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Chapter 14
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Candasar was struggling. No wonder Tundor had had such a hard time learning to swim. Without her flippers, she could barely keep her head above the water. The movements that used to come so naturally to her were failing her now; She needed to get to land! Even the elf in front of her was making better headway than she was. She knew he still had to be exhausted from the healing he had done on her leg. He had almost passed out! She could see Tundor over on the beach staring out over the lake towards her. The elf wardens that Lothinar had wanted her to meet spilled out of the trees behind Tundor in a crazy dash. Were they chasing Tundor? No, he didn't seem at all concerned when they ran up, quickly glancing as they stopped next to him. But now, all three of them had concerned looks on their faces as they watched Lothinar swimming. No, she was mistaken. They were not looking at the elf, or even her. Their eyes were fixed on something beyond. She swiveled her head around for a glance and felt her blood run cold. Several dragons were swimming up behind her. Huge water males. They had no problem with her slow pace and were closing fast. There was no way the elf could have seen them yet. The overly pale part of him at the top of his legs, just below his back, flashed in the sunlight as he struggled in the choppy water. He would never outrun the elders to the shore. She turned and roared. She would buy him some time to escape! She regretted that she had picked a bad time to give up her swimming advantages.
Lothinar could see his friends on the beach but none of them looked at all happy to see that he and Candasar had made up. He suddenly heard her roar behind him. Could she have changed her mind about that? His friends looked shocked! Could they think that Candasar was chasing him?
He looked back, dismayed to see her squaring off with at least four large males. They had her spinning in place as she tried to prevent them from getting their teeth into her from the back. Three others slipped around Candasar’s right to quickly zip by him, cutting him off from the shore and leaving him no place to go. He had observed water dragons before, but being in the water with them, he realized how big they really were. He expected to be attacked, but for some reason, they didn’t come directly at him. They were waiting for something. As he watched the dragoness fight, he was awed by her fury and determination against impossible odds. She took a vicious bite on the back from behind her, but the large male couldn’t hang on. Another crashed into her driving her to the side and down. The enraged males would not stop now. They would certainly kill her! She had to know she couldn’t win this battle. Then suddenly he realized that she didn’t have to! Hoping she still had the wherewithal to listen, Lothinar sent a telepathic scream to the battling female.
”You can’t win! —- Candasar! Dive!”
Bartuuug was confused. He could understand Candasar turning to fight. He had anticipated that. She had never lacked courage. But everyone in the area could hear that telepathic scream telling her to dive. Was the elf helping Candasar? As one of the three encircling the elf, he wanted some answers, but he couldn't tear his attention from the nearby fight to take the time to ask them. Then, just as the elf had commanded, Candasar visibly grabbed a huge breath and disappeared under the water, The four that had been encircling her roared their frustration and looked about trying to see in which direction she had fled. Without warning, Bartuug felt a tearing pain in his neck and found himself in the jaws of a monster! It shook him violently from side to side! Then he knew no more.
The wardens had stood frozen as Tundor had thrown himself into the water, splashing through the shallows and then pushing himself out flat, arms and legs pulled in close. His violent thrashing propelled him through the water like a strange wiggling arrow as he closed with the dragons surrounding Lothinar. The one with his back to the shore never saw him coming. Without even slowing down, Tundor snapped his neck and laid into the second one. This one had seen the first attack and, although obviously surprised, was able to dodge, somehow ignoring an immediate fatal bite,
"What should we do, Cantrell?" yelled Ardwynn. "Seven, well, six on two feels a little unfair!"
"I don't completely know yet!" He shouted back. "Not really our fight, but I suppose we need to make getting Lothinar out of there our highest priority!"
"You know he’s my priority, agreed Ardwynn, "Let's see if we can freeze the two next to him. Even if he's not the direct target, all that dragon in the water could squash some of his better parts.”
Giving her the side eye, the Warden said, "Ok, I've got the left. You take the right. One.. Two.. Three... Letta!" They shouted together.
Suddenly the two big males closest to the shore stuttered and stopped. Tundor, puzzled for a second, didn't hesitate and grabbed hold of the one that had been dodging him. Pulling up his rear legs and claws, he ripped down, opening the slightly smaller male's abdomen from end to end. A strange piercing cry was cut off in a gurgle.
That certainly got the attention of the other four, who had been looking for Candasar's path under the water. They drew rapidly close to Lothinar as he was finally trying to leave the area and head toward the shore. The remaining "frozen" dragon had rolled over on his side, starting to sink, being unable to swim, and for now, Tundor thrashed away, placing himself between the approaching males and the elf.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"What are you? Bellowed the closest one to Tundor
"I'm your worst nightmare!" he screamed back. "When you drown a dragon, you had better make sure he stays drowned!"
A look of horror passed over their faces.
"You are the cripple!" one of them said.
"Cripple no more!" screamed Candasar as she surfaced and bit, slashing into the face and eyes of the nearest male who had been staring, aghast at seeing Tundor,
He moaned terribly as blood ran down the waste of his face, one of his eyes clearly missing.
Lothinar, seemingly highly motivated, had reached the beach and was pulled from the shallows by his two warden friends.
