True to his warrior nature, Forte reared back but flexed for battle and did not run. I should have been blank, overwhelmed with the scope of what was in front of me, but the adrenaline made my mind clear and sharp. A plan was forming and I was ready to move. I called out to Ainia and Isabella, “Come close!” The horses that had been delivered from Cybra suited each one of us well. Ainia had a white quarter horse named Spirit, and Isabella had a buck skin named Tumbleweed. They rode up to me and leaned in. The dragon stayed focused on us, looking angry and growling, but he had yet to make a move.
“What do we do?!" shouted Isabella over the loud rumbling emanating from the throat of the beast.
I untied the fasteners that mounted the shield to my saddle and slipped my hand through the enarmes. It fit well on my arm and felt good there. I raised my voice to be heard above the dragon. “I have a plan,” I said.
As if in reaction to this, the Dragon took a huge breath and then exhaled with a earth-shattering roar, unleashing his flaming breath directly on top of us. Instinctively I raised the shield, feeling as though it would be my last act. My arm was instantly burning hot, but to my surprise I could bear the heat and was able to keep my hold on the shield. Isabella screamed and Ainia cursed. I pushed back from the shield and looked over to each of them. I was amazed to see that the flame had not engulfed them but remained blocked by an invisible barrier that extended from the edge of the shield. The entire area where we stood with our horses was protected. The barrier moved with the shield as I pushed it further out. Finally his breath ended and the flame was instantly gone.
“SCATTER!” I yelled, and without delay Anina bolted to my right and Isabella to my left. The Dragon was momentarily distracted by this movement, so I took the opportunity to head straight for him. As long as I had the shield, I had the ability to get close. Forte lived up to his name and charged forward at incredible speed. It seemed as though he knew my thoughts and all he needed to act was the smallest signal from me. Another wall of flame engulfed me as I came closer. I was thankful that the Dragon took a particularly long inhale as a warning before he unleashed his fire. Even though riding at such a high speed made maneuvering difficult I was able to position my shield above me before the fire hit, protecting both Forte and myself. When the flame stopped I was along the right side of the enormous beast and quickly moved behind him. If Forte could keep me close in to his back side and avoid the swiping range of the spiked tail, I could get my bow ready for a shot at the heart. I watched the Dragon as I strung my bow and reached for an arrow. He was slow and awkward, which would be to my advantage.
Forte was an exceptional horse. He knew where to go without much guidance from me. I tied the reins to the saddle horn with plenty of slack, notched the arrow, held up the bow and then squeezed hard with my legs signaling him to the left. Forte moved quickly in perfect alignment to the Dragon's chest. I took aim and was promptly knocked off my saddle by a swipe of the Dragon’s massive claw. I had under-estimated his range. I was in pain but conscious and able to move before his giant mouth closed down on me. I ran around to his backside and caught my breath, which had been squarely knocked out of me. Forte was there a moment later and I jumped back into the saddle.
This time I was angry. I was no longer afraid but ready for this bastard to be gone. I pulled out the short short from my saddle bag and threw it as hard as I could at his back. It stuck, just to the right of his spine. There was a deafening roar as he cried out in pain and struggled in vein to reach the sword. I rode quickly towards his front and shot another arrow, which missed the heart and stuck low at the ribs. In an instant I was knocked off my horse again… this time I was paralyzed faced down in the dirt, unable to do anything except pray that he would not grab and eat me. Just then I heard the wrenching cry of Forte somewhere above, then a loud thump in front of me. The thought of my horse in trouble sent shock waves through me. It was awkward but I was able to move again.
I looked up to see him laying still in front of me. My heart broke. I cried out. “NOOO!” I turned to see the dragon facing away from me and breathing fire at something. I looked around for my shield but could not find it. I was blind with rage. The sight of Forte laying there was almost more than I could bare. Just then Isabella rode out from a cloud smoke behind me and offered me her hand. I took it without hesitation. She had removed her own foot from the stirrup so I could step in and raise up into the saddle. We rode fast towards the tree line. I looked behind as we went. Ainia was engaging the dragon with a spectacular display of riding! She was running in a fast circle around him and you could see that he was getting dizzy and unable to keep up. We got to the trees and stopped. Isabella offered me water and I took a long drink. We turned to face the dragon. Ainia had managed to get two more arrows into him. He was beginning to look like a pin cushion, but didn’t seem too bothered by it.
“That bastard got Forte,” Isabellla fumed. “He’s gonna pay!” She added, never taking her eyes off of him. It was her turn to drink and she gulped down the last of what was in her water bag. “Are you OK?” she asked me and I nodded. "He's gonna be sorry he messed with us! I got friends in the Faery world and we got ways of dealing with the likes of him! " Isabella snapped.
