeared.

“Seth!” Upon Emerald’s warning Seth twisted in his saddle and drew one of his swords, bringing it forward just in time to block the oncoming blow of a rider and his dragon who had somehow slipped through the mass.

Emerald growled and snapped at the other dragon and yet missed as the dragon suddenly whirled, twisting to protect its rider from another attacker who had turned up. Seth could only watch as the new attacker, a familiar large orange dragon, sank its fangs into the other dragon’s neck while his rider jumped from its back, slashing his blade across the rider’s chest before he followed up and sank his sword deep into the back of the dragon’s neck, cutting off its scream.

It dropped to the ground, its rider slipping dead from its back. The attacker jumped off and rolled out of the way before the falling dead dragon could crush him. Jumping to his feet he skillfully grabbed a hold of his own dragon and swung himself back on its back. Turning around he faced Seth, flipping the visor of his helmet up. It was Linken.

“Thought I’d come watch you up close in battle,” Linken told him.

Seth shot a look towards the cliff where Akira and Deception still stood watching. He couldn’t help but wonder why Linken had not headed towards her the first chance he had gone.

“Ah,” Linken shot a look in Akira’s direction. “There’s still time,” he spoke. Suddenly he ducked, a sword swung over where his head had been moments before. Reacting in a split second Linken pushed the attacker back. He was about to strike when Seth beat him to it.

Emerald crashed into the dragon, knocking it to the side while Seth exchanged blows with the rider, a not very skilled one at that, and succeeded in dispatching him with seconds. Emerald in the mean time, got a hold of the dragon’s neck, an easy task as this particular dragon wore no armor. She shook it like a rag doll, dropping it when it went limp.

Seth turned in his saddle to see Linken was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

“Just returning the favor,” Seth told him.

When there was a loud growl Linken turned to see a new attacker, this time an armored dragon, approaching him. Another approached Seth from the opposite side. Linken shot a look back at Seth as Emerald and Linken’s dragon, Abaccus, stepped back so that they stood with their backs to each other, tail to tail as they each faced their new opponent.

“Watch and learn. I’ll dispatch this one in a blink of an eye,” Linken told Seth casually.

Still watching his attacker approach Seth snorted. “Just how would you feel if I managed this faster?”

“I’d be very offended,” Linken replied.

Without another word Seth held on tight as Emerald sprang forward to meet her opponent. Linken grinned before he turned to his own attacker, flipped down his visor, and his dragon launched himself forward.

Some distance above Drake was fighting his own battle. He and his dragon, Flame, had taken to the sky moments after the forces had clashed, leaving Gina and Seth below. There were more dragons in the air from the opposing side and so unlike those on the ground, Drake found himself fighting in all seriousness for his life.

Flame twisted upside down, letting Drake slash down at a rider below from above, before he flipped back up and just managed to avoid an oncoming dragon. A fire ball swished past to his right, hitting a fellow rider full on. The force sent him flying off his dragon’s back and he began to plummet towards the ground. His dragon responded by diving downward, straining his neck as he tried to get the speed needed to catch his rider.

Had he not suddenly been attacked by another rider and dragon, Drake would have helped, yet he found Flame suddenly dodging the very same dragon which had attacked the fallen rider. As a fire ball came right at Drake, Flame dived to the side, avoiding it just in time.

“What’s the plan?” Flame asked as he shot past the fire breathing dragon and his rider.

“Let’s fight fire with fire,” came Drake’s response.

He felt excitement rush through Flame. Breathing fire took years for most dragons and riders to achieve. While most managed students at the Academy got near to being able to do so, many never fully mastered it until after graduation; some never achieved the art at all. Flame however, while he had not yet fully gotten the hang of it, was able to breathe fire at least once, sometimes twice, a day.

“We’ve got one shot at this,” Drake warned Flame as his dragon turned around in order the face the dragon they had just passed by. The dragon and its rider had also turned and were flying towards Drake and Flame at full speed.

As both dragons headed right for each other neither seemed about to move, putting them on a collision course. The other dragon breathed fire and yet Flame flipped to the side, dodging it, before he turned right back on course.

“Not yet,” Drake warned Flame, eyes narrowed as he tried to find their best chance to take the shot.

