Dramix arrived and sat on the wagon after setting Zwilander down inside.
One of the elven women then put ointment on his cut-up arms.
“If you were a normal man, then the strikes would have worked, but your flesh is tougher. It’s not the same structure. Some of your muscles have been cut, but this will mend it. You won’t feel any difference when it heals.” (Elf Woman)
The elf then wrapped bandages over his cuts.
“Can I go back out and aid her?” (Dramix)
The elf put a gentle hand over his own.
“If you do, the damage may be irreversible, even with our magic and medicines.” (Elf Woman)
Dramix then grabbed the spear that was at his side.
“Tell me something first. How did he become corrupted?” (Dramix)
The elf shook her head.
“We don’t know. He was our greatest and only warrior. He was the son that inherited the gloves.” (Elf Woman)
Dramix considered that for a moment. It was another clue.
He then raised himself up and started to move.
“Get moving! She’s holding them back for now.” (Dramix)
Dramix moved quickly, as the other elves and wagons started going.
On the last wagon, there was a young elf girl with Gulliver.
“I will stay back as well.” (Gulliver)
Dramix shook his head.
“No, you’re our last hope to keep the final piece from the god’s hands.” (Dramix)
Dramix then offered him Zwilander.
“He’s temperamental, but you’re more worthy than I am.” (Dramix)
Gulliver grabbed the spear in surprise, then he took out his replacement sword.
“You can’t go unarmed.” (Gulliver)
Dramix grabbed it, then he sprinted off toward Naleeit.
It took no more than a moment to find her.
The numbers were already getting the better of her. She had already lost the pass, as she was backing away from four in front of her, and another two climbing over the wall’s sides.
Even more were coming from the passage. Dramix took flight and landed on a table.
When he did so, he let out a roar.
“I’m Dramix, and this is Naleeit. We are the kin of dragons. How many of you shall have the honor of tasting our steel?!” (Dramix)
Naleeit didn’t turn toward him when he said that.
Instead, she took the initiative from the distraction and slew two of the men in front of her, and proceeded to the third before Dramix took out the fourth.
He then went for the one that just landed on his feet to her left, as she went to the one on the right. The new force to come from the passage was caught in surprise at finding her steel waiting for them.
Dramix kept to her side while they fought.
“I shall keep your flank clear the best I can.” (Dramix)
The plan worked well.
The bodies were beginning to pile up, as Dramix grabbed her shoulder before speaking.
“They should be clear by now.” (Dramix)
She nodded and took care of one last body before grabbing one of the dead soldier’s shields and started covering their retreat.
“They’re running. Archers!” (Enemy Soldier)
The moment Naleeit heard that she started to prepare to cover them both, then she flew into the air to be above Dramix. The shield was pierced several times, but none of them made it through her plate armor. Dramix saw what had occurred, so he caught her landing, and the weight made his arms fail and force him to drop her. Dramix had enough strength in him to see several shafts going up to her legs to her hips.
“Leave me Dramix. I’m dead weight now. You can still getaway.” (Naleeit)
Dramix disregarded the order and held her close instead.
“A true drakan doesn’t abandon their mate. I chose to meet my ancestors now, so the song of war may be sung among my people. Let them know that the first true drakan in this war fell on this day.” (Dramix)
A laugh came from nearby as they were surrounded.
“Death!? That’s your hope? I shall rob you of it then. But first, your amulet. Give it here, or….” (Corrupted Man)
The man wearing the dawn breaker gear stepped threw the crowd and twisted one of the arrows inside Naleeit.
In obvious pain, she held back her scream. Dramix waited for his spirit to tell him what to do, when a thought crossed his mind. It was his choice. Dramix looked at his mangled arms, as he barely lifted his hands to his neck and pulled on his the amulet.
“I will be waiting, my shaman.” (Peter’s Spirit Talking)
Dramix opened his eyes, seeing Naleeit naked on the other side of the cage they were in. Unlike before, this one was full of iron instead of wood planks. The lock was deadbolted in three places and magically sealed.