Gasping he asked, "What's the score?” looking back at the water.
"Ardwynn 1, Lothinar 0," the female warden grinned, looking him up and down. "You forgot your clothes up on the cliff."
"Not that score!" he yelled. "The dragons!"
"Tundor's killed two, we sank one, and Candasar is still chewing on another's one’s face,” Called out Cantrell. "So what's that? Three and a half left against two?"
“Definitely an improvement, “ said Lothinar.
"I thought you said the dragons you knew were safe to be around?" smirked Ardwynn.
"I never said that," Said Lothinar, "I said that they were my friends! Now where are my clothes?"
Out in the water, they were still in battle. Tundor and Candasar fought back to back but managed to make it into water shallow enough to stand. Tundor evaluated their options, The remaining males circled them but seemed far less confident than before. It had been a bad day for the council, The "Frozen" one had not yet come up and might never. If he had been locked just after an exhale with his lungs empty, he probably would have passed out down there and drowned before unsticking. Tundor kind of liked that idea. It seemed appropriate; He decided to try that again to even the odds.
"Letta!" he snarled and watched his target, the largest remaining male, begin to quiver and then stop. He sank a little, but the water was shallow enough that he didn't go completely under. The effect on the remaining fighters was immediate.
"You ssspoke a word!" one hissed. "An Elven word!"
"Yes, said Tundor. You will die. You will all die!"
"We only want the female Candasar!" one of them said. We did not know you had survived. Give her to us, and we will leave"
"SHE IS WHY I SURVIVED," bellowed Tundor. "You will not have her!"
"Where is my boy?" asked another. "He came to court with this unworthy slut and has not returned."
"I told him no! I have always told them all NO! He and his friend did not come to court but to rape and, failing that, kill. He and his friend are dead and that is justice even by your code" said Candasar a wicked gleam in her eye.
The dragon that had asked, let out a snarl.
"I may allow one of you to live after all,” said Tundor, “To spread the message to the clan that no one is to bother Candasar again!"
"How will you decide this, one?" asked the male with the missing eye. He, at least, seemed to be painfully aware that things were not going in the council's favor.
"He that runs first will live," said Candasar grinning.
The three ambulatory dragon males immediately turned and fled. Somewhat surprised at himself, Tundor released the Letta hold on the remaining one, who quickly followed.
Candasar looked at Tundor.
"We let them all go," said Candasar with a sigh.
"Our pursuit abilities are poor, and we have killed enough of our kind today,” said Tundor. “And don't forget the elves are watching. We would not want to appear too bloodthirsty.”
”I am proud of you, my mate!" said Candasar. "You fought fiercely"
“You inspired me!” Said Tundor
"Your elf friend fixed my claw Tundor, I made a bad mistake in the cave, I was bleeding and probably would have died. He healed me. In the cave. If he hadn't come...."
"But he did!" said Tundor. "I think he would like to be your friend too"
"I would be willing to consider that," she said, "But first, I want to get out of this miserable water and find something to eat. “Maybe, after we have become friends, Lothinar can heal my back.”
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City guards and archers had the temple surrounded. Eyes flicked back and forth between fearful men, all asking the same unspoken questions. What was going on inside the temple? Was the Dragon God angry? Apparently, it had come alive and was wrecking the place. It had, however, been quiet for a while now. Nobody wanted to get too close and suffer a god's wrath. A guard who claimed to have been at the gate said that a couple of elves had come into the city just as this whole mess was getting started. They hadn't been seen since, but someone said they had run towards the temple.
Just then, Womber, the priest, came out of the entryway, followed by his apprentice.
"Everyone may disperse! We have solved the issue," he said loudly.
The captain of the city guard stepped up angrily, grabbing Womber by the robes.
"That is not going to be enough of an explanation, Priest. This whole town is in an uproar over this disaster"
"The high priest acknowledges that he has made a mistake angering the dragon god," a voice from the entryway said as Starett stepped forward. He has agreed to resign his position."
"That will not be enough! complained the guard. "There is so much damage!"
"Lucky for our town, before he was a priest, Womber worked as a mason. He will live here at the temple and perform repairs. I will assume his previous duties"
"Is this so, Priest?" asked the guard captain. Womber only nodded, his face grim.
"What about the Dragon God?" asked one of the guards. Is it safe inside?
Starett paused, considering his answer. "She said she had something to do for now but would check back in on us from time to time. She seemed especially interested in making sure Womber was here"
The old priest paled.
As they walked back inside, Womber said, "I never said I knew anything about masonry."
"Well then, you will have to learn, won't you?" said Starrett. He thought it was going to be very satisfying working for his new flying boss.
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”You know there are skills I never thought an elf would need,” said Alberad
”Such as?” Asked his wife
”Oh, things like sneaking a giant black dragon out of a town, for one.” he grinned, looking down at the lake below as they circled, then moved in for a landing on the cliff near Candasar’s cove.”Oh look, there is Lothinar!” Then he waved.
Esmerilla, carrying them both on her back, rumbled in pleasure, obviously glad to be in the sky again.
”Believe me, dear,” Ardwella laughed. “When it comes to dragons you have no idea the things that I am going to teach you!”