Preservation Ch 4
Imported from SF2 with no description.
Chapter 4
Seraphi Antaaranil 2, second century, Etassus 39414 Vahrak
We enjoyed the sun for the rest of the day, then retired to our own thoughts for the evening. I went to rest early for the night, as well. As a general rule, whenever one's trainer selected you specifically to ask if you were ready, it meant big things were about to happen, and things would be harder. Best to prepare.
My intuition was rather helpful, as I found myself roughly shoved awake by one of my group ?probably Jasik, given the color? tried hurriedly to wake me. I stumbled to my feet, groping in the dark for the end of the bed. All around me, I could hear the other students murmuring in the near pitch-black lack of lighting.
“?middle of the night?"
“?never done this before?"
“?heard something about an attack?"
Then an all-commanding voice rang out, so stern I hardly recognized the golden dragon standing at the edge of the balcony.
“Be silent!"
We all stood in not some small amount of fear, then, as our kind trainer had suddenly become so restrictive. Fortunately, we didn't seem to be the reason of his anger. He was only venting.
Aurash swept back towards us. “I am well aware you only began training a week ago. But something serious has happened, and we can no longer trust the defenses of our fortifications to keep our enemies out."
With a rush I remembered the war that was an ever-present threat to us. I felt a flush of shame and embarrassment, then, as I had been completely forgetting the struggle for survival that had changed us all so drastically.
He returned his gaze to us. “While yes, I am aware that many of you had enjoyed that fleeting spark of the overworld, it has come to pay its due on our city. This night's watch, three young Salym trainees and… one of my friends…" Aurash's voice trembled for a moment, then he carried on. “...were flying past that same tunnel to the surface, where there was light today. They found there a forward base of sorts that the Ivarni have created, a small army to take a portion of the city while we slept.
“One of the recruits was struck down by a ballista before he had a chance. The others attacked bravely, striking the machine before it could fire again. The human army surrounded the three. The only thing I can hope is that their deaths were swift and merciful."
Aurash wiped a hot streak of tears from his muzzle before continuing. “Only one of the recruits made it near the compound —my home— before crashing. He told me all I know before passing away in my grip, terrified and in pain." He paced nervously, not caring to pick up the plant he had accidentally thrashed with his tail.
To be sure, our forty-strong company was more than a little shocked. But what we heard next shocked us even more.
“Now we must go to war as well. Be ready in ten minutes, be safe out there. I don't want any of you to die."
Almost immediately our squad began to murmur amongst itself. I turned, and though it seemed I was the only one who remembered it, I retrieved the only armor padding I had.
The coarse, multilayered leather would provide little protection to a spear or arrow, but I had heard —fortunately so— that it was rather effective to halt a slash and some jabs of swords. At the very least, it was preferable to being cut to pieces in my first real battle. The foreleg guards had the most padding, and the armor to cover my flanks and underside would serve me well as we would fight many more than us.
Jasik made his way through the crowd to me, wordlessly tying the last few straps across my back. As he finished, he pulled me close. “Be safe," he whispered before drawing back and standing in line with the others. I turned to follow him, then saw Tarinth, peering around a corner in surprise at the entire company standing there before her.
The next few minutes were spent trying to calm the nerves of some of the more excitable dragons. Then Aurash turned to us, no signs of any emotion but anger burning across his face. In the dim light he appeared demonic, and I wondered briefly if that was how those Ivarnos soldiers and their people always saw us: burning, vengeful creatures of the night.
Well, considering where we were going, and how we planned to slaughter them, maybe that was somewhat true.
“You all know what to do when we get there." Aurash received a firm nod from each of us.
“Stay in formation, burn any ballistae you encounter. Regardless of how poorly aimed the bolt is it will hit something. Make sure that something is not you. Are you all ready?" Another nod.
“Good. Silent until we get there, then tear them to pieces." Aurash leapt from the ledge, the rest of us silently following suit.
Those humans never knew what hit them. But, in truth, neither did we.
From all different sides their outpost was being swarmed. The chaotic clash between our two races was bloody, unbearably loud, and above all else simply horrifying. The Ivarni held their lines desperately, a living, bristling wall of spears and shields. They held their ground even when a lone dragon charged them, scattering them to the winds as much as possible. Then they reformed the first ranks, surrounding that dragon and hacking him down. I shuddered. But then we were at their lines, and we had to engage them ourselves. The time to observe was over. I folded my wings, my battle group crashing in just the right point of their flanks.
“Hold steady! Only flame them while their shields are raised!" Aurash was calling battle commands in full Draconic from the skies, burning down any ballistae he could while evading the hails of arrows from archers. We waited as he instructed, allowing their ranks to recover from the five-dragon squads that had pushed their way through their lines. Their shields interlocked as they formed a phalanx formation, advancing slowly.
