Daylight || Liam Mairi

12

It's been a few weeks since Monserrat, and my shoulder is all healed. Since Xaden is leaving us next year and wants to prepare me and Liam to go on runs with everyone he allowed me and Liam to go with on the last supply drop. We were under strict orders from Xaden to "keep quiet" and "for the love of the gods stay on your fucking dragons." Because I was feeling generous (and that I'd already caused Xaden some premature gray hairs) I begrudgingly listened and just shadowed the exchange. But today, marks the first battle of war games.

"What do you think our assignment is gonna be?" Liam asks as our squad as we stand in formation, "Deigh and Lu think we're on offense, and Deigh wont stop going on about getting to kick Gleann's ass." He finishes and I chuckle having heard the excitement in Deigh's voice myself.

"We're definitely on offense" Rhiannon answers from my left, "otherwise we'd already be in the field, I haven't seen anyone from 1st wing since lunch."

"I think you're right" I say and we quiet waiting for the announcement, Dain finally walks over and tells us were on both offense and defense.

"1st wing has taken a defensive position in one of the practice forts in the mountains, and they're guarding a crystal egg." He smiles and the older riders murmur with excitement.

"What are we missing here?" Ridoc asks, "because you guys seem thrilled about an egg"

"From past years we know that eggs are more points" Cianna says grinning

"Ok but how is this both offense and defense?" I ask

"they have egg we steal egg simple" Ridoc finishes for me and I smile at his bluntness

"Because we've also been given a flag to defend and no outpost to do it in" Dain grins "and our squad has been assigned to guard it" I glance at Liam seeing an excited smile matching mine on his face.

You ready for this? I say through our bond

So ready, he responds immediately back and I smirk

Let's do this

The next hour is filled with talks of strategy, we've decided to play to our individual strengths, passing the flag often never giving 1st wing the chance to spot who's carrying it. I approach the flight field with Liam, Ridoc, and Sawyer and we're ready to win. We climb on to our respective dragons and take off, we're split up in to 2 tight formations of 6 as we wait for the battle to begin. My vision dances across the horizon and finally we not only see but hear 1st wings dragons, a lot of them. They soar towards us at unimaginable speed and I take a deep breath readying myself for the upcoming battle. I shoot one last glance towards Liam and reach through our bond.

Don't you dare die on me today Mairi

Wouldn't dream of it Kane, he quips back and I smile as Lu drops out of formation to spread 1st wing thin and give them multiple targets.

Hold on, Lu says to me and I brace ready for her to take off at breakneck speed.

We are engaged by a red swordtail from 1st wing the rider using wind to try to knock me off Lu but he has no such luck, Lu uses her fire to distract them then swiftly whips her tail toward the dragon slicing it under the wing making it roar out in pain, the dragon loses altitude and surrenders, we're about to engage our next dragon rider duo but the hairs on my neck stand up and a feeling of panic shoots down my spine causing me to widen my eyes.

"Liam" I whisper, but before I can even finish my thought Lu banks so hard I almost lose my seat.

On our way, Lu growls

I spot Deigh and Liam engaged in combat with Jack Barlowe and his orange scorpion tail Baide. We fly faster and faster Tairn and Violet having the same idea but further away, Baide snaps her tail at Deigh barely missing his throat and Lu roars so loud many dragons stop their combat to look. I can feel her anger and her fear deep in my bones as we rush over to help. We're almost there as I see Jack unsheathe his sword and my skin pales.