The Dragon Bond

Chapter 8

                   "Shall we charge Ser Kraig?" asked one of the soldiers.

Ser Kraig sat atop his steed poised to strike the village. Not known for being hesitant, today was different, for dragons were in the sky.

"I see no dragons." The soldier said.

The village loomed in the distance only a short distance away, the five thousand soldiers ready and waiting to strike. Still Ser Kraig did not command a charge having seen the damage already done the last time a dragon descended on the village. Only when Ser Daryl came forward did the men forgo a boost in moral.

"We are men of the King! The most powerful military force the world has seen! Come with me to take this village. We capture the villagers and take the dragon, dead or alive!" he shouted.

Ordering a charge, the soldiers and mounted Knights started forward, bellowing war cries as the small army closed on the village rapidly.

Within the village itself, the survivors were vastly outnumbered and blissfully unaware of the approaching men, until the sounds of a stampede were heard. People began to panic, men taking up arms as women fled with their children. Darla scrambled to gather her children, but she could not find Glimmer anywhere since Glimmer was soaring overhead on Sunray.

"Mother! We need to head back to our farm. It's our only chance!" Aurora shouted.

Darla looked at her confused. Only after a moment did she remember why the farm was so significant.

"Mother they're getting closer!" Sarvos screamed, clinging to Darla.

"I don't want what happened to Father to happen to us." Rigel said, tears streaming down his face.

Darla clung to her children and started in the opposite direction of the attackers. Aurora tried to make for the farm, but Rigel and Sarvos stopped her, holding her back. The family broke through the door of an abandoned house, one of the few that was still standing, though severely burned. Aurora readied her bow and tossed her dagger to Darla.

The men who had stayed behind to defend the village had only a few spears and bows, being largely unprepared to combat a group of soldiers this size. Quickly men started falling, killed by arrows looser upon them from all directions loosed upon them from all directions. Quickly three hundred or more had been slain, for only fifty or so Kings men having been killed.

More than a thousand feet above, Sunray had gone unnoticed, though the approaching Army had caught his eye quickly. Glimmer cried out as the men approached, knowing it was likely her family would either be slain or captured. Knowing she was powerless to help them, she could only cling to Sunray and weep.

Suddenly, Sunray shrieked and folded his wings as tightly as he could, diving from the sky rapidly. Quickly he dropped to only five hundred feet, then four, then three before levelling off. Approaching from the rear, only the villagers could see the dragon as his massive glossy wings illuminated the already bright sky. The Kings men were oblivious, as the dragon silently closed on his prey. Then dropping to his above the ground, so low that his wings would strike the grass with every flap, the dragon made his presence known, screeching and hissing.

Suddenly, Sunray shrieked and folded his wings as tightly as he could, diving from the sky rapidly. Quickly he dropped to only five hundred feet, then four, then three before levelling off. Approaching from the rear, only the villagers could see the dragon as his massive glossy wings illuminated the already bright sky. The Kings men were oblivious, as the dragon silently closed on his prey. Then dropping to his above the ground, so low that his wings would strike the grass with every flap, the dragon made his presence known, screeching and hissing.