His dragon continued forward, his neck stretched out. Another fireball came towards him and he dodged again, this time Drake felt the heat as it flew past all too close to him. When Flame flipped back on course Drake suddenly realized that they were closer than he thought.

“Now!” He yelled.

Flame responded by opening his mouth. Fire spewed out, right towards the oncoming dragon and for a moment, Drake’s view of the enemy was blocked. Flame turned to the side, passing the spot where the other dragon had been before. When Drake turned and saw that it was no longer there, satisfaction filled him. They had succeeded.

That was when a shadow suddenly blocked out the sun from above. Slowly Drake looked up to see the dragon and its rider flying right above him. Its rider looked over the side, a triumphant look on her face as her dragon turned its head down so that it was looking right at Drake.

“Dragon scales,” Drake thought as the dragon’s mouth opened. There was no way he or Flame could dodge this.

Drake could see the flame as it formed in the dragon’s mouth, he could see the dragon get ready to breathe it out. His heart beat faster. This was it, this time he really would die. That was when suddenly something hurled into the dragon above and it disappeared from sight.

For a moment Drake sat, stunned. Yet then he turned around in his seat, wanting to figure out what was going on. He caught sight of an all too familiar blue dragon, its rider exchanging blows with the other. The rider on the blue dragon lashed out and the other let out a yell when she lost her balance and plummeted to the ground below. Her dragon turned at once to rush after her.

In the mean time the blue dragon turned around and came to fly alongside Flame. Its rider opened up her helmet visor and glared at Drake.

“Who gave you permission to come up here?” Gina demanded.

“I didn’t know I needed it,” Drake replied grinning, mostly in relief as he flipped his own visor up.

Gina scowled. “Well next time don’t go ahead and get yourself almost burned to crisp. Honestly, I’m always saving you. When will you do your part?”

Drake saw the dragon approaching her from the side before she did. Flame read his thoughts and turned at the same time as Drake flipped his visor back down. He rose, passing over Sky and right towards the approaching Dragon. The rider and dragon waited, ready for the attack, yet when Flame suddenly rose higher they were caught off guard.

Flame turned upside down and Drake let go of the saddle. He dropped, his timing perfect, and slashed the rider across the chest while falling past, the unsuspecting dragon unable to do a thing to protect his rider. As Drake continued to fall, Flame took on the dragon.

Drake, who was still falling, twisted once more. A second later he landed upon another dragon. Turning in the saddle, her visor still up, Gina only shot Drake an intensified glare.

“Thanks for always saving me,” Drake told her as he hugged her from behind.

Gina melted, her eye softening.

As Flame appeared beside them, Drake, holding onto Gina’s shoulders for support, stood up in the saddle before he jumped over to the side and landed on his own dragon’s back. Once settled back in he turned to give Gina the thumbs up.

Gina only shook her head before she flipped her visor back down and concentrated on an approaching dragon. Drake too, found himself busy once more with another dragon.

From upon Deception’s back Akira view the scene below. “We’re getting defeated,” she commented, sounding somewhat bored.

“As expected,” Deception responded. “We better do something before it’s over.” No sooner had she thought the words than a group of graduates broke through Akira’s forces below and began to head toward her.

“Looks like we don’t have a choice,” Akira sighed. “A pity, I was enjoying watching the show.”

“Don’t lie. You’ve been itching to draw some blood.”

“You know me too well,” Akira grinned as she drew the sword on her back.

“Time to show them how far we’ve come,” Deception thought.

Akira didn’t reply as she slid her hand across her blade, making it burst into flames. Her eyes were full of excitement.

“Let the games begin,” she grinned as Deception stepped forward. Her paws touched the very edge, making a few pebbles break and fall. Suddenly she crouched and launched herself into the air, leaving the cliff behind.

Akira leaned forward in the saddle, her flaming sword held ready as she and Deception approached the group of graduates confidently. The fact that Akira was not wearing a helmet did not seem to bother her in the least.

“You think they’ll at least be a challenge?” Deception asked hopefully as she surveyed the strong looking dragons and riders.

“Let’s hope so,” Akira replied. “They are after all graduates.”

