The Heroes of the Elemental Academies Book 2: Dragon's Breath

Chapter 7: Of Fire and Dragons I

As the sun was setting over the western horizon, the city of the Light Force showed no signs of decreased activity. The civilians were being directed to domed shelters made of conoroid, the strongest metal known to the light force. These domed shelters were placed throughout the Academy and were equiped with the provisions and supplies needed to sustain everyone during a siege.        Agents rushed to and from the city wall preparing for the battle to come. Large baisins of water were placed throughout the city and teams of water elementists we're on standby to fight fires when necessary. Medical stations were also being setup throughout the city. And agents specializing in air defense guarded them. The city was on high alert. Unlike the last attack the city now had time to prepare. Agents stood in neat rows facing the northern horizon in full armor. Most of the Academy forces were actually deployed on missions to the normal world and thus the Academy was facing this threat with one-third it's total strength.
    Seth exited his house battle ready his armor clinking as he moved his sword on the side. He walked through the streets towards headquarters where the wall assignments were to be given out. He passed by many agents a mixture of fear and courage on their faces. This wasn't just another day. Fighting armies, saving people, risking their lives, these were things that agents were used to. But dragons... That's a whole new level of danger. Seth arrived outside the HQ to find Strat waiting for him. The familiar sight of Strat's steel and leather armor pulled tight over him put Seth to ease. Strat looked at Seth as he walked up in his armor. Strat raised an appraising eye to Seth.
   "Yes Strat, I did put my armor on and did it right at that. So, you can stop staring." Seth hated wearing the armor, he felt silly wearing armor in the twenty first century so he rarely wore it.
    "Not quite right," Strat said as he walked over to Seth and tightened the straps directly under his arms where Seth couldn't really reach. "That is why you should always get someone to help you take your armor off and on."
   "Oh, so I missed two little straps, sue me," Seth replied as he joined Strat on the hill overlooking the academy as the sun descended in the west casting the academy in a redish light that was quickly turning purple.
  "It's hard to believe that two years ago I was worried about a math test," Seth said humorously. Strat smiled.
   " If there's one thing I've learned in the past two millenia it's that: you never know what life will throw at you." He paused. "Well it's me and you on the north wall," Strat said. " Not that I expected anything else. You have the water gem and I am the protector so that makes us the best choice for it. Since we are balanced in offense and defense. They need Jack to guard the East wall and your mom's taking the west wall, the south wall is being guarded by the elites. So we will be in the north. We will be commanding well over 2000 men, do you think you are up for that?"
  "Do you want me to be honest?" Seth responded suddenly finding it hard to swallow.
   "Well they do say that honesty is the best policy."
   "Then, no I don't think I'm ready at all. This is my first large scale battle not to mention it's a siege, how could I possibly know how to lead these guys?" Strat nodded as if he had expected seth to say as much
   "Well then just focus on fighting and staying alive, I'll do the commanding.
   Remember this is a first for a lot of us. Dragons don't usually attack settlements they much rather prefer to stay neutral so I expect that after this battle, assuming we survive. We will be also sent on a mission to find out whatever is causing this breach in neutrality, as well as to find out their goal."
   Seth nodded, "figures. Well, we better get into position," Seth said.
  "Yeah, you're right." As Seth followed Strat down the hill towards the city, he hardened his heart for the battle to come
The sun had now been down for almost thirty minutes and a nervous calm had settled over the city. Seth stood atop The northern walls behind the bulwark of white stone, behind him nearly two thousand men and women some young, others in their middle age but all wore determined looks on their faces. Shoulder to shoulder they stood. Here differences in size, sex, age, or race didn't matter for they were all children of God and they were all in it together.
   Not thirty minutes ago, a rider had ridden in to inform Strat that the dragons were on their way. Only about thirty miles out. Which was equivalent to two minutes by air. This was it. Seth took a deep breath and Drew his sword Sonfang from it's scabbard. The rest of the agents behind him did likewise drawing their weapons to prepare for the fight ahead.
It wasn't long in coming. The first thing they heard was the loud multitude of thunderous roars that shook the entire land. They were definitely coming. An order was given and up and down the walls flood lights about fifteen feet across and spread out on the wall every thirty feet, were turned on and pointed up at the sky. The giant new machines were also loaded. These machines were giant ballistae that shot massive heat sinking bolts at the enemy.
   But there were only five of them spread throughout the wall even Barbratoss couldn't have completed any more Seth was just happy that he had gotten that many done. A final horn rang signalling that the dragons would soon be within sight. And then the dragons Were there they didn't slowly come into sight like Seth thought they were going to, no they just popped up like a science fiction movie of ships dropping out of hyperspace. It was instantaneous. The first thing Seth noticed was that there must of been Almost two dozen of them ranging from all shapes and sizes. Some had talons lining their backs others had overly long horns but all of them were still menacing.
