AA233 - Beat this Dragon (Patreon)

There weren’t any defenders between the second and third rings, and the distance was close enough that James was prepared to wait for Shugen to lead the way. To his surprise, Shugen waved James forward.

“Just stab it with your sword,” he said.

It felt… reductive. Insulting, even. Was this all he was good for? Stabbing things? But Shugen was the expert, and there was no time to argue. James leapt forward, sword extended.

Shion was faster and even more reckless. She shot past James, not even slightly slowed by her massive, stolen sword. She must have heard Shugen and assumed his words applied to her—which James was pretty sure was not the case. Before he could say anything, though, Shion was at the barrier, swinging her sword at the wall of darkness with all her might.

It bounced off like a rubber ball. Not in a way that was remotely plausible under the normal laws of physics. There was no noise, no crumpling of metal. The sword just reversed course, heading out just as fast as it had moved in.

Shion’s grip was apparently unbreakable, even when she was surprised, because the sword dragged her with it as it was repelled. She flew back, landing with a thud behind James.

“Idiot!” Shugen snarled, just as James plunged his sword into the darkness.

This time, it went very differently. James felt resistance as the sword dug into the darkness, much like the gooey feeling from the last barrier. Lightning crackled along the blade and spread out into the surrounding darkness.

James instinctively pulled his sword back, but something was holding it in. Even as he struggled, the lightning continued to spread. In moments, it covered all of the black cylinder that he could see.

A moment later, and it was gone, along with the darkness. A detonation that wasn’t quite physical engulfed the entire farm. Shadows flew outwards, and he turned to see where they were going. They were finding people—at first, his companions. The shadows wrapped around them briefly before sliding off and dispersing further. Screams sounded in the distance before James turned back to the inner circle.

James had been primed to expect a ritual circle, and this certainly looked like one. From the lines of blue fire that traced concentric circles decorated with mystic sigils to the black-cloaked, hooded figures, it was a picture-perfect dark ritual.

James didn’t want to call the bound and gagged captives and the bodies slumped in the middle of the circle perfect, but they didn’t detract from the ambience.

“You dare?” the hooded figure with the knife screamed. That was the only way that James could distinguish him from the others, but he seemed to be the leader.

“Pathetic!” Shugen crowed from behind James. “To have your inner sanctum so easily disrupted! Your final contingency so easily countered! Truly, the work of an amateur!”

“You may have interrupted the holy ritual,” the cultist snarled, “But Ryvaal-Isket-sama will not be denied! For the Storm!”

He pulled out a blood-red gem the size of his fist. As one, the other cultists all pulled out ritual daggers and plunged them into their chests. Streams of—not blood, that was falling to the ground, but some reddish mist or energy—started flowing from the cultists to the gem.

“Stop him!” Shugen roared. James started to move—he wasn’t sure how he would stop the cult leader, but he’d figure it out when he got there. But Arjun was faster.

A gunshot sounded, and the cultist clutched at his own heart. Blood started welling between his fingers.

“Not that way!” Shugen shouted, but it was too late. Somehow, the cultist’s final words were clearly audible to James, all the way across the circle.

“Even my death… serves The Storm That Hunts.”

The red gem flared with a lurid, carmine light. It flew into the centre of the circle. Arjun fired a few shots at it, but they either missed or had no effect.

“What now?” James asked Shugen, who was staring at the light in dismay.

“We’re—” he started, but he was interrupted by a massive flare of light.

A massive beam of light—as wide as the ritual circle—shot up into the sky. It pierced the thick clouds above, and they started to swirl in a tight orbit around it. Between the clouds and the glare, James couldn’t see what was happening, but something was. A glowing disk was expanding. It was shielded by the clouds, but the light from it shone through. It was easy to tell the sheer size of it, and the occasional glimpse gave some hint of structure, but—”

“It’s spell circle!” Suki exclaimed. “The portal is forming up there!”

“Can we stop it?” James asked Shugen. The oni scowled and glanced at Amilie’s second spear.

“That’s our only hope, now,” he said.

Amilie looked up and then apologetically back to the others. “I can’t throw it that far,” she admitted.

“Give it to me,” Kana said.

Then a dragon poked its head through the clouds.

At first, it was just a shadow cast against the light of the magic circle. Huge, but formless. Then it moved out of the cloudbank, and James could see what it was.

It was huge. The shadow dragon had been about twenty metres long, but this dwarfed it. James couldn’t even tell how large it was, because not all of it had emerged. A hundred metres? Two?

“We’ve failed,” Shugen said despondently. “That is Ryvaal-Isket, one of the Great Generals of the mighty Dragon God-King.”

“One of?” James asked. “How many does he have?”

“Eight,” Shugen answered. “Sometimes known as his eight Heads, or eight Hands. But just one is enough to dispose of the likes of us.”

Ryvaal-Isket was descending, getting larger. More of his snake-like form was coming into view, and James could make out the green and blue colours of the dragon’s scales. James gulped. He wasn’t looking forward to when the dragon reached the ground.