“Lets go back!” I said. I was anxious to help Ainia even though she didn’t look like she needed it. It actually appear as tho she was having fun. She had this crazy grin on her face.
“Come on Tumbleweed!” Isabella urged. He reared up with excitement then took off towards the action.
“What do we do?!" shouted Isabella over the loud rumbling emanating from the throat of the beast.
I untied the fasteners that mounted the shield to my saddle and slipped my hand through the enarmes. It fit well on my arm and felt good there. I raised my voice to be heard above the dragon. “I have a plan,” I said.
As if in reaction to this, the Dragon took a huge breath and then exhaled with a earth-shattering roar, unleashing his flaming breath directly on top of us. Instinctively I raised the shield, feeling as though it would be my last act. My arm was instantly burning hot, but to my surprise I could bear the heat and was able to keep my hold on the shield. Isabella screamed and Ainia cursed. I pushed back from the shield and looked over to each of them. I was amazed to see that the flame had not engulfed them but remained blocked by an invisible barrier that extended from the edge of the shield. The entire area where we stood with our horses was protected. The barrier moved with the shield as I pushed it further out. Finally his breath ended and the flame was instantly gone.
“SCATTER!” I yelled, and without delay Anina bolted to my right and Isabella to my left. The Dragon was momentarily distracted by this movement, so I took the opportunity to head straight for him. As long as I had the shield, I had the ability to get close. Forte lived up to his name and charged forward at incredible speed. It seemed as though he knew my thoughts and all he needed to act was the smallest signal from me. Another wall of flame engulfed me as I came closer. I was thankful that the Dragon took a particularly long inhale as a warning before he unleashed his fire. Even though riding at such a high speed made maneuvering difficult I was able to position my shield above me before the fire hit, protecting both Forte and myself. When the flame stopped I was along the right side of the enormous beast and quickly moved behind him. If Forte could keep me close in to his back side and avoid the swiping range of the spiked tail, I could get my bow ready for a shot at the heart. I watched the Dragon as I strung my bow and reached for an arrow. He was slow and awkward, which would be to my advantage.
Forte was an exceptional horse. He knew where to go without much guidance from me. I tied the reins to the saddle horn with plenty of slack, notched the arrow, held up the bow and then squeezed hard with my legs signaling him to the left. Forte moved quickly in perfect alignment to the Dragon's chest. I took aim and was promptly knocked off my saddle by a swipe of the Dragon’s massive claw. I had under-estimated his range. I was in pain but conscious and able to move before his giant mouth closed down on me. I ran around to his backside and caught my breath, which had been squarely knocked out of me. Forte was there a moment later and I jumped back into the saddle.
This time I was angry. I was no longer afraid but ready for this bastard to be gone. I pulled out the short short from my saddle bag and threw it as hard as I could at his back. It stuck, just to the right of his spine. There was a deafening roar as he cried out in pain and struggled in vein to reach the sword. I rode quickly towards his front and shot another arrow, which missed the heart and stuck low at the ribs. In an instant I was knocked off my horse again… this time I was paralyzed faced down in the dirt, unable to do anything except pray that he would not grab and eat me. Just then I heard the wrenching cry of Forte somewhere above, then a loud thump in front of me. The thought of my horse in trouble sent shock waves through me. It was awkward but I was able to move again.
I looked up to see him laying still in front of me. My heart broke. I cried out. “NOOO!” I turned to see the dragon facing away from me and breathing fire at something. I looked around for my shield but could not find it. I was blind with rage. The sight of Forte laying there was almost more than I could bare. Just then Isabella rode out from a cloud smoke behind me and offered me her hand. I took it without hesitation. She had removed her own foot from the stirrup so I could step in and raise up into the saddle. We rode fast towards the tree line. I looked behind as we went. Ainia was engaging the dragon with a spectacular display of riding! She was running in a fast circle around him and you could see that he was getting dizzy and unable to keep up. We got to the trees and stopped. Isabella offered me water and I took a long drink. We turned to face the dragon. Ainia had managed to get two more arrows into him. He was beginning to look like a pin cushion, but didn’t seem too bothered by it.
“That bastard got Forte,” Isabellla fumed. “He’s gonna pay!” She added, never taking her eyes off of him. It was her turn to drink and she gulped down the last of what was in her water bag. “Are you OK?” she asked me and I nodded. "He's gonna be sorry he messed with us! I got friends in the Faery world and we got ways of dealing with the likes of him! " Isabella snapped.
“Lets go back!” I said. I was anxious to help Ainia even though she didn’t look like she needed it. It actually appear as tho she was having fun. She had this crazy grin on her face.
“Come on Tumbleweed!” Isabella urged. He reared up with excitement then took off towards the action.