‘Sharrag, get here now!’ the shade’s mental voice pieced into the dragon’s mind making him growl in slight pain, ‘Now!’

His body rumbled as Sythrel shouted his true name afterwards, compelling him to obey. He got up from where he was laying down and stretched his wings, ready to fly. That was when the cries of surprise and fear started. He also sensed magic in the air, and a flash fire was sent through the woods.

He took to the air, flying high into the clouds to get a view of the situation. As far as he could tell the pack had made their first attack. Tents had been knocked over and a few bloody remains of limbs were spread across the ground. One of the tents had been pushed into a fire that was now steadily getting stronger.

His gaze turned to the forest where he knew the wolves would be. He flinched as the shade once again spoke to him.

‘Kill them, burn the forest if you have to, but I want you to kill them,’ the command was followed with his true name, once again making him unable to resist.

He tucked his wings into his side and dived towards the forest. He let out an ear splitting roar, hoping to warn the Shrrg of his inevitable attack. He lined his mouth with the fire he was about to breath and held it in his throat, until he was just above the trees. He opened his wings and in the same movement unleashed the emerald fire that had been trapped in his jaw.

The fire lit the forest up instantly. The trees that the fire hit were almost instantly incinerated from the heat. He angled the fire through the trees beginning to slowly burn away all the places the wolves had to hide.

A howl was suddenly heard on the other side of the camp. Sharrag frowned, what were they playing at? It wasn’t like Talismen to allow them to make so much noise that even under the fire Sharrag could find them. He flew towards the sound of the howl, ready to burn the general area with his fire. Another howl suddenly sounded from behind him causing him to pause in mid air and look the other way.

‘A you trying to confuse me?’ thought Sharrag with a frown, ‘You know that won’t work, why then? Could this all be a trick?’

A third howl was sounded in another different direction, this time it sounded younger, and was more towards the camp. Talismen was his first thought but it really didn’t sound like him. He dived towards the camp, his stomach barely skimming the tops of the trees. With a great cry he launched himself over the top of the trees and unleashed his fire. The Shrrg that was there avoided the attack and sprinted into the forest. There was a cry of surprise as many of the men that were near him were burned up in the flames.

‘Watch where you are flaming dragon?’ yelled Sythrel enraged, ‘I command you to kill the wolves, not my men!’

Sharrag snorted, it wasn’t exactly his fault. Thinking back to what had happened earlier he was sure the flame had hit the wolf, or at least the heat would have been able to burn them to a crisp. Fur wasn’t exactly fire proof.

His attention was drawn by another howl from a hundred metres away. The clearing where he had wanted to sleep. He flew up high and gazed down towards it, seeing three of the Shrrg standing in the clearing looking around. One of them let out another howl. From this high up Sharrag couldn’t tell who it was, but he had a fair idea. With a roar he turned and dived down towards them.

The Shrrg gazed up at him from below. They made no movement to avoid him or run into the forest. He let his flames lick around the sides of his maw, trying to hold back the fire for a short while to let them escape, but his command to kill was to strong. As soon as he was close enough he unleashed the emerald green fire towards them, trying to burn them to ash.

The Shrrg didn’t move a muscle as the flames hit them. The ground around them was instantly set alight as the flames spread through the clearing. Sharrag let out a mournful keen as he realised that it was a direct hit. There was no way a Shrrg could survive a direct hit from his flame.

He turned away from the emerald fire and looked towards the camp, but was stopped when a howl sounded from the clearing. Looking back in surprise he saw that the Shrrg were still standing there, completely unharmed. Not even a string of fur was singed. Growling he decided to blast them again with fire. It had the same effect as previous. One of the wolves, Talismen, stepped forward and howled again. It was a challenge.

‘They must have wards,’ he thought, ‘But how did they get wards. Maybe Angela came back and found them, giving them these wards. But is she somewhere here?’

He looked around the burning forest for any sign of a human figure. Not seeing any he growled again before turning to Talismen. The Shrrg howled his challenge again, and again. Something inside Sharrag couldn’t resist. He slowly glided down to the burning clearing, his scales protecting him from most of the heat. Swishing his tail he growled at Talismen. The wolf seemed to nod and drew his great sword from his shoulder.

Sharrag was bigger then the Shrrg, by quite a substantial amount. He was also so much more powerful then Talismen. The only thing that the wolf had on his side was the fact that he was so much faster then the dragon, especially on the ground. He also had his wards which Sharrag had no doubt would protect him from his claws and talons and tail, for a while at least.

He got ready to pounce at the wolf, when a sharp pain bit into his tail. He yelped in surprise and looked around at the culprit. Another Shrrg, Siserl. He growled and breathed his fire at her to find that she also had wards. He swung his tail and she leapt over it, running into the forest. Another sharp pain sawed into his wing and he roared. Talismen ran past him and into the forest leaving a giant gash in the membrane of his wing. It wouldn’t stop him from flying but it would make it so much more difficult to maneuverer in the air, and it would be incredibly painful.

‘Your smart Talismen, I’ll give you that,’ he thought, beginning to pad towards the forest after the two Shrrg, ‘But how are you going to take down a dragon, even on the ground.’

He couldn’t help but be a little excited. So far in this fight he had had the disadvantage in this fight. Talismen seemed to have planned this far better then a Shrrg should have. Sharrag was beginning to think that maybe they would have a chance if they kept this up. He guessed now they were slowly going to try and ware him out. He knew there were only five of them that could fight, maybe a few more if the pups had matured enough in the time he had been gone. He also knew that one or two of them would have to stay at the cave to look after the Urzhad and her cubs, along with the younger Shrrg pups. So he guessed they would either have four of them or seven, and maybe Angela. She would be the real problem.

