could put his entire weight behind the blow Aracnan headed for its belly. While its wing was still outstretched Ilumene slammed the axe below the muscles at the wing’s base.
The axe bit in, and was torn from his grip, and Ilumene rolled clear as the dragon bellowed again, recoiling from the blow and rearing, just as Aracnan struck. The Demi-God dropped at the last minute and let his momentum carry him right underneath the creature’s body, slashing its belly as he passed.
Ilumene fought his way upright. As he scrambled away he glimpsed two Litse in the sky above him, hurling javelins at the dragon’s armoured head. A moment later he ducked as he heard the thwack of a crossbow bolt strike the dragon’s scales and glance off, followed by the deeper thunk of the tail against an armoured body. Ilumene threw himself to the ground and crawled out of range as fast as he could.
Once back he saw figures surrounding the dragon, all looking pathetically small against it. One of the Litse swooped too low, trying to get close enough to hit its eyes, and the dragon bit like a striking snake. The Litse howled as his leg was caught and he was dragged from the sky, tossed up and bitten again before being thrown away and crashing in a broken heap against the cliff. One of the hunting noblemen tried to exploit its distraction, but while the dragon snapped at another Litse it crushed him with a foot.
Ilumene pulled his dagger and cut the ties that affixed his second axe to his back, catching it as it dropped. The dragon’s head swung past him, focusing on the noblemen running at it. With a flick of its tail the dragon bowled the pair over, swatting them with ease. As that happened the Jesters ran forward with long easy strides, their weapons drawn but in no apparent rush. Captain Latiar of the Ruby Tower was behind them, carrying a boar-spear, but they all leapt away when the dragon spat a ball of flame at them.
The nearest Jester wasn’t quick enough. His leg was caught by the unnatural flames and in a moment the fire had caught on his clothes and it had swept up to consume his entire body before anyone could attempt to help him. The Demi-God’s grey-skinned brothers watched the thrashing figure for a moment, all emotion hidden by their leather masks, then charged again. The dragon raked at the air with its dextrous forelimb, forcing both to stop, or be eviscerated.
And a black-armoured figure leaped from the cliff-face onto the creature’s back.
The dragon reared again, roaring furiously as Lord Styrax hacked down at the shining green scales underfoot. The impact of sword and scales produced an explosion of light that momentarily blinded Ilumene, and when his eyes cleared he saw the dragon had reached around to gore Styrax, only to have one of its long horns chopped in half by his fanged broadsword. The dragon snarled and shook Styrax off its back. The white-eye seemed to be expecting the move, leaping clear and rolling to his feet in one smooth movement. The dragon clawed at him with a forelimb and he threw himself aside, rolling again as it furrowed the ground.
The dragon turned to follow him, swinging its tail around in a wide arc to keep the remaining Jesters clear. Its head dipped again and Ilumene saw a blast of red sparks from Styrax’s sword as he warded off the blow. The white-eye struck back, two swift blows that missed, but gave him enough time to leap left again and avoid being gored. A green haze suddenly filled the air around the dragon and the Jesters cried out, covering their faces as though a sudden inferno had flared up.
Darting streams of emerald light began to race through the air like hunting swallows, arrowing down at Styrax and forcing him to parry strike after strike. A heartbeat later and his sword flared red, and the streams started to explode as Styrax struck them. Once the majority had been destroyed Styrax chanced another blow at the dragon, the light of his sword extending from the tip like a whip to slash across its broad chest again and again. The dragon spat fire at him, but a white shield appeared between the two and the fire was absorbed. It tried to turn and bring its tail to bear, hammering it down towards Styrax’s head, but he battered it aside.