Moments later the two groups met. Deception crashed mercilessly right into a dragon, her teeth sinking into a spot where she knew the armor was weak. The dragon let out a scream and Akira swung her flaming sword at one of the riders while with her other hand she blasted a flame towards one who tried to sneak up on her right.

She and Deception worked together as a team in a way that sent a wave of fear through the attacking riders, for neither black dragon nor her rider, seemed to be afraid of death, both taking risky chances every moment they fought. Even scarier, both seemed to be radiating something that made the attackers hesitate, for they radiated death.

Akira felt satisfaction fill her as around her and Deception riders and dragons fell.  This was it. This was what she had waited for. All the forces were gathered, the best in the land. By fighting them it was only a matter of time until she and Deception could reach full maturity. They were almost there. She could feel it, taste it, the power that was waiting to be unleashed.

Suddenly she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Surprised she blocked a blow from a rider who had tried to cut her down from behind. She lashed back out at him and yet he blocked her blow.

“Don’t get distracted,” Deception warned her. “They are far more experienced than those we have faced so far.”

Akira headed her dragon’s warning well, for she knew she was right. In the next moments she found herself fighting with everything she had and soon she was covered in sweat. Yet throughout it all the smile on Akira’s face grew, she was enjoying every bit.

A good distance away from her Drake was fighting with another dragon. He was only engaged with it for a little while when Sky suddenly seemed to catch sight of something below.

“I think we need to check this out,” Sky thought, only half concentrating he almost didn’t manage to dodge the sharp teeth of the other dragon.

Shoving the other rider’s sword away from him Drake shot a glance towards the ground and yet he was too far up to see what Flame was referring to.

What’s down there?” He asked as he lashed out with his sword at the other rider.

“I can’t be sure, but I’m sure I recognized a dragon.”

“Who is it?”

For a moment Flame was silent as he suddenly turned upward and a dragon swooshed by below. He passed another dragon and rider from the Academy that were fighting.

“Suntarie,” Flame finally thought.

Drake froze. Cain’s dragon? But Cain was back at the Academy, wasn’t he? He turned his eyes back to the ground. There was only one way to find out.

“Flame?”

“On my way,” his dragon replied as he turned and began to head downwards. They passed by numerous other dragons that were fighting and yet ignored them as they continued. Drake’s eyes were glued below as he searched for the golden brown dragon which belonged the future Cain.

He spotted her once they were close. There was no doubt about it, it was Suntarie. She was currently fighting a dragon and rider and yet there was no rider on her own back. Drake’s heart sank. It couldn’t be, could it?

His eyes searched all around, hoping for the best. Relief filled him when moments later he spotted none other than young Cain, standing not far away, a sword clutched in his hands. Yet Drake relief was short lived when he suddenly saw the dragon and rider bearing down on the young boy.

Leaning forward in his saddle Drake urged Flame on. There was no way Cain would be able to stand up to the dragon and rider and Suntarie was too busy fighting her own battle to help. Stretching his neck Flame picked up speed, hurtling towards the ground.

The dragon and rider below were almost upon Cain, who was facing them with seemingly no fear, when Flame crashed into the dragon. Both dragons went flying. Flame, who had been going too fast, went bouncing across the ground. Drake however, managed to jump from his back, rolling once on the ground before he got to his feet and stood right before a stunned Cain.

Flipping up his visor Drake began to walk towards him. “What are you doing here Cain?” He asked. Behind him Flame got up, shaking his head as though to clear it.

“What does it look like?” Cain asked scowling.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Drake told him sternly.

“That’s what you think.”

“You’re supposed to be back at the Academy. The battlefield is no place for a boy.” Drake firmly grabbed his arm. In response Cain tried to shake himself loose and yet Drake held on firmly.

“Let go!” Cain glared at Drake.

“No,” Drake responded.

“Drake!” Flame warned him.

Letting go of Cain, Drake whirled around to see the dragon and rider from before charging once more. Flame, closer to Drake, arrived first.

“Stay here,” Drake told Cain before he mounted his dragon.

Flame ran forward to meet the approaching dragon. Just before the two met Flame he whirled. He whipped his tail around and yet the dragon responded by jumping over him.

