Every student was excited to meet Kaen personally after the skirmish battle was over. Those from the ages of nine to sixteen were just as ecstatic when he took the time to shake each of their hands and encourage them.

Even though it took a while to get through all of them, Kaen knew the importance of that moment as he saw how the students reacted.

“I’m proud of you, son,” Hess said as Kaen waved goodbye to the last group. “Seeing their faces light up proves that today was worth it.”

Kaen nodded, his eyes darting over the grounds as the students approached their classrooms. “How many have we lost?”

Grunting, Hess moved up next to Kaen and frowned. “Too many. Over a hundred. The battles on the walls cost us more than we wanted, but without them…”

“And the number of kids with lifestones?”

“Sixty-three,” Hess replied. “At one point, you know we were well over one hundred and fifty.”

Some of the older students were sparing, their class focusing on things they had seen today. In the group of twenty were a mix of a few dwarves and two elves.

“How many dwarves are part of the school so far?” Kaen asked.

“Thirty-two or thirty-three. I’m not sure which one. There are also only twelve elves in the school. You, of course, know why.”

Nodding, Kaen ignored that problem.

Stupid people and their old ways of thinking… there is no elven homeland right now. Everyone should be learning…

“That’s fine. For now, keep me updated on the food situation. I’ll see what I can do to help.”

Kaen turned and gently punched Hess in the arm as he started to walk toward Pammon. “You’re doing a great job here.”

Hess scoffed and shook his head. “Organized chaos is what this is. Never in my life would I have imagined teaching an army of children how to fight.”

“And yet you already have Callie here, learning how to. Sulenda already told me how she feels about that.”

“It’s the only way, and we both know it,” Hess shot back, his face turning red. “No one can sit back and wait. Everyone mus–”

“I know,” Kaen replied as he stopped walking. “Things are going to get worse before they get better. You taught me how hard it is to succeed. She’ll come around. Do what you must to protect my sister, just as I will.”

Sighing, Hess just nodded, not saying a word as Kaen walked away.

“Amaranth told me how the practice went today. Does its success make you feel better about choosing that skill?”

Kaen nodded and smiled at Ava as he held a piece of fruit a few inches from his mouth. “I’m glad it went the way it did. I need to remind you that I’m unsure how many days I’ll be gone. Try not to fight with your parents or Sulenda while I’m away.”

Ava leaned across the table where they were eating and tapped the table near Kaen. “Don’t worry about the women in my life. Just worry about the one who will be here waiting for your return.”

Chewing the bite of the apple he had bit off, Kaen offered the rest to Ava. She shook her head and smiled. “I’m ok. You’re going to be the one without a nice cooked meal.”

Kaen didn’t hesitate, biting off a large piece, and smiled as he chewed.

Hurry!

Kaen cursed as he pulled on his leggings and cinched them around his waist. Ava had already grabbed his bow and arrows, holding them by Pammon, who was shifting anxiously from side to side.

The sound echoed loudly in their cave as the shrill of the runes sent their warning sounds across the entire bowl of Ebonmount.

I’m almost done! We still have to figure out where he is!

Pammon snorted and stared at the entrance to their home in the mountain. Through the bond, Kaen could feel rage, concern, and anxiousness, all fighting to be the strongest.

Stuffing his feet into his boots and stomping them against the ground, Kaen ran the last few steps toward Pammon, cinching the belt that held his sword around his waist.

Ava grimaced. The warning cries of the wards woke them up, and Kaen struggled for the briefest moment to determine whether it was a dream or actually happening.

We are ready to go. We’ll be in formation as we get altitude. I suggest we stay close to the mountains at first.

Kaen grunted as he grabbed the bow and arrows from Ava’s outstretched hand and kissed her quickly.

“I love you!” she shouted as Kaen climbed onto Pammon, and the dragon began to move toward the ledge, not concerned that his rider was yet to be strapped in.

Every second counts. Hold on!

Kaen used the strength of his legs to keep himself in place as Pammon leaped off the edge and began to beat his wings, taking them into the air and angling south to follow Glynnis’s advice.

Glancing behind him, Kaen saw the yellow dragon coming out of the cave first, followed by Amaranth on her tail.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

How long till we are high enough?

Too long. Clip in and hold on.

Kaen grunted and put his bow in his mouth, biting down as he grabbed the two clasps and the loop band and slipped them into place.

The moment he was secured, Kaen braced his core and felt Pammon activate his skill.

[ Flight Burst Activated ]

Glynnis had taught Pammon this technique, and he mastered it rather quickly, earning praise from the female dragon.

The mountain flew by them as they sped into the night sky.

Fighting the force pressing against him as Pammon flew upward, Kaen grabbed the bow with one hand, making sure the arrows didn’t spill out of the quiver against his leg.

Almost there. Hold on a little longer!

The stars were bright in the night sky, as the moon was completely absent tonight and for a few more evenings to come.

This is a perfect time for those two to ambush… How are we going to find him?

Look where the lights in the sky disappear. You can see where one passes, and they vanish.

Amaranth’s wisdom had been shared by Tharnok when they had trained. Kaen realized how much he still didn’t understand about fighting a dragon.

Can you tell which side of the bowl they came from yet?

