War of Dragons (57 page)

One day, Mark, when you have children, you'll understand how wrong what you're doing is. That's if your brother doesn't kill you first for letting his precious Daisy get this close to a battle. Weren't you meant to be protecting her?

John will be alright about this. He always thinks ahead and this is in her long term interest. Hey, I think I can see the city ahead. Doesn't look like many Blues above the city. Get ready to eat your words, my friend, this looks like it'll be an easy victory.

The two Golden Dragons flew higher and faster, trying to get a better view. Sure enough, it looked like there were not that many defenders in the city and far too few to hold it. The two dropped down to speak to the commanders.

It's strange, but the Blues have fewer defenders than even you expected. I admit, they will pose little threat to you,
Noah said.

Like I told you,
Prince Henry replied smugly.
This war is almost over. We defeated them two days ago.

It's looking not too badly damaged,
Lord Daniel commented.
I was worried they would have done more damage when they invaded.

I must admit, I completely agreed with Noah,
Lord Robert admitted.
But this does look like it will be easy. Congratulations, Lord Daniel. You're going to get your city back—

Wait, something is happening,
Mark interrupted, noticing some movement up ahead.
There's quite a lot of smoke starting to rise from the city.

A soft orange glow started to develop over the city and they saw the Blues rise into the air. But instead of flying to meet them, they were flying away, abandoning the city, heading in the opposite direction as quickly as possible.

They're retreating!
Prince Henry cried.
They haven't the stomach for being beaten again. We'll drive them from our lands with ease at this rate.

Wait, your Highness,
Noah cautioned.
Something is wrong.

The orange glow began to grow stronger, until they realised what was happening, as flames started to lick the walls of the city.

They've torched the city!
Lord Daniel cried in horror.

Flames sprung up all over the city till the whole place was ablaze. There was nothing they could do but watch. Within minutes the city resembled a bowl of flames, every building alight and hidden under tall, roaring flames. They circled the inferno, looking on in dismay.

They couldn't hold it, so they've destroyed it,
Prince Henry said angrily. 
They must pay for this. We will have our revenge!

The commanders were silent, feeling Lord Daniel's loss and sharing the Prince's anger. They continued to circle as the city burnt, the Blues long out of sight.

They waited till we were close,
Lord Daniel said bitterly,
so we would watch it burn. They wanted us to see this.

But how did they burn it?
Daisy asked.
I know some of the smaller towns are different, but I thought our cities were all fireproof. Aren't all of the buildings made of stone?

They are, more or less, but the contents aren't fireproof,
Lord Robert replied,
and it's been very dry and there are lots of forests nearby so there is no shortage of fuel. They must have placed dry wood everywhere; it went up so quickly.

What can we do?
Mark asked.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how devastated you must feel. Please, tell me how we can help.

Lord Daniel was silent for a moment.
Send your scouts ahead. Tell us how far they've retreated. Then we can prepare to finish them for once and for all.

Chapter 31 - Rushing back

"Right, John, ready for another day of fighting? Have you fully recovered from yesterday?"

John opened his eyes and saw Wami sat up leaning against a tree stump, looking over at him. John yawned and stretched, glancing at their dying fire which was no longer providing any heat. "Not another day of fighting," he corrected. "I'm headed to Furnace, remember? I want to take a more direct route today."

John and Wami had been travelling together for two days now and had reached the edge of what was the western border of the Brown Dragons with the Blue Dragons. The border had been pushed westward, however, and this area was now firmly held by the Brown Dragons.

"Yes, yes, of course," Wami replied. "But if we see a battle, we'll go to their aid, won't we? It's going to help your friends just as much as being there."

John nodded reluctantly. "Yes, but less zigzagging around, please. It shouldn't have taken two days to get this far. I could have sworn we were flying in completely the wrong direction at times."

"Of course we weren't," Wami objected, although his sheepish expression betrayed his guilt. "Here, have some breakfast. I hope you like cold rabbit."

"Yes, of course, thanks," John replied, helping himself to the cold meat. He glanced at the sky as he ate, which was glowing dimly to the east, heralding the coming sun.

"I intend to leave as soon as it is light," he announced. "I'll cross the border this morning into the Blue Dragon territory, rather than go south into the Sandy Dragons territory. I need to make up for lost time."

Wami shrugged. "I'll stay with you until then. How will you cross their territory? Will you sneak across as one of them? In disguise?"

Wami sneered a little at this, not hiding his disgust. John shrugged in reply.

"I could do. Take their form as soon as I am across the border and fly as a Blue Dragon. I bet there are loads of them flying in that direction. I wouldn't look out of place. It would be the safest route."

Wami nodded, looking at John curiously. "But something tells me you're not going to, are you? Why not, John?"

"Too slow," John said. "I'll lose too much time and I'd have to spend a night there."

"You will anyway," Wami told him. "You can't get to the Red Dragon Kingdom in one day. Be careful; you're fast, I give you that, but you'll be flying into an army. Dodging a few hundred is one thing, but dodging a few hundred thousand is a different matter."

"I will be too high for them," John pointed out. "They hate flying that high.  I'll pass them before they even realise I'm there."

Wami shook his head hopelessly and went back to finishing his meagre meal.

They ate their breakfast quickly, and having very little to pack up, were on their way as soon as the first rays of sunlight reached them. Wami was true to his word and they headed off to the east straight away, and being early in the morning, no battles had started yet to slow them down.

It wasn't until they had been flying for a couple of hours that they saw anyone else in the air.

Hey, isn't that one of your lot over there,
Wami commented, looking to the north.