A combination of acidic —and highly flammable— bile mixed with a large combination of pressurized gas shot from our maws. The mix sparked in the air as the soldiers screamed, scalded them where their metal plates protected and terminally burned where they did not. Once more, their ranks fell into disarray as we charged wantonly through their wounded. More than once the humans tried to bring one of us down by encircling us; we never gave them the chance. Our five brought down almost as many as the experienced combat groups, at least two hundred combined.
Several times some foolish soldier got it into his head that I actually wanted to be killed. He charged at me with a lance, not his brightest idea by far. I glanced at him only once before my tail spikes caught him in the side of his head, tossing him back into the crowd with a new piercing that I doubted he appreciated.
I moved on.
A second soldier jumped screaming out of the fray towards me, a short sword glinting as its edge pointed straight towards my throat. I raised a foreleg to block, the metal piercing the leather and my scales but slowing considerably. After wincing in pain for a moment, the second man was little more than a charred and partially melted pile of ash.
Though they may not have been on exactly even ground against us —losing the advantages of flight, size, and speed— the Ivarni, I was surprised to learn, were actually challenging to me. Their sheer numbers overwhelmed the single fighters, and their archers made flight difficult at best. But even through our losses we persevered, slaughtering forty-to-one at the beginning of the battle and far more nearing the end, or at least I thought that was the count... I was exhausted as I slew the last soldier actively opposing me, and halted, panting. The exhilaration of battle coursed through me still, but I gave myself a once-over.
Hmm. Funny, it really doesn't hurt so bad…
I was apparently in worse shape than I thought. Most of the thick leather guard was shredded and torn, offering little to no protection. Blood dripped from the arrows embedded in my flanks, that sword was still protruding from my foreleg like an odd metal branch, and there were a few wounds in the vulnerable, only lightly armored spots of my shoulders. If I had to fly that would be rather painful. I coughed, the wracking motion causing more pain. Come to think of it, maybe it would be a good idea to stay back a bit. They were routed anyway, and I was becoming seriously light-headed.
I heard a trumpeting roar echoing across the cavern. Numbly I raised my head, finding a new wave of my kind sweeping down on the intruders. I limped forward, resting on a rock at such an angle that I didn't press on any of the arrows. Then my world went dark.
The first thing I heard as I came to was the mad scrabble of paws as I lay on… well, it wasn't the rock in the battlefield; it was probably a pile of furs, given the softness.. I still felt terrible, but at least I was alive. Now, I thought, I have to know where I am.
Opening my eyes wasn't very helpful. All I saw was a rock. Now, for some reason, All I could think was, This rock is ugly. I don't know why. Perhaps it was the splatter of blood directly in front of where my mouth was resting.
I raised my head for a moment, only to have it gently forced down to the furs once more. A quiet voice whispered in my ear as I gave my control to him.
“Easy, now. You're in the infirmary, you're safe, any friends you want can be here as soon as you're ready."
I relaxed. The infirmary. That meant we had won, and they had time to retrieve the wounded and… care for the fallen. Oh, gods.
I redoubled my effort to sit up, not pausing when the dragon watching me tried to ease me down again. He was a crimson and golden color, and wore a concerned expression as he watched me.
“My brother. Is he…" I retched, not thrilled to see flecks of red as my vision cleared. “Is he okay?" I rasped. I didn't care whether the attendant knew who my brother was.
“He's fine," he said. There was an edge to his voice. “But you won't be until you stay down. Your lungs will need time to heal, so lie still. You'll be good to go soon."
Relenting, I lay my head down as I asked, “My lungs?"
He paused. There was an undercurrent of worry as he replied.
“Some sort of poison. At this point we've narrowed it down to a few choice toxins. Unfortunately, over the past few days we've only had a… little… success. At least you're flushing the toxin out now, though," he said, rushing the last part of his speech.
I tensed, though I didn't stand. I was still far too weak.
“A… a few days?" I rasped.
“Lie down, you'll be fine."
A few minutes later, a familiar looking set of green scales appeared in the corner of my vision. Something was placed before me, and I could hear Tarinth whisper gently in my ear, encouraging me to cooperate. I did, chewing the herbs even as I winced at the bitter taste.
My eyelids drooped. Before I could even think, You sneaky dragoness, I was out cold once more.
The next time I awoke I felt much better, and this time I could actually breathe without a twinge of pain running through my chest. I was about to take stock in my surroundings once more, but froze when I heard voices speaking in hushed whispers above me.
“...Sure your sister will take this news the same way you have?"
“My sister will, at the very least, understand the vision your group has for the future. I don't think the Dusk Angels are going to have any problems with her." I had to stifle a gasp as I recognized Jasik's voice.
“She may not have to know about us. If you simply say one of your superiors ordered the exploration, she likely won't ever know… You could make her feel safer on your journey."
“And I will. But I won't lie to her…"
My mind was spinning. What journey? My mind was still a little slow, but I had a feeling Jas wasn't telling me everything. I listened intently for more, but it seemed they were gone.