   The next thing Seth noticed was the black fire as it beltched from their mouths. At least forty feet it raged outwards scouring across the wall. Seth saw many light shields burst into being but several quickly burned out. Screams drowned the night in sound as battle was commenced. Light bolts, fire bolt and even some lightning few from the walls lashing out at the dragons. The dragons split, each spreading out and easily avoiding the attack as they continued their approach towards the walls. They fought like fighter jets making a bombing run as they swept low over the walls spitting fire, and swiping with their talons. Seth realized that there was one heading in his direction of the wall. Seth imagined a giant gilded spear of light almost thirty feet in length appearing in the air in front of the wall and a brilliant flash of light lit up the wall causing the dragon to roar in protest and attempt to veer out of the way. Seth launched the spear at him willing it through the air with amazing speed however the spear only managed to graze the dragon Seth was aiming for but it struck the one behind it directly in the chest. The force behind the spear punched through it's scales quite easily and Seth watched as it hurled out of the sky towards the ground. On impact black flames exploded outward torching the forest that was just beyond the wall.
   " Be careful everyone, these things explode when they die!" Seth shouted.  No sooner had he shouted that than a trail of black fire was laid across the battlements. Several agents scattered including Seth as fire rained down. The fire was so close that Seth could feel the hairs under his gauntlet begin to steam. As he looked down he realized his armor was doing just that, steaming. And, it seemed he would get no chance to recover as he was hit by a sudden impacted that sent him, stones from the wall, and most of the agents around him flying. Seth felt a jarring impact on the side of his helmet and he realized he was laying on the ground black fire covered everything and Seth heard the screams of those around him. As Seth shook his head he forced himself onto one knee as he tried to take stock of the situation. The first thing he noticed was that the nearest ballistae had exploded and the shrapnel and secondary explosion had been what had hit him and his squad. The second thing Seth noticed was a dragon baring down on him from above, it's maw opening to beltch it's deadly fire. Seth raised his hand a willed a shield of shimmering light at least a school bus in length to appear. 
  The fire blast slammed into Seth's shield with the force of freight train but his shield held. The agents around him had had yet to recover, some weren't moving (Seth was trying not to think about what happened to them). The rest were getting to their feet slowly. The dragon continued it's assault on his shield forcing Seth back onto both knees as the force bearing down on him intensified. Seth  put more power into the shield and could feel the energy drain from him as he put everything he had into that shield. Unfortunately he was still a little bit drained from training so he knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. Suddenly more energy was added to the shield and Seth turned around to see an agent on his knees his armor was smoking and he was bleeding from a wound on his head but his eyes were focused, his hand outstretched feeding energy to the shield. His other hand was trying to staunch the bleeding from his head.
  Seth felt the load lessen once again as another agent was able to rally this one was quite young barely older than fifteen.
   "Together!" Seth yelled over the roars in the sky. Seth saw both of them begin to move towards him their armor clanking as they struggled to move. The shield widened to encompass the entire area that they were in. The heat of the black fire lessened and Seth felt less pressure as the dragon veered off to attack some other place on the wall.
  "Thanks," Seth muttered between deep heavy breaths. The older agent just nodded but the younger agent managed a smile.
   "This is insane!" He said. Then his smile faded as he looked around him. Seth lowered the shield and the brilliant light faded and Seth's world darkened as that light was replaced with the flood lights and torches upon the wall. Seth had to quickly take stock of the current situation as Strat was nowhere to be found. Agents were laying injured all over the wall, there were only about forty or so agents that were rallying. The situation was grim. Seth looked around hoping to spot Strat and have him take command of the agents but he couldn't see any sign of him. In that moment Seth reacted to the situation.
  "Alright who is the highest ranking agent here besides me," he exclaimed looking from left to right out over the agents assembled in front of him.
   "I am!" A man yelled from the back of the group. He pushed his way forward until Seth could see him in the Torchlight. He was a short man probably only five foot eight but he had a fierceness in his eyes. He has a scruffy black beard and under his helmet Seth spotted slicked back black hair. Seth pointed to him " what's your name?" He asked.
  " I am Lutinent Honslo of the Bannot Battalion. I'm Lord Bannot's second in command." He replied strongly.
He'll do, Seth thought to himself.
  "Have you seen Strat then?" The man shook his head.
   "Not since the explosion, I think he might've been knocked over the wall. Seth's heart dropped to his feet but Honslo simply shrugged. "Knowing him though, he's just fine." Seth realised he was right no meer fall could kill Strat. Seth had to focus right now on driving off the dragons. Just as Seth was about to start issuing orders a yell came from the stair case to the wall. Seth moved toward it fearing that the demons had broke through somewhere else but he paused when he realised it was his name an agents was calling. The boy was young obviously no older than twelve but he was clutching his right shoulder in pain and screaming Seth's name from the bottom of the stairs.
   Seth turned to Honslo.
   "Take command here," he said and then rushed down the stairs to the agent.
  The agent was obviously panicking he was looking around frantically and when he spotted Seth he ran over to him.
   "Oh thank God I found you." He said the urgency in his voice picking up.
   "You're injured agent you need to get to the medical station," Seth said. The agents simply waved his hand as if he wasn't important.
  "No time for that I need you to follow me to West gate."
   "Why?" Seth asked his curiosity piqued. Had something gone wrong at the western gate. "Which Battalion are you from?" But Seth knew the answer to both the minute the words left his mouth. He wasn't sure how he knew he just did.
   "I'm from your mother's unit," he said.
   "She's in danger of being overrun!"