The Lost Knight (Volume III) The Lost World

Chapter 38: Dangerous Clouds

My sword slips from my cold, numb fingers, but I catch it before it also tumbles to the ground. I couldn't have seen what I saw. It was so fast. Did she feel any pain? There was no scream, no struggle, just the stream of blood pouring out of the dragon's mouth as it flies off.

Thudding vibrations rack my body as a dozen or more dragons pour from the clouds. They're huge, larger than a bus. They're identical, dark blue, almost black, with iridescent blue racing stripes down their sides. They're sleek and fast, with no flashy horns or coloring.

I wish I were better with a bow. It would be so much easier to shoot these things from a distance, rather than getting close enough to hit one with a sword.

"Under the wing and tail, ears, and jawline," I say aloud to remind myself where to swing. But who am I kidding? This is a joke. My sword is like a toothpick. I'm so tiny compared to the monsters whirling around me. I'm not surviving this.

The dragons are circling, causing chaos within our little group every time they fly through our ranks. I can't run. Behind me is an army.

Trelix flies close to one of the dragons, and when it turns to bite him, he swings his club and smashes its face open. Its body falls slightly faster than the contents of its head. I'm mesmerized by the gruesomeness until the carcass collides with another dragon that was struck by Solara's bow.

Move! my mind screams. I raise my sword. I'll die fighting. I turn Lenox just as a dragon dives past the spot where we were. My mind goes blank. The fear leaves, replaced with a void of cold nothingness, just as a green, snake-like dragon passes.

It has two comically undersized arms in the front, and small, thin wings. It's mostly tail, and as long as two subway cars. As it flies by, it swings its spikey mace tail tip at me. Lenox sees it first and swerves out of its path, but the dragon has already turned, anticipating where we'll move.

Lenox shifts again. I'm struggling to keep up with his movements. What's going to hurt more, plummeting to the ground or being crushed in one bite?

The pareixer is broadcasting chaos. Everyone is shouting at once. It adds to my confusion. For the moment, you are safe, says a voice from deep in my soul.

Lenox is quick enough to avoid the green dragon's strikes, but he can't get away from it. I have to kill it. His maneuvering is giving me time to formulate a plan. I can puncture its eyes when it passes, but first I'll have to remove its mace-like tail.

Each time the dragon flies past, I note that it turns under us and whips its tail around to the right. If I time it correctly, I can dive to the left and get a good hit on the tail. Please let me hit it hard enough to remove it.

The dragon makes its move. As it rotates under us, I push Lenox left. Jonah screams my name. I lift my sword and swing—the blade slices through the thick scale and the softer meat. I hit bone and raise my body to get more force, then almost fall when the tail breaks away.

A river of blood soars up past me, followed by a stream of flame. I pull my wand and make the most impressive shield I've ever made in my life. It protects both Lenox and me until the flame dies down and the wounded dragon flies off.

There's already another one approaching. Now that I know how to fight them, it's easier the second time. Multiple green dragons swirl around me, blocking the path to my protectors. I'm alone, surrounded by screaming, death, blood, and flames.

I remember my training and rely on my sword; I can fight my way out of this.

Lenox and I work as a team; while I slice one, he dodges another. By the time we've defeated the sixth dragon, I'm exhausted. I can't feel my fingers, and we're both coated in blood. But they keep coming. This is hopeless. There must be hundreds of them. How long can I keep this up?