Flame slid to a halt and turned around. Yet he was too late as the other dragon, faster than him, crashed right into him. The force knocked Flame back and he was too busy trying to regain his footing to realize that the other dragon had gone for his neck. She sank her teeth into it and yet the armor there prevented her from getting her teeth into Flame’s skin.

Flame shook her off before he lashed out with his claws. Drake, who had drawn his sword, locked eyes with the other rider who too was waiting for a chance to attack. Flame got ready to spring forward when suddenly another rider and dragon appeared and crashed into the other dragon, taking the fight elsewhere.

Relaxing Drake turned to see that Cain was still standing where he had left him. Making sure there were no attackers nearby Flame approached him. Drake dismounted and walked towards the boy just as Suntarie appeared behind him.

“You,” Drake spoke to the dragon, disapproval in his voice. “You should know better than to bring him here.”

Suntarie held his gaze evenly.

“Your rider from the future may be skilled in battle,” Drake told her, “But don’t forget that Cain is only a kid.” Suntarie hung her head, looking somewhat shameful.

“I’m not a kid!” Cain yelled in response as he tore his helmet from his head so that he could glare at Drake.

“Yes you are,” Drake told Cain firmly.

Around them the fighting got quieter as it moved further away.

“You didn’t answer my question Cain,” Drake told him. “Why are you here?”

Cain stared right at him and Drake was able to detect that anger that was boiling inside him. He could see the hurt, the hate, he could feel it radiating off him.

“I’m here to take revenge,” Cain spat.

Drake stared at him.

“I’m here to kill her!” Cain breathed hard at he pointed towards the cliff where the black dragon and his rider had stood before.

Drake had heard enough. Before Cain could do a thing Drake had pulled back his fist and punched him across the jaw. Cain went stumbling back and Suntarie moved threateningly towards Drake, yet Flame’s warning growl made her pause.

Cain slowly stood up straight and as he turned to Drake he could see the bewildered look in his eyes.

“You want to take revenge Cain?” Drake asked him angrily. “Do you think you were the only one affected by Will’s death?”

Cain flinched and yet Drake ignored him.

“How many of us do you think knew him better than you? We went to battle with him, we attended the same Academy as him, and we went through the same pain of losing people we cared about!” Drake glared at Cain. “What right do you think you have to take revenge? If anyone did it would be one of us who actually spent most of our lives with him!”

“Then why don’t you?” Cain screamed. The anger inside him seemed to have finally bubbled over. “Why don’t you go and kill the person who killed him! Why don’t you just do it?”

Drake shook his head. “You think I haven’t thought about it?” He asked. “Cain, the truth is I have.” He took a deep breath to calm himself. “Will wanted to save Akira. He knew he would most likely not survive if he went to face her, and yet still he did. If he was willing to give his life to save her then don’t you think that us going to kill her was the last thing he would have wanted?”

“But why?” Cain asked. “What’s so special about Akira?” Tears were in his eyes. “Why would Will die for her?”

Drake didn’t respond.

“Tell me!” Cain yelled, the tears beginning to fall. “What’s so special about her?”

Drake walked forward and reaching out an arm he placed it on the back of Cain’s head before he pulled the young boy towards himself. Dropping both his helmet and sword Cain wept, letting out all the anger, the pain, the hate, everything he had stored up so far.

“She’s saved us many times before. She’s given everything to make sure the lands and all in it were safe,” Drake murmured. “Akira has always pulled through and Gina…” he paused. “I believe she’ll do it again. Will believed it so much to risk his life over it, isn’t that enough Cain?”

“But what if it’s not?” Cain whispered. “What if things don’t change? It’ll all be a waste, wont it?”

“You once believed in the Rider of Legend didn’t you?” Drake asked him as he lifted his gaze towards the sky, he felt tears prickle in the back of his eyes and yet he refused to do let them fall. “Do it once more Cain. It’s one thing Akira taught us all, never give up hope, not as long as you have a breath in your body, not as long as you are still able to see the light. Never give up hope.”

Even as he spoke, above him, near the cliff, dragons fell all around Deception and Akira as they fought. As though feeling that someone was watching her Akira turned to shoot a glance at the ground below. Her face was splattered with blood, her eyes filled with a mad thirst for blood.

She stared only a moment longer before she turned to face another attacker. Satisfaction filled her, things were finally somewhat interesting.