John glanced over. Sure enough, heading in a similar direction to them, some distance to the north, was a single Golden Dragon.
You're right,
John replied.
I wonder what he's up to.

Do you know him?
Wami asked.

No idea,
John replied.
I can't see who it is from here, although even if I could I doubt I would know him. He's going to cross our path eventually though. Let's head towards him a bit more and hail him over.

Hello there,
the Golden Dragon called as they approached.
You're a long way from home here. Where are you headed?

The Kingdom of the Red Dragons,
John replied.
Yourself?

The same,
he replied.
Under orders, of course. I can't see how anyone would want to go there if they could avoid it. Why are you going there?

I'm a volunteer,
John replied.
I'm going to help them defend against the Blues. Aren't you doing the same?

Hell no,
the Golden Dragon replied.
And I'd advise you to turn around as well. That's a totally lost cause. I'm only going out of duty.

How do you mean a lost cause?
Wami asked.
Haven't they been able to hold the Blues back?

Not for much longer,
the Golden Dragon replied grimly.
They lost their Southern and Eastern Principalities quickly and were forced back to the capital. Now, masses of Blue Dragons are gathering to the south-east of their Kingdom and are poised to strike at the Red Dragon Army. By tomorrow night there will probably be no real Red Dragon Army left. The Blues have pulled their warriors from all along the Red and Brown borders, leaving themselves defenceless of course, in order to amass an unstoppable force to crush the Reds. By all accounts it's the largest army ever gathered. They're confident that the Reds along the border to the north won't be able to send any attacking troops and they are willing to risk losing some territory to the Browns in order to crush the Reds quickly. I expect they'll retaliate against the Browns afterwards.

Furnace is hard to attack though,
John pointed out.
They can weather this attack if they are cautious and use the city properly. The Blues will have to turn back eventually, once the Browns start destroying their cities to the south.

They're no longer in their capital,
the Golden Dragon replied.
They became overconfident and advanced on the Blue Dragons in capital of their Eastern Principality, Obud, to try and retake the city. Somehow they managed it and we think that they've deluded themselves into thinking that they can defeat the whole Blue Dragon Army. They might have been able to if they had fought the individual armies one at a time, but now the Blues have consolidated their forces they don't stand a chance. My job is to go and warn them of what they're approaching, but I won't be able to get there in time. This will all be over soon and the Browns won't have time to do much damage to them.

How do you know all this?
Wami asked suspiciously.
You can't have been to all of these places.

I haven't been to any of them,
the Golden Dragon replied.
We had several spies return yesterday with bits and pieces of information which we pieced together, and I've been sent out to warn the Reds. I was based near the border with the Blues, to the east of here.

This is terrible,
John said in shock.
We have to help them. Perhaps we can buy them enough time to escape.

You really don't understand, do you?
the Golden Dragon asked wearily.
This is over for them—the Reds and probably the Browns as well. There is nothing that you can do here. There are more Blue Dragons than can be counted. You couldn't do anything to stop them or save the Red Dragons.

Then why are you going to them?
Wami asked coldly.
If it's so pointless.

Orders,
he replied.
My commander thinks that perhaps some of the Red Dragons can get back to their capital safely. Impossible, if you ask me.

Aren't you flying the wrong way?
John asked.
The Red Dragons should be slightly further to the north.

So is the Blue Dragon Army,
he replied, speaking slowly as if to a child,
and I'm forbidden from crossing over it. I wouldn't be able to do so anyway. Even in disguise they'd know that I wasn't one of them. I have to go around them. I'm flying west to the Blue Valleys and then flying north.

That'll take much longer,
John objected.
You'll lose half a day doing that. You could reach them in time to give them proper warning if you flew straight over the top. Then they could all retreat in time.

Which I'm forbidden from doing,
he repeated irritably,
and it isn't realistic anyway. I don't think you realise how large this army is. Flying over the top isn't going to be possible; they'll intercept you and you'd have to turn back—if you don't get caught and killed.

But the Blue Valleys are a long way out of the way,
Wami pointed out.
Do you have to go so far to avoid them?

It's either that or fly through the Circle of Death,
he replied,
and only a fool would do that. I'd rather take on the whole Blue Dragon Army. Look, you're welcome to do as you wish, but I have my orders and I'm going to follow them.

With that, he veered off to the left and continued on his journey, flying faster to leave Wami and John behind.

Well, what's the plan, John?
Wami asked
. Are you going to try to take on the whole Blue Army?

Not if I can help it,
John replied.
Perhaps I was being a little naïve. But I have to try something. Do you know anything about the Circle of Death? I'm afraid it's not something I'm very well-educated about.

Are you joking?
Wami asked boastfully.
I know everything there is to know about the Circle of Death. My grandfather visited there many times and told me all about it. Including how to get in and out perfectly safely.

John's golden eyes widened in surprise.
Why didn't you say so when that other Golden Dragon was here? He might have come with us.

No, he has his orders,
Wami replied dismissively.
I know the type. He wouldn't change his mind for anything.

Well, come on then, how do I get there and how do I get in safely?
John asked impatiently.

Well, we're still headed in the right direction, roughly, and should be able to reach the place before sunset, provided we don't get stopped by Blue Dragons. What do you know about the Circle of Death?

It's the home of a True Dragon,
John replied.
The largest and most dangerous of creatures that never takes any other form other than a dragon, so is a threat at day and night. They're huge, extremely fast and armed with the hottest fire a dragon can produce and are indestructible. On top of that they are bad-tempered, aggressive and are rumoured to eat other dragons.