A Dragon's Bond

Show of Power

"No way Dothrak. I didn't do anything to deserve dueling the Queen!"

"Like hell Quaid! You fell asleep at your post again. At least dueling the Queen lets you go out with a little dignity. Besides, there will be nineteen other people fighting her at the same time. Maybe you guys will get lucky..."

     Dothrak smiled a rotten grin at his old friend being led to the arena in chains, the betrayal clear. Quaid had begun slightly shaking as a single silent tear tore itself from his eyes, only to be wiped away as quickly as it had appeared.

     He was among the other nineteen mages chosen to battle the Queen today. She needed to sharpen her skills to battle the new Alpha Rider that had appeared recently. Plus these men needed punishment.

     They were lead out into a large arena single file, thousands of screaming men and women watching from above within the stands. The smell of burnt victims filling the nostrils of the savages above, their villainous minds racing with the excitement of watching their fearless Queen devour her opponents in battle.

     The mages were arranged within the center of the arena in a circle before being unchained. One man taking the opportunity to turn and flee, only to be cut down but men in towers along the arena. The victim screaming momentarily before succumbing to the pain and eternal sleep.

     The crowd began chanting in unison. Each time the words getting louder and louder until the roar was almost more than your ears could handle.

"Vadoris, Vadoris, Vadoris"

     Suddenly the crowd went silent as the Queen appeared over the edge of the arena. Her large dragon spewing giant flames into the air as he roared mightily. The opponents in the ring clearly fearing what was to happen next.

     She swept over the center of the arena clouds of dust swooping and swirling as she passed before landing on the far side of the arena facing her newest opponents. The mages in the center instinctively grouped themselves in a battle stance, their backs to the wall and the Queen in front of them. Her signature cruel and wicked grin crept across her face as she eyed the mages, while her Dragon Volaris let out a low guttural growl. She turned her head to him and nodded, letting him know that she could handle these warriors alone.

     She began making her way towards the mages in the center as the gravel of the arena crunched underfoot, the warm dry breeze brushing her dark hair behind her shoulders. Her eyes dug into the mages in front of her, her face bearing the look of true determination and anger.

     She stopped a hundred feet from the center and addressed the crowd and the mages.

"For one reason or another you traitors have let down our grand army. Putting the lives of your brothers and sisters in danger. Today you will pay for the..."

     Quaid suddenly released a large ball of flame, hurling it at the Queen while she was midsentence causing her to drop to the ground and roll while layering him with profanities. The other mages looked at him with shock clearly registering on their faces.

"I couldn't listen to another word of her lies. Besides, she is gonna try and kill me. Why give her any further satisfaction. Attack!"

     With his last words the Queen finished her roll and sprang forward unleashing a bolt of fire of her own barely missing him and slamming into the face of the mage behind him. This broke the mages from their shock and they sprang into action. They all took turns throwing flames at the Queen as she dodged and worked her way closer to the center.

     Left and right the mages began dropping like flies as the Queen went on the offensive, their best efforts always narrowly missing the Queen. The roars of dragons could be heard beneath the arena. They cried out in pain as they helplessly felt their riders dying just above them.

     Quaid and his pack of mages were quickly reduced from nineteen to eleven.

     The Queen stopped for a moment to listen to the Dragons cries of pain, a menacing chuckle escaping her lips before it quickly disappeared behind another scowl.

     The mages tried another tactic, the all quickly spread out into a wide formation. They were attempting to overwhelm her with numbers. They all looked at one another and nodded, a formation her army had been drilling for weeks but hadn't had the opportunity to show her.

     In unison they all shot blast of fire at the Queen from all their different angles in hopes of overwhelming her. There was only one issue... the Queen had clearly seen the tactic before, but she had a trick of her own.

     She quickly turned her head to Volaris and shot him a nod before turning back to the wall of flame coming her direction. He immediately took off straight into the sky, the crowd roaring with excitement as the battle continued.

     In the split second before the flames reached her she steadied herself before unleashing a wall of flame herself. It's size and brightness more than the other mages combined. The two walls met in the middle and swirled and grew, neither side moving forward. Beads of sweat formed on everyone's brows as they strained against one another, the crowd growing silent in anticipation.

     Suddenly out of nowhere Volaris swept in from the side snatching up two mages in his feet, and one in his mouth as he passed. In his left foot he held Quaid who yelled and shot flames as the dragon carried him off, only to be thrown out into the forest as the dragon left the arena. His screams stopped as he hit the wooded canopy.

     The mages left in the arenas concentration broke at the attack of the dragon from behind. The Queen seized the opportunity to unleash a giant blue beam of plasma. The air cracking and booming as it formed, scarring holes in the wall on the other side of the arena. The mages turned just in time to watch as she swept the beam from left to right, halving every mage left as it passed. Each one dropping silently just after it passed.

     The crowd was silent for a moment, taking in the Queens raw power with fear and admiration, before erupting in applause and cheers at her victory. She smirked and bowed eloquently and she huffed from exertion of her power. She steadied herself in the center of the arena before addressing the crowd as they became silent.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by the traitor. Those men and women broke our laws and have now paid the price, just as you will if you do not follow the rules. The most important thing to take away from this display is one thing. This is a TASTE of the power I posses."

     Her eyes ran over the crowd as if she was addressing every person independently, the crowd silent once again as she spoke.

"When it comes time for me to face this new Alpha rider, I will hold nothing back. I will destroy him, AND his army. We will all back in the glory and reap the rewards of our hard work. We will squash him, and his little rebellion, and we will teach the people of this land ONCE AND FOR ALL who their leaders are!"

     The crowd roared once again as she finished. Volaris landed beside her and she mounted him before taking off in a cloud, leaving her cheering villains behind in the arena.