Alex turned back and pointed toward the sky. “I heard the one we got back home is even bigger than this. Now I do want to see it.”
Static crackled across Alex’s comm and cut off her conversation with Jim. The static got louder and she turned it off, hoping that resetting it would get rid of the noise. When she turned it back on, she heard Albnor’s voice. “We might have a problem,” he said. “Look down.”
Alex leaned over so she could see past Chine’s shoulder. It was hard to make out, but it looked like there were riders down at the bottom of the canyon. She squinted so she could see more clearly; there were definitely riders below. “So, what, there are people down there?” she asked.
“The canyon is strictly a no travel zone for civilians. There shouldn’t be anyone down there, let alone that many. I’m counting at least thirty bodies. That’s not good.”
Brath’s voice came through over the comm. “Who cares? They’re down there, and we’re up here. All we have to do is keep that up. We’re way too high up to be fired at.”
Chine interrupted Brath in Alex’s head. Alborn is right; this isn’t good. And it is about to get much worse.
At the bottom of the canyon, the riders, clothed in black and atop black steeds, rode on, the wind of their passage echoing up the canyon’s walls. The feet of the steeds were not hooves. They were the talons of birds of prey.
At a sign from the rider at the head of the posse, the rest of the riders pulled off their clothes, revealing their identities. The riders were trolls.
Once the riders had tossed away their cloaks, the magic shielding their steeds disappeared, and they were revealed to be bizarre birdlike creatures. The foul creatures looked humanoid, although their bodies were elongated and contorted.
They were sinewy and covered in sparse gray feathers. Their necks stretched uncomfortably long, ending in vulture heads, the skin thin and rotten-looking. They each had four mangy wings. A golden cap was fitted on their beaks, open to show rows of sharp teeth.
Alborn pulled up on his dragon, preparing to send it back into the sky. “We got vrosks and trolls,” he shouted.
Alex had never seen a vrosk, but she had seen trolls in Middang3ard VR. If these things were like those she was used to, they could be up to ten feet tall. She didn’t want to think about how big the vrosks must be.
The rest of the dragonriders took their cues from Alborn and headed back up toward the sky, but it was too late. There were at least fifteen vrosks and trolls above them. It was an ambush, and they were hemmed in.
Alborn cursed under his breath and furrowed his brow, running through his options. Alex saw him thinking, very aware that if he didn’t figure something out soon, the Dark One’s forces were going to close on them like a pair of scissors. It wouldn’t be hard for them to steal the minerals after that.
The vrosks above started to descend slowly, taking their time, likely relishing the fear they knew they were instilling in the dragonriders.
Alex hit her comm and called to Alborn, “Hey! I think I know what we should do!”
Alborn wiped away the sweat forming on his brow. “I didn’t ask you what we should do! Hold on, I’m thinking!”
Alex knew there wasn’t any time. The longer Alborn thought about what needed to be done, the worse position the dragonriders would be in. Chine, you ready for this? Alex asked as she looked at her dragon anchor.
The scales across Chine’s back rose and fell. Yes, Dustling. I am.
Alex hit her comm, bringing up all channels. “Team Boundless. We are engaging the enemy beneath us,” she commanded. “Mech riders, I want you down there too. Brath and Jaws, you split from the back and take the sides. Gill, I want you on top, shielding them.”
Alex pointed to Jollies and Amber. “Jollies, you’re with me. We’re going to thin out the party beneath us. Dash in and out. Get at least half of them, and then we regroup up here. Then all of us will push up and scatter the forces above us. Then we bring the fight to the canyon.”
Jim shouted, “Are you kidding me? You want to engage? They outmatch us—”
“Wasn’t a suggestion, Jaws. Go!”
Alex didn’t wait to see if anyone followed her. She tore straight for the vrosks and trolls beneath her, scanning through her inventory to see if she had any weapons stored. Should have checked that before I left. She laughed to herself.
Chapter Eight
Alex descended so fast it felt like the wind was slicing her face. She held out her dragon anchor, and a scythe appeared in her hand. The scythe was nearly the size of her body, and she was surprised she could lift it with ease. Never used one of these before. Should be fun.
Jollies flew at Alex’s side, barely visible in her peripheral vision. If the pixie was here, that meant the rest of Boundless probably had come as well. Alex hadn’t even thought about asking what anyone else thought they should do; she’d had just acted. Hopefully, it had been the right decision.
The vrosks beneath Alex and Jollies still hadn’t given any indication they had noticed Jollies and Alex heading toward them. I was right, she thought. They were expecting us to go straight up and take on the vrosks overhead.
Alex turned her thoughts toward Chine. Hey, how do we use your augments? Do I need to tell you anything or activate the—
Chine stretched his wings out, slowing a little as they prepared to attack. Same as flying—we’re connected as if we were one body.
Alex smiled as her dragon anchor glowed. Perfect.
Chine hit the ground amidst the vrosks and trolls at full speed, tearing it up with his claws. He breathed a plume of ether fire into the air and his gravitational
