Chapter 19

Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

Hagane ran back to the fight, her armblade ready.

The tail struck Halia and flung her forward. The human landed, her black hair tumbling behind her. She came to rest. The dragon hissed and raised her foot. Hagane gasped, knowing what was about to happen.

She had to get there, but it was too far. She would never make it in time.

Wings flapped. Then Mrs. Lucina grabbed Hagane from behind and lifted her from the ground. They soared across the ground at great speeds, rushing at the dragon and the prone Halia about to die. If Hagane had a heart, it would be pounding.

“Save her!” Mrs. Lucina shouted and threw the animated statue.

Hagane hit the ground with a roll and came up beside Halia. Like she was Jane Dangerous saving the day, Hagane thrust her left hand and armblade up to catch the falling foot. Her weapon pierced the foot. Her entire body groaned. Buckled.

She could not hold the dragon’s weight.

She kicked Halia, sending the injured human rolling clear of the crushing blow. Doing that put all her weight on her left leg. Her knee fractured then shattered. Screaming, Hagane was compressed down further and further.

Her body failed.

She shattered beneath the dragon’s foot.

“Shit!” I cried, seeing Hagane die and Halia badly injured.

I ran towards her, but the dragon sensed it, too. She turned to finish the wounded Halia off. Paanee had a hold of one of the dragon’s legs, slowing her, but it wasn’t enough. I had to do something. My attacks wouldn’t deter the dragon. She could take a beating. I needed something else.

Maybe it was desperation, but one of my new spells flashed into my mind. Slick.

“Slipper and treachery, let the slick cold of Lord Anshar coat!”

Ice formed beneath all the dragon’s feet. She suddenly lost all traction. She had a lot of mass. A lot of weight. That was disastrous for her. She collapsed with a booming thud. A wind whipped from her and slapped over me.

I reached the groaning Halia and fell to my knees. I pressed my left hand to her broken, left arm and chanted, “Graven wounds pulse in pain, let the healing of Lord Dumazid flow!”

Her arm set and she shuddered, but she still laid there dazed. As the Life magic had flowed out of me, I felt just how badly injured she had been. Her liver had ruptured. She had broken ribs. A punctured lung.

She was still hurt, but she wouldn’t die.

The dragon struggled to stand, her feet still coated in ice. She roared. I spied an opening. Wounds covered her body. Scales ripped off. Gashes left in her. She was nearly dead. Garnet whipped her from above. Slepkavi stabbed. I heard Marwo’s howls.

I gripped my spear in both hands and gained my feet. I rushed in, trusting in my protective spells to keep me safe. Granite Flesh and Static Aura were both on me. I reached the beast and stabbed into her neck. I buried my spear deep into her flesh.

She roared in pain. I twisted it and wrenched it free. I had to overcome her. Kill her or tame her. I couldn’t lose this fight. We would never escape this place if we didn’t fight. I drew back my spear and thrust again.

“Leo!” Mrs. Lucina screamed from above as the dragon turned her head and lunged in at me.

Wings flapped. She grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me off the ground. From my left, red flashed at me. Jaws opened wide. The dragon’s open maw slammed into me, ripping me out of Mrs. Lucina’s grip. Static Aura discharged. Electricity arced over the teeth that bit down at me. My armor crumbled and then she hit my Granite Flesh.

I felt the stone cracking as she bit down hard, but the spell held.

The words for Sizzle tumbled from my lips. “Sparks zap and crackle, let the strength of Lord Enlil sizzle!”

Lightning exploded around me. Not just a little discharge from Static Aura. This was a full attack that slammed into the dragon. She roared in pain and then her jaws flew apart. I fell to the ground and landed, wrenching my knee. I grit my teeth against the pain. The dragon staggered. Flames burst from her mouth, spraying across the ceiling.

And then her scales exploded. A detonation of fire shot them across the room. They dissolved, burning up in flares of red and then winking out. Like a giant firework detonating. They showered across the room in trails of sparks and then were gone.

I staggered as a woman lay there. She had red scales like the dragon with yellow bands across her belly. Black hair spilled from her head and draped over her face. Small horns peeked out of them. They seemed to thrust out over her eyes. She had delicate wings that were like Garnet’s, but somehow daintier.

“You drove her back to her human form!” Fara shouted.

“You did it, big bro!” Garnet whooped. She landed by the dragoness in her monster girl form. “Ooh, and she’s got big boobs!”

I limped over to Halia who still lay groaning. It hurt to fall to my knees, but I placed my hand on her and mended her flesh once more. Relief swept through me. We had won. Hardly any of us had survived. Marwo, Slepkavi, and Sviesos were here. As was Paanee. That was amazing. Ci and Gwyllt were with Fara still, guarding her like I ordered. Mrs. Lucina landed as I cast Mend Flesh.

The dragoness stirred.

Garnet stood over her and then cracked her whip against her rump. “On your knees before your master!”

The dragoness gasped and shot her head up. Her black hair spilled about a rather cute and youthful face, the dainty horns thrusting up from above her eyes only made her more adorable. The dragoness looked as young as Garnet. Fourteen. Though she did have big boobs that were covered by yellow bands of scales. And nipples. She had nipples. Pink nipples.

So cute! squealed through Garnet. But she had to be tough.

“You are Lord Leo’s!” Garnet said. “My big bro owns you!”