“Don’t be so sure,” Amilie said. “The dragon-bane magic on this spear doesn’t come with a size limit.”

“At least fighting will ensure our deaths will be quick,” Shugen said.

It was quite clear now that Ryvaal-Isket was headed right for them and would arrive soon. James looked over at the still living captives, still bound and gagged and wondered if he could free them in time.

He couldn’t. Ryvaal-Isket was moving faster than James had thought, shaking the earth as he touched down on the farm.

“Well. It seems that there are no cultists left to reward. How efficient!”

The dragon’s voice was a physical force, pushing James back. Despite the amused tone, there was no warmth in Ryvaal-Isket’s giant eyes. James stared up at the whirling blue and black orbs, big enough for him to stand in.

“Are you the ones who tried to disrupt the ritual? How amusing.”

His gaze flicked over the group.

“Some ordinary humans with magic weapons, a gelded oni, and two marionettes. One mechanical, one… not.”

His gaze focused on James.

“Your… equipment is more worth noting. I believe I will take it back for examination.”

A claw bigger than James started to reach out to grab him. He braced himself to slash at it, but Shion had other ideas.

“Hey! You think I’m scared of you?” she yelled.

The dragon paused and glanced at her.

“We have similar mechanisms at Court,” he said. “Clever mechanical devices that speak and dance for our amusement. Is that what you do, little one? Dance?”

“Dance on this,” Shion snarled and opened her mouth wide. For the briefest of moments, James thought she was going to scream. Then a beam of intense energy lanced from her open mouth, carving into Ryvaal-Isket with a sizzling sound. James could see the fake flesh of Shion’s face blackening and burning away. On the other end of the beam.

“Argh! That hurt!” Ryvaal-Isket lashed out with a massive claw, but Shion was already gone. James had a brief glimpse of her on the other side of the dragon, the metallic wings of her heat sink extended, before she blasted another beam into Ryvaal-Isket’s other side.

“Charge!” Amilie yelled, and James had no choice but to obey. He raced in, pushing the cutting field of his sword to his utmost limit. Arjun and Mitsue had moved to attack the dragon’s vulnerable sides, slashing away with their flexible weapons. Katarzyna had assumed a defensive stance in front of Shugen and Suki, who were frantically conferring. Kana had taken to the air and was blasting Ryvaal-Isket with lightning.

Harue was… where was Harue?

“Annoying insects!” Ryvaal-Isket declared, rearing up in indignation. With his head out of reach, James and Amilie were striking at his forelegs. They were drawing blood, but the wounds were tiny compared to his massive size. So small that James didn’t think the dragon had noticed. Someone else had stolen his attention.

“Got your nose!” Harue crowed. Appearing high in the air out of nowhere, her golden armour stood out against the overcast sky. Contrary to what she said, she threw her manriki-gusari into Ryvaal-Isket’s eye. The hook on the end of the chain lodged into something, briefly, before she pulled it free.

“Tch. You’ve scratched my eyelid, pest.”

Harue floated in the air, jeering at the dragon. It was a tactic that James had seen her use before: goading her opponent into attacking an illusion. Or something. Harue had never been forthcoming about how her powers worked.

James decided that he should use the distraction to get past the defending forelegs and strike at the main body. Before he managed it, though, Ryvaal-Isket responded to the taunts.

He moved so fast, despite his size. Fifty metres of tail flicked forward to smash the annoying pest. The end of it was about as wide as Harue was.

It should have passed right through her. Instead, it smashed into her like a freight train.

“Harue!” James shouted. It didn’t do any good. She was gone, smacked out of the sky like a bug.

“Don’t think that simple immateriality will save you, pest. Now for the rest of you.”

Ryvaal-Isket looked down at the group and at the gashes carved in his forelegs and sides.

“Such trifling injuries. Yet there is no need to engage in such base physical pursuits when one has magic.”

He rose into the air, putting himself out of reach of all the melee fighters. At some point, Shion had run out of energy beam. Her face had been entirely burnt off, leaving a horrific blackened steel skull. James couldn’t tell what her expression was, but he assumed she was glowering. Arjun and Katarzyna were shooting, but the bullets didn’t seem to have an effect.

“There. In one swift stroke, the majority of you are rendered harmless. Ah, but not you—”

Kana, in dragon form, was rising to his level. She spat lightning at him, but it crackled over his scales with no visible effect. Ryvaal-Isket laughed, a deep, rumbling roar.

“Bold of you, to attack The Storm That Hunts with lightning. You seem to be of noble lineage, child. I would know who your parents are.”

“You will know only death, invader,” Kana declared. She flew at him, only to be pushed back by an intense burst of wind. It wrapped around her like a tornado before suddenly blooming white with ice and snow.

“I like a female with spirit,” Ryvaal-Isket declared. “It would be a shame to kill you at such an early age, so I shall not. As for the rest of you…”

He looked down at them with disdain.

“I’m sure you’ve led full lives up to now, at least as far as mortals can. Perish.”

