The Shattered Dragonslayer

Chapter 5: Clash of Fire (Part 2)

"Aloft, you fools!" Duhra summoned the dragons below as he glided to the far end of the human army. "Surround them! Close them in so they can't escape us!" The pride barreled into the sky after their leader, creating a circle about the people. Two dragons dropped dead on the field like a pair of massive drums, causing people to disperse.

"We've got them!" cried out Benjamin, "take them down! We'll drag 'em down to hades!" He rushed forward as those around him scrambled in varying directions to find clear shots at their air-born foes. Raylan and Demetri stayed side by side as much as they could. Red saturated the air, between the abrasive rays of the risen sun, the streams of fire from dragon mouth, the sparks of gun barrels, and the blood of corpses swiftly painting the earth.

Amidst the chaos Noble had started howling uncontrollably. Demetri snapped his head around, having completely forgotten he was there, and grabbed him by the scruff.

"Get out of here, you moron!"

Noble turned and barked at him in protest.

"Go back to the house, now! Go!" He pointed and tried to shew him off, only to have him trot right back. "Argh! Stupid animal..." He gave up and chased after Raylan, the mutt following eagerly behind.

The two men ran and dodged multiple rivers of fire, cranking out lead every opening they got. They were drenched with sweat and had lost all sense of time. There was no end to the booming and clapping of gunfire all around them. Houses were burning, and smoke filled their nostrils. They spotted a rabid beast mauling someone who looked like Thomas near the hill's edge.

"There!" Raylan hit Demetri on the shoulder and pointed. Demetri knocked an empty wheel from his gun and hassled with his satchel, searching for another refill.

"I'm out of ammo. No matter!" He lifted the gun over his shoulder, and they charged full speed after the unsuspecting dragon. The moment it lifted its head to strike back it was too late - Raylan unleashed several bullets as he ran, then Demetri jumped ahead of him and, swinging his empty rifle, bashed the dragon's head so hard the firearm split in two and the Thyrian toppled over. Writhing and moaning with a heavy rasp in its throat, the dragon tried to rise again, so Demetri turned his weapon around and rammed the base into its bleeding skull. He and Raylan met again before the slaughtered creature, but they found their other comrade was lost. Raylan dropped his arms, his rifle's muzzle touching the grass, his burnt umber eyes turned grave.

"We were too late...Sorry, Thomas."

Demetri tossed aside his splintered weapon and lifted his eyes to the fields before them. "That would be an understatement." Raylan raised his head to see what he was looking at. The grasslands they had long called home were now engulfed in flames. Dragons both haggard and muscular, large and slender raided the battlefield with their deathly shadows, leaving trails of ember behind them. Bodies of humans fell like rain upon the earth. The crimson color reflected off the clouded sky, casting a lurid light everywhere they glanced. Raylan's grim stare moved to his friend.

"We're not going to win this, are we?"

Demetri grinned at him and smacked him on the shoulder. "Not with that attitude. Look down there! Gyles and Tammy need us!" He charged without a second's hesitation.

"Wait!" Raylan chased after him. "You have no weapon!"

Demetri grabbed an abandoned revolver from beside a trampled villager's body (neither of them could make out who it used to be). Stripes of blood smeared across the wooden stock where the fingers had laid grasp of it, but it was still in good shape. "Come on!" Demetri beckoned, and the two of them launched themselves after the towering black dragon which was overpowering Tammy and Gyles. Tammy was standing her ground, but her comrade was just struck down by a swing of the spade tail. The beast was retracting its thick neck, its jaws manifesting its jagged fangs, preparing to strike her with cunning precision. Demetri and Raylan leapt in beside her, pelting the dragon's head with fire. Between the three of them the pitch monster went down quickly. Tammy lowered her weapon with a hard huff, wiping her sweat-soaked face.