Dragon Hunter

Chapter 30: The Other Side of the Mirror

They came at him from every direction, more barely visible motion than anything substantial. Frantically Cooper went on the defensive, using every bit of the skill he borrowed from Alia to keep the ghostly weapons away from him.

"You see, Mr Jacks, we can't have you succeed in your quest to find that ancient dragon weapon," the voice went on to say in a conversational tone, sounding as though it hadn't moved.

"The Empire needs to win the war and crush the elves."

"What's it to you?" Cooper managed through grit teeth before a weapon tip eluded his block to slice open his cheek. Grimacing at the flare of pain, the big human kept talking.

"You bunch are from the ether. You have no skin in this game."

The voice barked in laughter.

"Well done again in deriving our origins, Mr Jacks. But I must disagree. We do have skin in the game, to use your human vernacular. The elves invaded our realm to create their permanent portals, altering our space without permission or regard to our own uses for it. If the dragons defeat them, we can wrest that territory back and restore it to how it was before the elves came."

Cooper's expression tightened. As much as he disliked the fact these guys were trying to kill him, he couldn't fault their reason. Who wouldn't want back territory stolen from them? It was one of the bigger reasons wars had been fought throughout human history. It was unfortunate for them that he would have to die, to see their goal realized. Because he wasn't about to roll over and let them kill him! Not while Humanity was still at risk.

That being said, what the hell was he doing in yet another sword fight?? Only Alia's borrowed skills were keeping him alive, although not in one piece, with his nicks from close calls a constellation of tiny brands over his body. Whoever these assholes were, they didn't fight fair.

Just as he thought that, one of the smoky individuals he was fighting, stabbed too deep to recover quickly. Already angled, Cooper countered and felt his blade bite deep. His opponent grunted in pain and dropped out of the human's field of awareness.

Before Cooper could congratulate himself on actually downing one, his left kidney exploded as a short blade was slammed through it. 'Not again!!' he silently screamed as he took a staggered step forward, pain avalanching through him. Then he twisted hard to the right with his sword chest high.

There was a sodden ripping sound as it struck another filmy shape and he felt a flicker of satisfaction at downing another barely seen enemy. Then he grunted as a second short blade was punched down into his upper right chest.

"Valiantly fought, Dragon Hunter," the voice said, actually sounding sincere as the human reeled in pain. "Please know before you die that we have no malice towards ..."

The voice was abruptly cut off by a whistling thud. Then the air all around was being split by hissing missiles.

In one eye blink he was surrounded by his shadowy attackers. And in the next he was alone. Cooper took a ragged breath then began to slowly collapse, his strength guttering out of him like water out of a busted bucket.

Thinking he'd fall onto a still unconscious Kaisea, he tried to twist to the side. Then arms were catching him before he hit the ground.

"I've got you, Cooper," a woman's voice said in accentless English. 'Morgan??' Cooper thought wildly at the familiar tone. Then he was falling into the dark pit of unconsciousness.

Unlike the other times, however, Cooper wasn't in the pit long. He came to as the blade in his chest was pulled out, its exit followed by a cascade of tingling warmth.