Once we are in position, I will see if Aldric has the direction marked.

Kaen glanced down at the land below him, the lights around the walls of the keep roaring brightly and more lights appearing around the town.

Every second mattered, and when Pammon finally grunted, and their speed returned to normal, his dragon shifted in the air, flying flat and high above the world below them.

We are in the thinner air. Stioks can’t stay up here like we can. Smart thinking.

Pammon felt insulted that Kaen hadn’t realized this was his original intent, and that feeling oozed through their bond.

Look down below. Aldric has the signal setup.

Igniting his lifestone, Kaen changed his vision to Pammon’s and saw the blue glow that pointed to the east.

You two form up on each side, spread out four hundred yards. You both need to fly low enough that you can spot the changes in the sky. I’ll be the bait.

We will protect you.

Pammon snorted as they angled toward the eastern side of the bowl.

How far are they beneath us?

About a mile. They are lowering themselves now.

Is that too low? I mean–

Let us handle this side of things. They need to be low enough to try and spot Stioks, and we need to be high enough for him to see us. I will do what I can to try and see Juthom. You must do your part to be ready for when the attack comes.

Pulling a normal arrow out, Kaen didn’t say a word. He could see the arrows and knew the four metal ones were closest to him. The quiver was split, and they were held in place by a special dividing section. Right now, he regretted having practiced with Hess today. There was no way to use the skill he had planned all their attacks around.

ON ME!

Glynnis’s scream echoed through his mind, and Kaen saw a green bolt of some spell flying through the sky.

He’s below me!

Pammon roared, diving down toward the ground where he knew Glynnis was.

I can see them! They are attacking from below and behind!

Kaen cursed to himself as he realized they had been beaten at their own game by Stioks.

The last hour had been spent scouting the area they knew he had come from, and now it appeared that Juthom must have been skimming the ground below, hiding in the darkness of the trees, and waiting for when to attack.

There! I see them!

Kaen called upon his lifestone and let it burn, power roaring through him and into Pammon.

Kaen saw Glynnis flying with everything she had through his dragon's eyes as another green bolt of magic flew toward her.

Keep going! I will be there!

Pammon’s concern overwhelmed Kaen, who felt something akin to when Ava had been hurt. That moment showed how much his dragon cared for Glynnis, as the barrier Pammon kept up most of the time was gone.

He’s fast! I’m trying!

Kaen tried to guess the distance and speed they were diving at and did the math. There wouldn’t be a better chance if Pammon could come from the right angle.

Can you come at him from behind? I’ll have the be–

I will not leave her in danger. Take the shot or don’t. I won’t wait!

Pammon was headed for a mid-air collision, and Kaen only now realized it.

Keep going the way you are coming! Dodge what you must, but lead him in that direction!

Glynnis didn’t reply, but as Kaen watched the shape coming toward their yellow dragon through Pammon's eyes, something felt off.

Wait… why is Juthom so slow and–

Pammon ignored Kaen’s question, pulling his wings closer and diving for the collision he had prepared for.

Kaen stopped using Pammon’s eyes and began to search around them and above.

They would slam into Juthom in twenty seconds, but Kaen felt an itch in his mind he couldn’t please.

Then the stars behind them vanished for a moment.

Lookout!

His cry was too late as a stream of green magic raced toward them.

Grateful for the shield he had equipped as they flew, Kaen held it up and braced for what he could only imagine was behind that bolt of magic that struck them.

Heat, power, decay, and pain washed over Kaen, and Pammon roared as the magic ignited his backside.

It smelled like rotting flesh, and Kaen could see his friends' scales bubbling, affected by whatever magic had struck them.

Pammon’s wings faltered and Kaen reloaded his bow, the arrow he had held for so long falling into the night.

Kaen was angry and furious and could now see the black dragon's body coming for them, hot on their tail.

I have to land soon… something is sapping my strength.

Kaen ignored Pammon’s plea and trusted the power inside him to help with what he was about to do.

The arrow glowed with power, red to white, changing to blue, and eventually to black.

Dive. Amaranth, help Glynnis! It’s a female dragon on her!

Sending the arrow flying as Pammon dropped toward the ground, Kaen watched it fly before it slammed into some part of Juthom. A roar echoed above them, and for the briefest of moments, Kaen felt hope that things might shift in their favor.

A green bolt appeared and raced toward them.

Pammo–

Stioks and Juthom were too close, and whatever affected Pammon had limited his ability to dodge in time.

The bolt tore into Pammon’s backside, a garbled roar coming from his dragon's mouth as they began to roll in the air.

I need… to land…

Kaen held another arrow, fighting the two different forces that pushed against him. The downward momentum and the spinning action as they rolled through the air made it almost impossible for him to pull back the arrow, but he did.

Every muscle in his lower body and core was tight. He took a deep breath and held it, focusing on the spot where he could just see Juthom’s outline.

Infusing the tip with as much power as he could manage, his head swimming from the force, Kaen let it go, wishing he had been able to infuse more energy in it.

It shot toward Juthom, and when it exploded, Max saw the dragon's outline appear in its light.

There on the black dragon’s backside was Stioks, covered in head to toe in black armor that seemed almost to absorb light.

Kaen swore he could see a smile through the man’s black helmet.