A LEGACY OF LIGHT

TILLA

TILLA

Blood, smoke, and fire raged around her.

Thousands of dragons, soldiers and rebels of Requiem, covered the sky. Claws slashed. Fangs bit. Jets of fire howled. Dragons burned and bled all around. In death, their magic left them; they tumbled to the forest as humans, armor shattered, flesh charred, and limbs torn.

Terror. Terror clutched Tilla like claws. Her head spun. Ice filled her belly. Her wings could barely flap.

How could this be? I've only just received my rank! I can't--

"Assault formation, damn it!" Nairi howled, streaming before them, her gray scales caked with ash. The lanse roared fire, burning a resistor who swooped toward her. "Black Roses, form ranks--rally here! Charge!"

Tilla bared her fangs and growled.

No fear now. Just fire.

"Erry, to my right!" she cried. "Mae, my left! Soar!"

Roaring, Tilla beat her wings and flew after Nairi. She blew her flames. She howled her rage. Her flight crew flew at her sides, their horns at her shoulders in defensive positions. Around them, the other flights of the Black Rose flew, roaring and blowing flames. Above them, hundreds of resistors swooped, fire raining and claws stretched out.

"Hail the emperor!" Nairi shouted above... and the sky exploded.

Fire rained onto Tilla. She shut her eyes, screamed, and blew her own flames. A great weight slammed into her. She peeked to see scales and claws slashing. She howled. She thrust her horns. She bit into flesh and tasted blood.

"Soar!" Nairi shouted above. "Break through their lines--arrow formation, after me, fight!"

Tilla howled and rose through flame. Fire swirled around her. A dragon's head burst through the inferno, fangs biting, and Tilla slashed her claws. Blood rained and she kept soaring. Her flight crew screamed at her sides, blowing fire over her shoulders, clearing a path for her. A triangle of dragons, they rose after Nairi. Behind and around them, the rest of the Black Rose flew, a spearhead driving upward.

They burst through the rebel assault. Clear skies opened ahead. Tilla looked around, panting. The battle covered the sky. Bodies lay strewn over the trees. All around, dragons were battling. The Legions flew in phalanxes, lanses leading perivas. The Resistance flew as a mob, a wild mass of howling beasts; they seemed to have no ranks or formations, only their rage. Flames and blood showered. Tilla could barely even see the fortress, though it lay only a league away; smoke and blood curtained the sky.

"Swarm!" Nairi cried above. She flew toward the sun, turned, and dived. "Follow, Black Rose--rain fire!"

Tilla howled, spun, and swooped. Her phalanx followed. They crashed down, spewing fire. Dragons of the Resistance soared toward them.

The two forces slammed together.

The thud of crashing bodies shook the sky.

Flames burst and claws slashed at scales. Tilla screamed and lashed her tail, clubbing a dragon's head until its neck snapped; the resistor fell as a man, his skull caved in. Flames rose. A dragon at Tilla's side, once a seamstress from Cadport and now a soldier, screamed and burned. She lost her magic and tumbled, a human girl aflame.

In an instant of respite, Tilla looked around her. Her heart pounded and her chest heaved. The battle was moving closer to the fortress; the Resistance was still howling in berserk rage and pushing forward. The emperor was leading a charge against their northern flank, roaring flames.

Where is Valien Eleison? Tilla thought, tongue lolling as she panted. Where is the leader of this rabble? I will slay him.

She looked across the Resistance, seeking him. She had only seen him in paintings and drawings--a scarred, silver dragon, one of his horns chipped off. He was said to be the largest among them, a demon of bloodlust and fire. Where--

Tilla's breath died.

No.

Her head spun.

No, please, no, this can't be.

"Charge, break their lines!" Nairi was shouting hoarsely, her wings beating. A gash ran down her face, and blood splashed her scales. "Black Rose Phalanx, charge! Assault formation, go!"

The Black Roses began to charge. Tilla could barely move. She shook.

Oh, stars, it can't be him...

"Come on, Tilla!" Erry screamed at her side. The young copper dragon slapped Tilla with her tail. "Fly!"

Tilla looked over her shoulder to the east, and she saw him again. Tears filled her eyes.

A young black dragon.

"Rune," she whispered.

"Attack!" Nairi shouted.

Fire rained and dragons crashed against them.

Heart thrashing, Tilla joined the charge. She screamed. A claw slashed her shoulder, her blood spurted, and she blew her flames. She clawed a resistor and sent the beast tumbling.

"Break their lines!" Nairi was howling. "Hail the red spiral! Attack--for Requiem!"

Tilla looked over her shoulder again, seeking him. Yet the black dragon was gone.

No. No! It couldn't have been him. Tilla shook her head wildly. There were many black young dragons. How could this have been Rune?

And yet... the dragon had dived just like him. Tilla had flown alongside Rune so many nights. She would recognize his dragon form anywhere.

How could he--

"Death to Cadigus!"

The howl rose below.

Tilla whipped her head down, and she gasped.

A burly beast rose from flames. He was the largest dragon Tilla had ever seen, perhaps even larger than Emperor Frey. His left horn was missing; he had only a chipped stub. Scratches and dents covered his scales. And yet he ascended with the fury and might of a demon, blowing his flame and lashing his claws.

Valien Eleison, leader of the Resistance.

"Charge!" Nairi screamed and dived.

The Black Rose Phalanx roared and blew their flames.