He rose further, taking Kana with him. The winds around her solidified into a solid ball of ice, trapping her. Below him, a whirling vortex of ice and wind sprang into existence. It was around a hundred metres wide, far too big to dodge.

With a gesture, Ryvaal-Isket sent it plunging at them.

“Shields!” Shugen yelled. “Get near me if you want to live!”

He activated a talisman, and a golden dome appeared above him. James looked for Suki and saw her raising a dome of her own over the helpless captives.

James wanted to run to her, but Shugen was closer, and there was no time. He took shelter under the magical umbrella.

“It won’t hold,” Shugen muttered, “But it might help.”

James felt something move against his chest. He looked down and saw only his green armour. But something had changed. Then everything did. The air took on a pinkish tinge, and everything around him slowed to a crawl.

“Hello, Ja-chan.” Kuzahana Kaede’s voice purred into his ear. He could almost feel her breath on his neck. “Do you think you could do me a favour?”

“Ja-chan?” James exclaimed. He’d never been so insulted. Or, more accurately, condescended to. He didn’t wait for a response, though; he had about fifty urgent questions to get out. “What’s happening? Is this what the amulet does?”

Kaede tittered at his outrage. “Silly boy, the amulet does what I want it to, of course. Right now, it is giving us a little time to have a conversation.”

“About doing you a favour. Can you help us?”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, dear. You see, I’m a little worried about one of my priestesses. She’s gone missing.”

“And you want us to find her? You do know that we’re about to die, right?”

“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic. You just have to shut down the portal, and you have a device for that, do you not?”

James stared at the approaching whirlwind of ice shards. It was still getting closer, just more slowly. “Even if we could get it up there, that still leaves us with the giant dragon trying to kill us!”

“There’s no need for you to worry about that.” Kaede’s voice dripped with unconcern. “Once cut off from reinforcements, the Air Force should be able to drive it off.”

“Not before he kills us!”

“You’re concerned, I understand,” Kaede said sympathetically. James had never been more certain that someone didn’t understand. “I’m concerned about poor little Byakuro-chan.”

The ice continued to drop closer. James could see where this was going. He didn’t want to wait for all the twists and turns of Kaede’s mind games.

“Fine! If you get us out of this, we’ll look for your sister!”

“I knew I could count on you, James,” Kaede said smugly. “Such a helpful boy.”

The… pinkness… intensified, and James smelled cherry blossoms. Petals started swirling around him and the others, and then everything started moving again.

Not just the whirlwind of death descending upon them. James was wrenched off his feet by a sideways force that lifted him up and to the side. The others were coming with him.

“What’s going on? What are you doing?” James yelled.

“Why, I’m helping,” Kaede’s voice said. They were moving quickly now, too quickly. The cherry blossoms swirled around them as they rose into the sky, dodging the descending ice vortex. Ryvaal-Isket didn’t seem to notice as they swept past him, adding Kana’s ball of ice to the procession. They were headed right for the glowing ring of the portal, still hidden behind the clouds.

“What is going on?” Shugen called. “What magic is this?”

He looked around at the group, and then seemed to come to a realisation.

“Spear girl!” he shouted. “Throw away the disruptor!”

“But we need it!” Amilie yelled back.

“Fool! We’re headed through the portal! You do not want to be inside the passageway when it explodes!”

They were in the clouds now, the glowing circle emerging from the mist. It was more than big enough to pass the entire group. Amilie dithered for a moment before her resolve firmed. She readied the disruptor spear to throw. Not down, but forward.

Shugen screamed with outrage. Kaede chuckled in James’s ear.

“Foolish girl, indeed. As if I was going to leave something so important to chance.”

Cherry blossom petals swirled around Amilie, and then the crystal spear was taken from her. Now it floated in the middle of the group, rushing towards the portal.

“You see?” Kaede said to James. “I told you that you wouldn’t have to worry about the dragon. Now don’t forget about Byakuro-chan, will you?”

Before James could answer, they were swept into the portal. The crystal spear immediately started to give off a furious, churning light.

“I don’t—” Shugen shouted, and then everything went white.

If he were forced to describe it, James would have to say that it felt like being squeezed into a wine bottle that was subsequently blown up. The sheer impossibility of that operation was part of how it felt. There was no way, James felt, that what had happened, could have happened.

When it was over, he was lying on the ground, looking at the night sky. At first, he thought he was seeing double.

I’ve probably got a concussion, or some weirder physical ailment after that, he thought. Better lie here until it fades, or a doctor arrives.

Beside him, Shugen groaned. “That did not happen,” he stated.

“Okay,” James agreed, surprising himself. He hadn’t thought he could talk.

Shugen got up and pushed himself into James’s feild of view. “You don’t understand,” he said sourly. “There was no way we could have survived that portal, let alone passed through it safely.”

“I dunno about safely,” James mused. “I think I’m seeing double.”

Although now that he thought about it, he was only seeing one Shugen. That Shugen looked up and snorted.

“You’re fine,” he said. “Tenra has two moons.”