He smiled a little. It was strange fighting his own pack and a little exhilarating. He was glad that they had learned so much and were now putting it into practice. He just hoped that by the end of the day he wouldn’t have to kill any of them. If he got free he was thinking to make things like this happen often, just as practice.

He was deep within the forest now, looking around for any sign of movement. The Shrrg hadn’t attacked him again yet, though he was sure that it would only be a matter of time. A patter of feet behind him caused him to look around behind him.

Suddenly something was shouted in the ancient language behind him. With a growl he looked around in surprise. The first vine to hit him wrapped tightly around his muzzle, blocking him from breathing fire. The second wrapped around his legs, tripping him over and preventing him from moving. The third caught his tail and the last wrapped around his wings and body. He groaned and thrashed, trying to break the bonds but they held him extremely well.

A rustle in the bushes caused him to look over, and he blinked in surprise. It was an elf, and not just any elf but Aradon. The elf he had met in the forest of Du Weldenvarden. A small smile came to his face. The Shrrg had definitely found some powerful allies. Levial came out behind his brother, a relieved smile across his face. They were probably extremely happy that the plan had worked out.

One by one the Shrrg revealed themselves as well. Talismen was the first, followed by Craves, Siserl and Seriah. Three more of the pups came out as well and he smiled again, glad that they were able to help. He tried to struggle slightly as his command began to take over him once again but he forced himself to stop, not wanting to obey. A deep growl rumbled from his throat and he closed his eyes struggling.

Something silent passed between Talismen and Levial and the elf sighed.

“Its not him,” replied the elf, “The shade most definitely has his true name, and under the influence of a true name a good person, or dragon, will do horrible things.”

Sharrag listened and nodded to Talismen. Telling him that what Levial said was true. He growled suddenly as he felt the darkness of the Sythrel invade his mind.

‘Why have you stopped moving, kill them!’ he shouted.

Sharrag snarled and sent it a picture of himself trapped in vines and unable to move. The shade let out a deep sigh at the other end of the mind connection, ‘I guess if you want something done properly you have to do it yourself. Guard your mind Sharrag, don’t let anyone in until I say otherwise.’

With that it severed the connection and Sharrag shivered. He put up his mind guards and reinforced the barriers, making his mind nearly impenetrable. He looked over at the other two elves and his pack and whimpered, trying to warn them of the incoming doom.

They looked towards him. Aradon nodded in understanding and drew his sword, looking into the forest with studying eyes. It didn’t take long for the shade to reach them. Sythrel came through the forest, a black sword held lightly in its hands. Sharrag growled slightly when he saw it.

The two elves shivered slightly, Levial drawing his own sword. The three of them faced off, ready to attack at any moment. The shade made the first move, jumping towards Levial with his sword raised. Levial blocked the stroked and Aradon leapt forward, striking towards the shade. Sythrel’s wards blocked the stroke but it still caused the shade to jump back, hissing with anger. Sharrag had no doubt that it would be a difficult fight for the shade. As far as he knew these two elves were extremely good fighters, even amongst there own kind.

There was a sudden blur of movement from behind and Talismen came rushing in, his great sword clashing with the shade’s wards causing him to gasp and stumble forward, his wards barely holding against the strength of a Shrrg. Sharrag found himself smiling. Maybe they would defeat the shade after all.

“You fools,” snarled Sythrel straightening himself back up, “If your all going to fight at once, then I think I need a back up as well.”

He put his hand towards Sharrag and yelled, “Jeida!”

The bonds that held Sharrag were instantly broken leaving the dragon free once more. Sharrag felt his heart drop as he slowly got to his feet. He tried to resist but the shade had control of his mind.

‘Now kill them all,’ it said, following the command with Sharrag’s true name.

Sharrag turned his gaze towards the two elves. They took a step back, staring at the dragon. Sharrag roared at himself inside his mind and struggled for control. He battered away a few of the Shrrg like they were flies, flinging them into the trees. Talismen growled at him, backing away slightly and glancing at the Shade, who had continued its assault on the two elves.

Sharrag looked mournfully at Talismen as he raised his claw, ready to finish the wolf off. Talismen dropped his head in defeat, the great sword clashing against the ground. Sharrag hesitated, fighting himself inside. He took a step back, shaking his head, before roaring into the sky. Talismen looked at him with surprise, and the elves stopped their fight, looking at Sharrag.

‘What are you doing!’ yelled the shade inside Sharrag’s head, ‘I said kill them.’

Sharrag turned his gaze on the shade, a deep growl once again lining his throat. He flinched as it yelled his true name at him, trying to get the dragon to obey. Sharrag refused to listen.

‘I am a wild dragon! You will not control me!’ he shouted in the head of everyone in the clearing, before leaping forward and smashing the shade into the ground with his claws.

For a moment everyone in the clearing was silent as the squished shade dissipated into the shadows. Sharrag suddenly staggered, the effort of breaking the effect of his true name suddenly getting to him. With a groan he fell to the ground with a thud and let darkness overtake him.

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Hey guys! New chapter! I hope you enjoyed. I'm pretty sure this is the longest one yet :) As always vote if you enjoyed and comment on what you thought of it. The next chapter will be out as soon as I can get it. See Ya!

Pennator^^