Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (58 page)

Slides opened as Guardian Dragons converged on the battle.

Jocelynn and Adirynn burst through a Slide. The green hit the nearest Shadow Dragon from behind with a blast of fire. The Shadow Rider and dragon both screamed as the flames engulfed them. The green lashed out, snapping the burning rider in half with her teeth.

Another Shadow Dragon slammed into them. Adirynn twisted and grabbed it by the base of the throat. It raked its claws down the underside of her belly. Blood and green scales flew through the air. Jocelynn began a weave, pulling tiny seeds and pollen that drifted on the breeze into it. After altering and combining them, she meshed it with the weave then sent it slamming into the rider.

The Shadow Rider’s agonized screams rent the air. Vines sprouted through his skin and began twisting around him, pulling tighter and tighter until the sickening sound of multiple bones breaking at once silenced his cries. The Shadow Dragon released Adirynn, shriveling as it fell to the ground.

Merru and Keta shot through the air. Working together, they tag teamed one of the larger Shadow Dragons. The slower black spit fire and twisted, snapping at them while its rider threw bolts of green lightning at Loki and Sumara. Both rider and dragon continued to miss while the two Guardians kept drawing blood.

Loki held a protective shield in place on the ground, but like Vaddoc’s and Brock’s shields, it flickered as his attention wavered during the fight. Another shadow dived at Merru. Loki split his power just in time to throw up a light-bending weave. Merru dodged to the side. The shadow sailed through the empty space, twisting and turning, and pulling up short. Its hesitation undid it.

An arrow sailed through the sky from Kirynn’s bow, piercing its rider’s chest…then it exploded. Pink rain showered down along with chunks of the Shadow Rider.

A lucky snap by a black dragon ripped long tears through Keta’s wing and broke the bone in its leading edge. The green tumbled through the air with one wing flopping uselessly. Sumara held tight to the saddle as they fell. She saw the image of Galdrilene form in the dragon’s mind. A Slide opened up just before they hit the ground. They plunged into it and came out above the lake before plummeting into the water. Bubbles swirled around Sumara. Unable to tell which way was up, she held her breath and waited. They broke the surface, and Keta swam to shallow water then hauled herself up onto the shore as the inhabitants of Galdrilene rushed across the caldera to them.

Loki lost the light-bending weave as a Shadow Dragon crashed into Merru. The shadow twisted and unleashed sickly green fire. The blast struck Loki in the side and arm. Agony burned over his skin. Distracted by the injuries to his rider, Merru didn’t react in time to stop the shadow from ripping into him.

The gold retaliated with a wide band of bright fire, setting the shadow’s entire wing ablaze as the black’s claws sank into Merru’s scales. Unwilling to give an inch, Merru locked his claws into the black. They tumbled through the air tearing at each other. The shadow’s wing talon ripped across Loki’s face, tearing across his eye and scalp.

Loki screamed in agony as the vision in one eye went dark. He managed to get the flames out in time to see the ground rush up at them. He threw a lance of light at the shadow’s rider just before they hit. The impact barely registered before darkness closed over him.

Kirynn nocked another arrow, targeting the rider on the small Shadow Dragon. She blocked out the war around her, watching as the black dove and twisted, attempting to distance itself from Syrakynn.

…And then—there!—the black twisted quick to the side. Kirynn pulled back, anticipating where the rider would be, trained the arrow…and released. The arrow sailed, burst into flames, and struck home.

The rider screamed as the flames left the arrow and burrowed through her body. The Shadow Dragon’s shrieks joined its rider—then silence. Tiny flames burst from every pore of the rider while the black shriveled and crumbled as it fell.

“Brock and Olen are down somewhere. Olen sent out a distress call but now doesn’t answer,”
Namir sent

Vaddoc strengthened the shield around those on the ground still fleeing toward the bridge.
“We can’t help them until this is over.”

A massive Shadow Dragon collided into them, digging its claws into Namir. Roaring in rage, the gold sunk his talons and teeth into the black. The dark-haired Shadow Rider laughed and threw a weave. He would recognize Sadira anywhere. Vaddoc flung a weave at the same time.

The two weaves met, meshing and melting together. Sweat sprang up on his brow as he fought the dark magic. The weave wavered, turning blacker then surging with light.

An arrow struck Vaddoc’s chest, pain searing through him. His hold on the weave faltered. Tendrils broke loose from it and waved. Sadira’s eyes went wide. Ranit tore away from Namir, opened a horizontal Jump beneath her, and dove for it. The weave shimmered dark and light, then exploded in a flash of blinding light, striking them like a massive fist. Namir hurled through the air, both wings broken.

Vaddoc’s vision swam as a band of burning agony tightened around his chest. Namir slammed into the ground. A shock flashed through Vaddoc’s back then everything went numb. He stared at the sky as it grew dim and finally faded altogether.

K
ellinar gripped the saddle handles tight, bracing himself just before the shockwave hit, sending Shryden hurtling through the air. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark Jump open and a similarly flung black dragon tumble into it. Kellinar closed his eyes and sent a plea to the Fates, and only opened them after the blue regained control and was again steady in the air.

The Shadow Riders were gone. On the ground, the Kantherian and Boromari soldiers were systematically working their way through the leftover Kojen with an efficiency he’d only seen in Kirynn, Jocelynn, and Marcaius. The small group of Ke’han warriors gathered around a broken Namir while two of them, along with Kirynn, knelt next to Vaddoc.