They even had a guard watching behind them to be sure that they didn’t try anything funny.
After their capture, they stripped her of her armor and left her naked. He felt fortunate that they didn’t consider raping her, as they were immediately imprisoned. He then shredded the elven silk shirt to make bandages to cover Naleeit’s wounds and fix his arms the best he could. The muscles of his arm sheared and rolled up. The pain he was in right now was extreme, but none of it was compared to his worry over her. Her eyes were marked with shame.
After helping him with his arms all she could, she had regressed to this state. The words of his spirit rang in his head.
“Be her pillar.” (Peter’s words in his memory)
Right now, he couldn’t even support himself, which he was extremely shameful about. Still, he held onto hope.
Even if they were taken, it doesn’t mean that they wish them dead. With them alive, it means there’s hope for rescue, even if it takes a month or a decade.
“He will come for us. You know this better than I do.” (Dramix)
Naleeit didn’t respond when he said that, but a single tear left her eye. Dramix sighed and closed his eyes again as he held Naleeit close.
Whatever is to come, he knew that he will need every ounce of strength he has to survive.
For her sake, as well as his own.
Dramix counted four to six days of travel from the forest to the prison that would be holding them. His arms were useless now. They could grip fine, and handle delicate things, but anything beyond lifting a bowl of stew was beyond him, even after all the traveling.
For all his escape plans, he couldn’t do anything but sit and wait for his arms to heals while holding the dispirited Naleeit. He wondered what tortures awaited them inside. For her at least one, he could easily guess. He could in fact not escape it in all likelihood as well. At best, he could grab someone’s neck and use his weight to pin them to the ground. Possibly two people. His tail was a weapon that many people didn’t consider as one. As they entered their prison, instead of a cell, the back of the cage was opened into an arena and Naleeit got out instantly with only Dramix’s pants covering the bandages on her legs. Dramix quickly followed her, as a man came at him with an iron mace.
The man was obviously starved, and Dramix easily avoided his moves, as Naleeit took the sword from her attacker and broke his nose a moment later. Dramix found his opening and headbutted him. He didn’t think that he actually hit him that hard, but the man fell down in the sand unmoving. He then noticed blood coming out of the men back where an arrow had pierced him. Dramix quickly spotted the shooter and took a stance as the next shot came. Dramix growled angrily as he was too slow, and took an arrow in the arm. Naleeit took care of another two attackers during that time, then she threw the sword in her hand at the archer. With him gone, there were no other enemies. Dramix looked at his arm and tried to pull the arrow out, but he couldn’t, so Naleeit came over and pulled it out for him. They then looked up to the iron chain net over them. Escape from the air wouldn’t be possible.
“Only two remain. Which one of these newcomers will survive?” (Announcer)
Naleeit looked at him both surprised and worried. Dramix reached for the mace at his feet and struggled to pick up the weight. He gripped it and pulled it up with his back more than using his actual arm. He was offering it to Naleeit.
She looked at it in surprise before understanding what he meant.
Dramix then fell to his knees in the middle of the arena.
“Let my death be a call to war. Let it be known that a son of a dragon died this day.” (Dramix)
Dramix took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was ready and willing to die here so she may live.
If the threat of the dawn breaker gear ever arrived to the dragons, they would look back on the death of the first casualty to it and see honor and dignity from the fallen.
He spent his entire life living to the ideal of what is a true dragon.
As he waited for a swift end, he heard a loud thud, then another person fell to their knees right beside him.
“Let my death be a call to war. Let it be known that the children of dragons died this day.” (Nalleit)
She then took his hand. He knew that their fates weren’t their own, but he wouldn’t dare question any destiny that would keep them apart.
Strangely, instead of hearing a bowstring being released, he heard clapping instead.
“A touching display. I wonder how long you’ll last.” (Announcer)
